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Chapter Forty-Four: "Queen."
THE NEWS OF DANIEL'S engagement only added to the constant reminder from my father to come home. Specifically with Caleb.
He was relentless and it wasn't that I didn't want to go home but when I told him I was in the middle of filming, he only told me to get on a plane the second it was over.
Mom, on the other hand, would not stop talking about her only son getting married.
When Daniel had dropped the news, our friends and my boyfriend disappeared left me, Naomi, Daniel in the kitchen to engage in a phone call with our mother. From there, we had witnessed our mother's very expressive form of joy. Where she congratulated him over and over again and was singing gospel songs so loud I felt as if she was in the room with us.
It wasn't hard to imagine her dancing around the house, clapping and praising her strongest belief with potential having tears in her eyes. She gushed over Daniel, asking about the details of how it all came to be.
Turns out, he proposed to his girlfriend, now fiancee, over lunch at their favorite place. That's all that was needed and the way that Daniel had told the story with the highest form of happiness in his eyes pushed out anything awful the bastard had said to me in all his years of living, making me hug him.
Mom was quick to ask about the plans for the wedding. When he told her hopefully sometime in the spring, she was already calling our extended family members.
Then she told him that on top of the 'basic' wedding (her words not mine) that western people do, that he had to have a traditional wedding somehow included. Her tone indicated that Daniel had to have that or else he was going to be disowned. He would have included it anyway; we all had a strong pull to the motherland.
Suddenly, our mother went from overbearingly happy to accusing. The tables turned when my mother had asked when Naomi and I were getting married. We shut up fast and ended the call, not even a beat after.
My sister was transfixed on the phone, falling quiet. "You okay?" I asked with a nudge on her arm.
She pulled on a smile. "I'm going to go in the back."
That didn't answer my question.
Before I had the chance to further expand on that topic, we were way into September and my sister headed back to law school, away from LA. I didn't have time to ask her about it but I had a feeling of what it was about. Regardless, I was going to ask her in person when I would see her again.
In addition, she had managed to throw in a couple of ideas of what to do about Eric McCantie but we still weren't sure on a certain idea of how to address it. But we would figure it out. I know it. If there was someone I had the most faith in it was definitely my sister.
Not long after my sister had left for her final year, My brother had moved to the greater Toronto area. I was in my home without my siblings around me, each of them branching out into further points of their lives.
But filming distracted me.
It distracted me when Angie preparing with a team, she had been given over her new job of what the band members were going to wear for their tour. It preoccupied me as Krystal was thrown into more business meetings as she was holding onto the launch party of the new line of cosmetics for her brand.
Even when Caleb had gone to Italy for a few days for meetings but not before letting me know that he was coming back for a bit before moving back to Italy. I didn't think much of it, enjoying the time he had with me for now.
Filming was the best part. Especially since I threw myself out of my comfort zone with each character. It was a good thing when everyone around me was moving and changing as time passed by.
Then September soon fell into October. Back home the changing of the months would make a big difference; fall weather and crunching of the leaves as you walked. Rather in Los Angeles, it was more so the same heat just a little milder and cooler nights.
"Tell Caleb to hurry up." Jake groaned. He had just returned from seeing his family in Malta and was currently lounging in nice clothes on my couch.
I stood at the foot of my staircase, arms crossed and eagerly waiting. "Caleb!" I shouted, adjusting my dark green jumpsuit.
"Give me a minute!" He raised his voice from my bedroom.
"I gave you a minute six minutes ago, babe. Let's move!"
"God, woman!" He let out a long and exaggerated groan that had me roll my eyes. I watched him come out of my room, struggling to put on his tie. His hand slacked from the fabric at the sight of me, a content smile appeared on his handsome face. If I had been annoyed beforehand, I wasn't now judging by how quick my heart was beating at the sight of his smile. "I love fighting with you."
"Feeling is mutual." He walked down the stairs and stood one step above me giving me a chaste kiss that left me dizzy. "Let me." I took hold of his tie for him, doing it for him. "You didn't have to wear a tie, you know?"
"You don't like the tie?" He questioned, as Jake passed the bowl of grapes he was eating to him.
"I do!" I said when I was finished. "I'm just saying you don't have to wear it."
"You don't like the tie." He moved my hands, ready to take it off.
"I do!" Yet he still didn't look convinced. "I like you with a tie. I love it when you wear a tie."
"I'm taking off the tie," He decided. "I have my black jean jacket upstairs let me get it." He ran up the stairs and Jake raised an eyebrow.
"He just so happens to have his black jeans jacket here?"
"He has a lot of clothes kind of just lying around here when he sleeps over." Clothes that I don't really intend to give back to him unless he needed it like tonight.
