Cuffs and Kisses

Chapter 16 - Ghosts

Heather's POV

On Wednesday afternoon, I was doing homework and texting back and forth with Fletcher.

Fletcher

You'll be at the game on Saturday night to take pics for the yearbook, right?

Me

I guess I have to, right?

Fletcher

Well, you could also just want to! School spirit is a pretty big deal here. Plus, football players wear very tight pants.

Me

lol. You wouldn't mind being objectified wearing those tight pants? ;)

Fletcher

Not at all ;)

I turned back to my calculus textbook, reading examples for the next skill. My phone buzzed again, and I smiled at Fletcher sending a double text.

Fletcher

You can objectify me at the after party, too. ;)

Unfortunately, I was surprised by a message from an unknown number.

Unknown

Heath, can we talk? I know it's been a while. I was just wondering what's been happening in your life. I hope your move to Idaho went well. I miss seeing you around here.

There was no mistaking who the message was from—Ryder.

Immediately, I screenshot the text conversation and forward it to Mac. A few seconds later, Mac's face appears on my screen, accompanying the incoming call vibrations.

"Hey! Is that from who I think?"

"Yep."

"I thought you blocked him."

"I did for a while. But for some reason, I added him back again. He's not saved as a contact, though."

"Well, that's good, even though I wish he couldn't contact you at all."

"My bad."

"Heath, don't message him back. That's what he wants."

"I mean, his text was innocent enough, though. I can just tell him that I've moved on and that he shouldn't contact me again."

"No. He won't care what the message is. He will just care that you responded."

"Even if I'm telling him to go away?"

"Even if you're telling him to go away. Just don't send anything back."

Another message comes through.

Unknown

You probably won't even get this. If you do, you probably won't respond.

I read the message aloud to Mac.

"I'm telling you, Heather. Do not respond. He sent that as a challenge to make you want to respond."

"Another one is coming in now," I say, reading off the new message.

Unknown

I really have changed. I went to rehab recently, and I'm doing a lot better.

"Aaaargh." I moan frustratedly. "I'm just going to tell him that I'm happy for him, but I don't want to be in his life anymore."

Me