It isn't mistakes that's critical, its correcting them and getting on with the principal task. - Donald Rumsfeid
"Get out of my way." He growls and I step aside. I turned around to watch him as he grabs a bag stuffing clothes in it.
He's leaving? That's a little dramatic isn't it?
"Where are you going?"
"Don't you hate me?"
"I don't... I didn't mean what I said."
"Weren't you drinking?" He asks closing the bag and going into the bathroom.
"Yes I was." I asnwered confused by his question.
"Liquid courage." He says then storms pass me.
"Cade wait!"
"Why?"
"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to say I hate you. I was angry and it just came out... I mean I hated you at that moment but not now I don't." I explained and his hand reaches for the door knob.
"Okay." He says then opens the door.
"Just okay?!" I yell and he snaps his head around giving me a cold stare.
"What do you want me to say?"
"I don't know! Anything but okay." I said then sighed.
"Cade please lets just talk."
"I don't want to talk to you."
"I find that hard to believe." I said cockily sitting on my bed.
"Why?"
"Because you told me you wanted to talk to me earlier today." He rolls his eyes then fold his arms. He looks at me as if he was thinking about what he was going to say.
"Well that was earlier not anymore."
"Really?" I asked crossing my legs and resting my elbow in my lap then propping my head up to look at him.
"Yes. I have to go."
"Why do you keep running away from me?"
"I made a mistake. I'm trying to to correct it by walking away." He says and his words cut through me.
"You weren't walking away half an hour ago. In fact you were running behind me."
"What are you playing at? Are you trying to feel important?"
"I thought I already was... Based off your actions. So no I'm not trying to feel like what I already am." I said placing both hands on my bed and leaning back still with my legs crossed.
"Are you going to keep playing games with me Cade?... they aren't fun and its getting ugly."
"Are you going to keep playing games with me?" He asked looking at me with a raised brow.
"I'll stop if you stop."
"Fine." His response is serious and I stand up to walk over to him.
"Truce?" I asked extending my hand.
"Truce." He agrees and shakes my hand and then he turns to leave.
"You're still leaving?"
"Yes. I need some time away from you." He says and he doesn't look at me. Wow. That went south fast. He stands for awhile as if he was waiting for me to say something... what could I really say? That hurt like hell.
He leaves and I stand watching him until he disappears through the doors. Warm water is on my face, these were tears and I inhale sharply. Why did it feel like he was gone forever?
Three girls come through the doors and I wipe my tears away quickly. They see me at the door and they walk quickly towards me.
"Hey guys!" I try to sound as cheerful as I could while flashing them a fake smile. I didn't want to be asked about any of the events that took place tonight, I didn't want to talk about it.
Cade was right, time was needed between us, he needed it away from me and I needed it away from him. Things were going too fast and it was causing too many conflicts. This was good, its what we need. If after this nothing happens then I'd know.. we'd know that it wasn't meant to be.
"Are you okay?" Megan asks and the other two girls look at me.
"Yeah. I'm okay. Are you?" I said maintaining a light smile. "You're scaring me Lynn." Elizabeth voices and I look over to her eliminating my smile. I didn't smile a lot so maybe my smile that couldn't turn off was actually scaring her.
I laugh out loudly and walk into my room. "Crazy girl." I snort as I made my way over to my bed to remove my shoes.
"We saw Cade with a bag and when he saw us coming he turned the other way. What's going on?" Jessy says and they all walk in I sigh because here I was trying to avoid everything and here they are trying to understand it.
I did the next best thing, I told them what went down. I had to they wouldn't rest until they knew, its better to just dig deeper in the wound while its still fresh than to let it start healing and open it up again.
****
My body was heating up and I forced my tired eyes open. Why was I so hot? I have a clear view of my bedroom ceiling and then I begin to stretch out my arms, my hand lands on soft skin and I turned my head quickly to look.
It was Elizabeth she was fast asleep snoring lightly. Why was she here? I look over at the time and its 11:00 am, I sit up to get off the bed and I look over at Cade's bed, for a moment I thought he was back but it was just Megan and Jessy.
I sigh looking at my friends asleep and then I get up and head straight into the bathroom. "Uhhh, my head."
"Toby!" One of my friends call out and I crack the door peeking my head out to look. Elizabeth was standing at the door smiling and talking to someone but I couldn't see who it was. "Who's there?"
"Someone is here to see you." She says turning around beaming at me. I walk quickly towards the door and she opens the door more. I am in shock as I stand with widen eyes, tears start flooding my eyes and the tall man dressed in army uniform flashes a 32 watt smile. I ran over to him and jumped in his arms, he stands perfectly still as my body crashes into his and his arms wrap around me.