"You guys seem like one of those spontaneous couples," He assumed. "The 'come over at 4 am' type of couples."
"He lives an hour away." I pouted.
Jake gave me a once over, making me push at his chest. "Is that supposed to stop the two of you?"
"No, not really." A grin came to my face as Caleb made his way back down looking as good as ever. "I like this better."
"I knew you would."
"You like Caleb without clothes more." I heard Jake mumble and Caleb barked out his laughter, his eyes twinkling.
"What are our chances of just staying here while we have our own party-"
"I'm literally right here," Jake stepped over, fixing Caleb's hair for him. "Krystal would kill you if you were late to her own party."
"If we know Krystal, she's going to be late," Caleb commented.
"Which means that we have to be earlier than her," I added as Jake stepped away. Caleb did a little spin, straightening his clothes.
"How do I look?"
"If you run your hands through your hair tonight, I'll be pissed," Jake told him.
"I'll be fine," Caleb told him, slinging an arm around his shoulder. "Let's go, shall we."
"No, no, no," Jake shot him an appalled look, handing Caleb his cellphone. Jake threw a glance at me. "He's never gone to an event with the two of us."
"I have." Caleb reminded him.
"But you haven't been on the way to an event with us," I corrected. "We need pictures."
"Tons of pictures." Jake agreed with a clap. "That's why I kept telling you to get ready."
Caleb' eyes darted around as if he was looking for answers when he stated the obvious. "But we have to go."
"We can spare twenty minutes for pictures." I comprised.
Jake waved his hands in dismissal of my words. "I didn't look this good just for a total of twenty minutes on pictures."
"I meant twenty minutes here then we take more at the party."
He hummed in agreement, glancing outside as the sun was starting to fade and the day was turning into night. "We're losing golden hour. We got to start."
We both turned to Caleb who heavily sighed, shaking his head opening the camera app on Jake's phone. "This is going to be a long night."
When we finally arrived at the venue, the pictures Jake had wanted were given as we stood by the makeshift red carpet off to the side. The entire venue was incredibly light pink, making me fascinated by the lengths Krystal and her team had gone to.
The walls were covered with models faces with different variants of the makeup she had produced. The makeup she was to be selling to the world was laid out professionally around the room for people to look at. My eyes were fascinated placing of decoration around the room when we stood by a table with large flowers, a Krystal cardboard cut out next to it. "I really want to take the cut out," Jake whispered to me.
"Better to try when we leave." I quietly said, eyeing the security guard even though I knew Krystal would allow him to.
"Oh my God." I heard Caleb said behind us, the cut out already under his arm.
"You don't think you're going to attract enough attention holding that?" Jake rhetorically questioned.
"What are you talking about?" He held the cardboard cut out upright. "Krystal is my plus one."
We laughed moving through the nice event, past the little red carpet and scenery, taking more pictures of at Krystal's event then I was sure her photographer was getting.
"I've never been surrounded by so much makeup." Caleb's eyes trailed over the room at the locked up but clear cases of the products Krystal and her team were showcasing.
"I thought it was just highlighters and foundation." Jake leaned in with me as we inspected the highlight palette.
I shook my head as we moved along. My eyes caught onto the various people coming into the venue as radio music came in through the speakers above. "They added the new lipstick and lipliner colors not too long after. Supposed to be a surprise."
Caleb quickly latched onto Jake's arm, pointing at a distance. "Bro."
"Candy bar." Jake patted my back. "We'll be back."
I watched my boyfriend, who was still holding onto the Krystal cut out, and friend run off to the side where stacks of white chocolate to the familiar red candies in strawberry wrappers put in a huge jar. Shaking my head, I felt a hand on my arm.
"Babe," I turned to see Angie. "Where'd the guys go?"
"Candy bar." I kissed her cheek as she linked her arm with mine.
"Of course," She rolled her eyes, flipping her black hair over her shoulder. "When do you think our sliver queen is going to show up?"
"I give her an hour," I replied, still looking around.
"She outdid herself," Angie said, equally in awe.
"Yeah." Knowing that we probably would be able to get distracted the venue alone, I nodded over to familiar faces. She followed suit, engaging in conversation with them.
As the night continued, everyone was taken to their seats. Krystal had shown up around that time, wearing a dress no one could overshadow. She answered everyone's questions, chatted with as many people, upholding her businesslike persona for the night.
Our view of the platform of the different cosmetics being introduced was near the front and I ate away as a member of Krystal's team spoke at the platform. Angie tapped my foot lightly, her voice quiet enough for me to hear. "Um, someone you're not going to be happy about is here."
I stared at her and Caleb glanced over as well. "What do you mean?"
"Keith." She whispered, grabbing her drink to take a sip.
