Skinny

"What Do You Really Think Of Them?"

Chapter Nineteen:

Caleb's POV:

We all listened in on Gabe's phone. Mia had told him to mute his phone and now we could hear what was on Raven's mind. We had been informed about what Mick had done to a young Raven in full detail from Mia and now that's what she thought of everyone who wanted her attention. She was ruined for boys all because of Mick. I just wanted to punch him for what he did to her.

I couldn't really blame her and I knew it hurt Reese to hear that she thought that way of him. But to be honest we had been fighting over her. We hadn't really considered how she would feel about it. We had never once opted to get into bed with her which was why I was upset before. I had thought Reese had tried to one up us by sleeping with her, but he had denied it fully.

He had told us that it had just happened. We believed him because he's our best friend and he wouldn't use a girl like that. Especially not Raven.

I felt bad about everything I had said to her and I wanted to apologize, but she wasn't seeing anyone aside from Mia at the moment. Her friend, Alexander, had made us annoyingly aware of that fact. He was currently listening with us and pacing next to our booth.

We sat in the diner that I had first encountered the beautiful, tough, independent Raven. I thought about that day everytime I entered the diner, but I knew that she would never punch me again. Probably. Hopefully. My thoughts were interrupted by her melodic voice over the cellphone, as it sat on the table in between us all.

"But I feel as though Reese would brag about getting me," she continued, "I mean, he was all too eager to brag that we did it. He was really sweet through it all and I liked it plus he kisses like a pro. Ugh, even so, I like them all, but I can't really date them all either. Then there's Alex, I swear he has a big stick up his ass. I mean, I get that I'm rejecting him and for some reason that makes me more desirable, but I can't stop thinking that if things didn't work out between us it would just be awkward because we would always see each other and...."

I could hear her sigh. "I just don't want to ruin anything, even though there really isn't anything to be ruined now." Alex grunted in anger about her comments towards their non-existent relationship, but I could tell he wanted to hear her thoughts on all of us.

"Well, what about Caleb?" Mia asked and I perked up eager to hear her thoughts on me.

"I don't know. I'm not really into that bad boy persona he seems to think works for him. I mean, I did punch the guy remember?"

"Yeah, but you were defending my honor," Mia said, laughing.

"God, you make me sound so butch." She laughed with her friend. "But Caleb, he just thinks so highly of himself. I don't know really. They just make it so easy. I don't feel like I'm being pursued, it's more like I'm being fought over. It's like they, all of them, think that one romantic gesture will make me swoon. I don't know why it doesn't, but with everything that Mick did for me, I just feel like I'm worth more than that, you know? Then if I show any interest in one, someone else goes berserk on the guy and ruins the moment."

She seemed upset again, but I couldn't care less right now. I couldn't hear past what she really thought of me. I was angry, at her, at myself for being so stupid, and just at the world. I pulled out my phone and I knew just how I could drown out all feelings I had for Raven Garcia.

I didn't hear what my friends were saying to me as I walked out of the diner towards my bike.

**************

Raven's POV:

Mia had gotten a worried call from Gabriel and I could only catch some of it. I wasn't fully sure of anything, but I knew it was bad from the sound of my side of the conversation.

I also knew it had something to do with Gabriel being on the phone while I talked about the guys. I hadn't know about it until it was too late to take back what I had said about anyone. I was too focused on what Mia was saying to worry about that right now. Although, I had a feeling that whatever was wrong had something to with the eavesdropped conversation.

Mia turned to me with a worried expression after she had hung up with her boyfriend.

"It's Caleb. He ran off after-," she seemed to halt her words after a sudden realization.

"I know that you were letting them listen in. I just realized a little too late apparently."

"Yeah, well, he ran off after you said those things about him. Reese said any time he gets angry like that he resorts to booty calls and drinking." She looked stunned by the very idea of it, but I seemed to understand his line of thinking. Use girls and booze to forget about another certain girl.

"What am I supposed to do?" I asked, not sure I wanted to be involved but knowing I probably had no choice.

"Reese suggested you calling him." I nodded and picked up my phone to find a text from Andrew with Caleb's number.

I called it and it rang. It rang until it went to voicemail and I hung up and called three more times. On the fifth and final try, he picked up with a gruff 'hello' and he sounded out of breath. I was hoping I wasn't interrupting him doing anything with anyone. It vaguely brought back my last phone conversation with Mick, but I pushed that to the back of my mind.

"I need to talk to you, Caleb," I said and hoped he wouldn't hang up on me.

I heard some shuffling and a girl's cry of complaint and knew I had definitely interrupted something.

"What do you want?" He asked coldly.

"I know you heard what I said about you."

"Yeah? And? I mean nothing to you, is that all?" He sounded ready to hang up.

"I never said that. I just," I sighed. I had been so desperate to get a hold of him that I hadn't thought about what I wanted to say.

"What, Garcia?" I could tell he was trying to distance me by calling me by my surname.

"I'm sorry, Princess. I was upset with you and I was telling my friend things in confidence, which she didn't seem to understand." I gave her a meaningful look and she shrugged in apology.

"Well, glad to know that you only say mean things about me behind my back. Makes me feel so much better." This retort angered me more than it should of. I was supposed to be the upset one because of how he had treated me not more than a few hours ago.

"Look, I'm the one that was upset and now you're acting like a damn girl! I didn't say those things to purposely hurt you! Now, would you please get the imaginary knife out of your back and just consider it the same one that you so publicly thrust into my chest, this afternoon!"

I hung up the phone knowing I needed to calm down. Mia was just staring at me in complete shock. So much for me talking him out of whatever he was doing. I told Reese I wasn't good at comforting people, but he didn't listen.

I counted to ten and breathed in and out slowly.

"He was in the middle of it when I called. I was pretty sure that he wanted to get back to it."

I shrugged and let a familiar numb feeling envelope me. I wasn't jealous, I had no right to be. Not after everything I had said and so I happily accepted the emptiness that I hadn't felt since my bullied days as a freshman.

"So, change of topic? Jaxon told Gabe, who told me, that he's throwing a surprise party for Mason's birthday tomorrow and he invited us to come."

Mia was always the best at trying to cheer me up. I nodded and that was all she needed to fly into action. She spent the rest of the night trying to find me the perfect 'man-eater outfit' to wear to the party.

Yes, Mia, because I need more drama in my life. Note the intense sarcasm.