"Dad!" I call out and tears fall out my eyes. "Princess." He says then he gives me a squeeze. I haven't seen my dad in two years and the last time I talked to him was three months ago. "I missed you so much." I tell as tears run from my eyes, yes I'm a daddy's girl. "I missed you more sweetheart." He says then releases me from the hug.
"What are you wearing?" He asks looking at me with a raised eyebrow and I look down to see my party clothes from last night. "Is this what girls that go to university wear?" He asks in a sarcastic tone.
"Its from last night, I went to a party." I explained and he looks at me with a disapproving look.
"Where is mom?" If he was here then she was here too because she was staying in the area where he was deployed, I was too but I left because of school.
"Your mom is out by the car. She wanted our meeting to be just about us." He says then he laughs and I giggle. "She says she wanted you to feel as happy as she did when she saw me." He says then he looks at me smiling.
"You need to get dressed, we are going to have a day together as a family. We'll be by the car." He says then he kisses my head and he leaves.
****
My mom and dad sit laughing at my dad as he does a bunch of goofy stuff all at once. Everyone was staring at us as we hysterically guffaw at my dad. Let them look we were a happy family and that's all that matters.
My phone buzzes and I take it out to look, it was a message from Cade.
Cade: What are your friends doing in our room without you?
Toby: They stayed with me for the night and then they helped me to get ready to go out with my parents... I thought they left.
Cade: Oh.
"So princess how is school?" My dad asks looking at me. "Its alright dad I have no problems with my co..ur..ses." I respond but then I was interrupted by my phone.
Cade: When will you be back?
Toby: I don't know. I'll probably be out until night time. My dad is in the Army and he just came back so I guess he's trying to spend enough time with me and mom before he leaves again.
"Toby! Put the phone down. Your dad is talking to you." My mom scolds me and I tuck the phone into my back.
"I'm sorry dad what were you saying?"
My phone buzzes again and I ignore it. I wanted to know what he wanted but I didn't know when I'd see my parents again so I had to make time for them.
****
Its 9'o clock and my parents dropped me off at the entrance of the university.
I wave at them as they leave and my dad honks the horn while my mom stuck her hand out the window to wave. I wonder where they were staying out here.
"Well time to head back to my room." I started walking back to my dorm and then I noticed how far it was.. Why didn't I let my parents bring me over there?
As I continue to walk I see Alejandro talking to a guy, I walked over because we haven't talked since last night.
"Hey Alejandro." I greet and I smile at him, his nose was broken and the black and blue around it made it look like it was still hurting. "I'll talk to you later." His friend says then he walks off and Alejandro turns to me.
"Hi." His response was dry and it made me feel a little nervous to talk to him.
"I'm sorry about last night, I ha-"
"Don't apologize to me Toby. Its my fault. I had no idea that you were one of Cade's bitches or el-"
The palm of my hand connects with his facial flesh and his head swings to the side. His hand jolts to his cheek to hold it and my hand stings with pain.
"Asshole." I growl then storm off. He lets out a laugh then shouts, "you guys are perfect for each other! Walking around hitting people in the face."
To think that I went to apologize to that prick. I had no idea he was like that. I think jerks are drawn to me now.
I continue to my room walking as fast as I could to get out of the cold night air, I then collided with another body that was coming from the side and I fall to the ground.
"Motherfu-" I look up and it's Cade, he extends his hand to help me up and I take it.
"You really should watch where you're going bombshell." He teases and I dust myself off. "So should you." He chuckles and I grin, "touché" he retorts and then there is an awkward silence.
"Well bye!" I said and I sounded a little too excited, ughh that was dumb.
"See you around." He says as I continue to storm to my room.
I open the bedroom door and stand at the entrance of the dark room looking around as the hallway light barely shined in.
I slap my hand to my forehead and sigh. That was so awkward, it was as if I was talking to a complete stranger. I started to wonder if that's how things were going to be when he decided to come back.
I shut the door turning the light on then I gathered some stuff and went into the bathroom.
After I was finish with my shower I went into bed, I powered up my laptop to watch a movie and while I waited I took out my phone and I started scrolling through Instagram.
As I scroll through my feed I see a post by Abby. It was a picture of her and Cade a long with his friends and some other girls. They looked like they were at a party, Cade looked so happy. He looked like he was laughing at something Abby said, the picture was captioned, "Don't try to understand us <3"
The caption cut deep and I can't help but feel like it was made for me. Did he tell her I asked about there relationship?
The caption could very well be linked to there circle but it felt nothing like that and it hurt like hell.