I became highly aware that hearing someone say his name had no effect on me. My heart wasn't racing. I didn't feel any anticipation. I was simply unperturbed and for some reason that made me happy.
My eyes turned to where she was staring to indeed find the man sitting a couple of tables away, laughing at something someone was telling him.
"Oh, you've got to be fucking kidding me," Jake muttered on the other side of Caleb.
Caleb looked over as well before shrugging, looking as unbothered as I felt. His similar reaction had me chuckle and he shot me a heartwarming smile, before pay attention to the man speaking all while grabbing my hand on top of the table.
"You think he's going to say something to you?" Angie asked as I took a sip of my own drink.
"I'm content on my side," I put a hand to my chest. "If he says something to me then I'll be civil. There's no need to start an argument or publicize anything especially here of all places, you know?"
Caleb squeezed my hand, running his thumb over my knuckles in a caressing motion that had me stare at our hands for a moment. the gesture had me such in a breath and Angie hummed in agreement at the previous conversation while I was lost in him for a second before pulling myself back to reality. Suddenly, Krystal came on stage and Keith was soon forgotten as I grinned at the sight of my friend in her element.
Jake let out a loud whistle when Krystal started to speak and I amped her up as well. it didn't help when our entire group possibly started to embarrass her by our appraisal but I don't think she minded especially when she stopped speaking to smile and wave over to us.
We stayed for a long time, socializing with others and trying out every appetizer served. Angie and I were talking to a couple of acquaintances when I heard the commotion from the other side of the room.
There just had to be fucking commotion.
Then a shout of Caleb's name rang in my ears.
The sight of both Keith and Caleb pulled away in different directions caught my eye, and everyone who had been engaged in the previous conversation now took notice of the obvious fight that had occurred.
Oh shit.
Caleb was silently fuming as he was held back by security. His body was tight and tense as he glared at Keith over the security man's shoulder. He didn't speak as Keith cursed the life out of him and started to thrash around like a child, but I knew better.
The words going through Caleb's head were probably best kept in because when he started swearing, especially in his native tongue, he would have gone off on Keith again for whatever had happened.
His reaction definitely had to be justified, I told myself, not having any time to think about my thoughts. Moving my eyes from Keith to look at Caleb, my focus zoned in on him and solely him. No matter how unexpected it was.
He was escorted out of the venue despite Keith being the one yelling and Angie grabbed my hand, the two of us following behind. My feet were quick to reach him once he was let go. Luckily, no one followed the security guard outside and resumed to the actual party inside.
"Hey, hey, you okay?" I asked, trying not to panic as Caleb groaned, slouching to sit down in front of the steps of the buildings.
He coughed, hissing when he touched his face. "I'm okay-Fuck."
"Are you okay?" Krystal was beside us in an instant, looking at Caleb with worry.
"I'm fine." He assured her, wincing as Jake came running out. "So sorry to ruin your night."
"You didn't," She gave him a small smile. "What happened?"
"I was," Caleb grimaced the more he moved his face but continued his story. "he asked to speak with me and before I knew it, he was saying stupid shit about me and Octavia. He ended up calling her a word I really don't want to repeat out loud-" The rest of Caleb's English grew non-existent as he changed to cursing at Keith in Spanish.
He was delving into extreme emotion and if I hadn't cupped the side of his face he wasn't holding over to get him to look at me he would have run back in there and finished what had happened.
Caleb's eyes softened and he cleared his throat, mumbling a quick, 'Lo siento' as he regained his composure. I shook my head for him not to apologize to which he took a deep breath. "He was pissing me off."
He glanced up at me and it was right then I realized what word Keith must have called me to try and anger him.
"He swung first," Jake added before I could say anything. "I saw it."
"I told him he could go fuck himself and he punched me." Caleb continued, agreeing with Jake. "Which explains why my face hurts. When I pushed him back and suddenly we were hitting the shit out of each other," He explained, clenching his fingers in a fist then loosening them repeatedly.
I crouched in front of him, taking the hand in my own. At the moment his hands were red and when I put slight pressure on them Caleb didn't make much notice of it. Luckily it didn't look like anything was broken, I decided, staying quiet.
I had to stay quiet because as much as I wanted to do anything about Keith, what I needed to know first was if Caleb was truly okay physically.
But the tap of my other hand against my knee didn't do much to dismiss the hostility rising within me. Caleb was quick to notice it too, his hand flickering to my fingers.
"I think we should get out of here," Jake said to all of us. "Is that okay?" He asked Krystal.
"Yeah, it's fine. The night is ending anyways Just make sure he's okay," Krystal shot Caleb a worried glance before looking at me. "Thank you, guys, for coming."
"We wouldn't miss it," Angie assured her with a hug. "So proud of you."
