Dear No One (Wattys2017) (UNDER CONSTRUCTION)

Dear No One, What Are The Odds

Callum was the guy I had been talking to online and over letters.

He was the guy that had wrote me with a secret, the guy that had used a whole piece of paper for three words. We had been talking before I had met him formally, and hadn't said a word about it. Had he wanted me to figure it out myself? Had he been sure I wouldn't ever find out? Did-

"Kase, you're whispering to yourself again." Kevin's voice broke me out of my daze. I tightened my ponytail, warmth spreading through my cheeks as I looked toward my brother hanging off my bed, his phone inches from his face.

"Sorry." I muttered, "What the hell are you doing in my room anyway?" I spun on my heel and crossed my arms over my chest.

"Dad told me to keep an eye on you while they're away for the weekend." Kev yawned, setting his phone on his chest as he took in my tank top and shorts, "You running?"

"Going to the gym, actually." I responded.

"Since when do you go to the gym?" he frowned, lips parting. I shook my head, trying to think up a lie before he could catch me in one.

"Since they hired a hot new guy that is totally willing to help me in self defense." at least I wasn't lying entirely, "I'll be back this evening."

"Hot guy?" I could hear over protectiveness starting to seep into my brother's voice, "How old is he?"

"Eighteen." I shrugged it off, "Only a year older, don't worry." he opened his mouth to respond, then shut it again when he saw my dark look.

"Okay. Call if you need anything, yeah?" I tore my purse and water bottle from my computer chair and threw a smile at my brother over my shoulder.

"Yeah."

*

I got lost the second I walked into the crowded building. People were everywhere I turned, invading the little personal space I had. Most were drenched in sweat, some looked ready to pass out, and some just continued running, lifting, or finishing whatever it was they were doing. When I tried to approach someone, I got nervous and backed off before I could get their attention. I would find the right room eventually, or maybe Callum would come out and hunt me down.

To my relief, after wandering around aimlessly for over thirty minutes, I found the right room. I stood outside for a moment, watching through the window.

There were trainers and woman scattered around the room, all looking like the bad ass girls out of action movies I had always been jealous of. My eyes started to drift from them and fell on Callum at the front of the room. It was a surprise seeing him without his jacket. I had thrown it in the washer when I got to my house and let him know I'd give it back to him today, but had left it behind accidentally.

As if he could feel eyes on him, his head snapped up and a smile broke out across his face. I waved shyly, my eyes following him to the closed door. He opened it slowly, slipping out into the loud hallway.

My mind began to go back to his words last night, the words that allowed me to come to the realization that he was the guy I had been talking to.

"I didn't think you'd actually show." he rubbed his hands together, "I mean, you probably had better things to do on a Saturday." he added the last bit as if he were worried I'd be offended by the previous comment.

"I did, really. I had to give up binging on Netflix to come and get all sweaty with you, Callum." I joked, offering him a smile.

"That must have been so hard." he shook his head, playing along, "Do you need to let out all your tears?"

We both laughed, shaking our heads in unison as I nodded toward the room.

"How often do you help your dad out?" I asked.

"Whenever Eric can't." he replied with a shake of his head, "Which is pretty often."

I shifted back and forth between feet at the mention of Eric's name, my throat growing dry. Callum seemed to notice, because he opened the door and made a gesture with his hand for me to go in ahead of him. I thanked him with a quick nod and brushed by and into the room, quieter than outside in the gym, but not by much.

"Ah, you must be Kasey!" a middle aged man appeared out of thin air, outstretching his hand. I couldn't help but admire how fit he was. My father would look like a small child beside the man. As I lifted my head to meet his blue eyes, I realized where both of his boys had gotten their piercing blue ones from.

"Yeah. Hi." I waved shyly after shaking his hand. I felt Callum come up behind me, but his eyes were everywhere but his father.

"I'm Mr. Baxter. It's nice to finally meet the girl that has my boy so happy." Callum groaned behind me, slapping a hand against his forehead.

"Dad, stop." he shook his head, "I am not happy. That's not a word that is anywhere in my vocabulary."

"Sure, sure." His father waved off what he said, "Go get in your positions and I'll head back over to you guys."

As I watched his father walk away, I could feel Callum starting to relax beside me.

There wasn't any way his father was the one who left the scars all over his body, right?

"You ready, Speedy?" his eyebrows shot up in a taunting look as he backed away from me and toward the mats spread out across the floor. I set my stuff by the door before nodding and jogging over to him.

"Go ahead and start guys!" Mr. Baxter shouted over the music. Just as Callum lifted his arm, I caught his wrist roughly, feeling his body immediately tense.

After a second, he relaxed and stared at my hand wrapped around his wrist.

"Okay, that was a pretty good one, Kasey." he stood up straighter and changed positions, "But two can play at that game." 

***AN***

Not edited and on the shorter side. I'll be going over and editing this book for the Wattys, so the chapters will be longer and more in detail then. 

Hope you guys enjoyed! I promise the next chapter will be longer! 

~ChasingMadness24