Royally Falling

~ 27 ~

"Hello from the other side
I must've called a thousand times
To tell you I'm sorry
For everything that I've done
But when I call you never
Seem to be home"
Hello - Adele

oOoOo

(Back to Kate's POV)

After Kaden leaves, I sit on my bed in shock.

So that just happened.

I stare at the wall.

A tear escapes my eye. More follow in an unbroken stream.

I hear a knock on the door.

It's Blair.

"You okay?" She sits on the edge of my bed.

"No," I croak.

The stream turns into a river.

"It'll be alright," she says, wrapping me in a hug. "You knew he would be mad. Just take the rest of the day to clear your head and let him clear his. You can have an adult conversation tomorrow."

She rubs soothing circles on my back.

I open my mouth to speak, but only a strangled cry comes out.

"What am I," hiccup, "going to do?"

"Talk to him. You haven't been communicating. Fix that, and you're on the right track to fixing your relationship."

I don't respond. She leaves me alone.

I can do that. Just talk it out. We are going to be fine.

Things will work out. Kaden will forgive me. Boys don't stay mad too long. Everything will be fine.

Right?

I try calling him when I calm down.

I get sent to voicemail.

"Um, hey, Kaden... It's me, Kate... Well, um, I just wanted to talk. I'm sorry... Can you call me back? I can explain everything. No more lies... Okay, I guess that's it. Bye."

I fall backward on my bed and stare at the ceiling.

I turn around. I start counting the polka dots on my comforter.

1, 2, 3...

Minutes tick by.

167, 168, 169...

It's not working. I can't turn my brain off.

Is he okay? Why won't he call me back? Am I being unreasonable?

If only he would just let me explain-

oOoOo

Monday.

I go to classes like a zombie.

I check my phone every five minutes, hoping for something.

I stop at The Brew five times.

He's not there.

Juliet calls to warn me about the magazines.

She advises me to do damage control. It's too late; the damage is done.

My fingers drift across my phone screen, hovering over his contact.

I stop myself from calling him again. I don't want to seem desperate.

It's fine. He's just taking longer than I thought to clear his head. His reaction is fine.

He'll come around. I'll give him some more space. More space.