Jake hugged her as well. "Sorry the no good douche bag tried to ruin your night."
Caleb managed to squeeze in a hug still holding one side of his face. "I'll see you tomorrow Vodka. Also, the chocolate at the candy bar-good choice." She grinned and he shared her smile, using my hand to help himself up.
"Wait, ask," Jake said to Caleb and the two shared a look before Caleb spoke up.
"We also want to purchase the Krystal cardboard cutout that was at the front."
She laughed, rolling her eyes. "I'll give it to you tomorrow. Just go before Keith comes out here."
"Was he even invited?"
Krystal cringed. "No, I wouldn't invite him of all people to my party. Some people were allowed plus ones and he must have come with one of them."
"Yikes," Angie muttered.
"It's been a long night and I'm about to close. So, get going. All of you text me for updates."
We bid our goodbyes and when we arrived at my house, my phone, along with everyone else's was blowing up with videos from tonight.
Caleb currently had an ice pack against the side of his face and was on a call with his agent. Irritation crossed his face and I crossed over to him just as he held his other hand to his head. "What?"
"What's happening?" Jake asked, next to him.
Caleb pressed the phone to his chest, glancing at me. "Apparently he's going to press charges."
I walked over to him, taking the phone from his chest to put it on speaker. "What? Where did you hear this?"
"He spoke to one of the media outlets when he was escorted out of the building." Caleb's agent said.
"But that doesn't make any sense," Jake commented. "He hit Caleb first. I saw it."
"There's no video evidence that proves that Keith hit him first. All the videos so far just show Caleb shoving Keith back and then the subsequential actions. And that's not what witnesses are saying."
"Well, that's what I'm saying because it's true." Jake threw his hands up in the air.
I started thinking. Then I started thinking like my almost lawyer sister. "There are cameras everywhere. Someone must have gotten it on video. It'll turn up. Even if someone didn't then there should be cameras within the venue. Can you text Krystal and ask?"
The direction of that sentence went to Angie whose phone was out not a second later, her fingers tapping away at the scene. After hanging up with Caleb's agent, inspected Caleb's face for myself. The side of his face was turning red and for some reason the sight of it made me take a deep breath.
It was getting hard, but I really didn't think any anger I had towards Keith was able to be contained.
I grabbed Caleb's hand to calm myself down but even that wasn't working. My legs started to take me to the door as I reached over to grab my car keys. "I'll be back," I told them.
"Where are you going?" Jake asked me, as I swiftly moved past him.
"I'll be back," I repeated.
His house wasn't a far journey. Maybe if it was farther, I would've had time to calm down but the feeling coursing through me was opposite of calm.
The funniest part of it all was that he was expecting me. Living in a gated community meant you either knew the code-which they changed very often-or you had to contact the person to get inside the house. When I was able to get in contact with his house, someone answered the call, allowing me in.
Just then my phone buzzed with a message from Angie, confirming the question I had told her to ask Krystal.
I had parked my car alongside his big home-a house I was beyond familiar with over our two-year relationship. A relationship dug into the dirt by now and had no chance of being brought up.
Ever.
I walked up to his doorway, my heels clacking along each step. God, I couldn't remember the last time I had ever felt this type of rage, but I was seeing red.
Knocking on the door as hard as I could, it opened almost a second later. I recognized the face behind the door as one of Keith's closest friends, Eugene, but no greeting came from my mouth as I moved past him and inside the mansion.
"Where is he?"
He silently pointed to where the living room was, and I marched right through. Over a year ago I knew this house as well as the back of my hand and now I never ever wanted to see anything attached to his name after today.
He was sitting on the couch, icing his jaw.
Good, I couldn't help but think smugly. Caleb retaliated well.
The second my heels sounded my entrance he shot up from the couch, dropping the bag of ice. "Octavia."
Oh, fuck no.
I snapped.
"How dare you?" I was almost in front of him when the girl that was sitting beside him stood in front of me.
A little laugh came out of me at the attitude she was trying to muster up. There was no way in hell she was going to match my attitude. I almost clapped because she really thought was going to try me. Of all people. Not a chance.
I glared at her, "Get out of my way."
She made a face and I was certain that she was going to get lines between her eyebrows by how hard she did that. "No."
She was real cute.
There was no reason for me to fight anyone and I wasn't going to do it today but so help me God, I was going to tear down anything and anyone in front of me if I didn't have this conversation.
I bent down to her size, my voice strong. "This has nothing to do with you. Get out of my way."
Before she could decide, I sidestepped her, my hands out and pushing Keith back to make him stumble but not fall. "What is wrong with you?"
"Octavia-"
"You're so ridiculous, it's amazing," I mockingly clapped for him as the small set of people in his house fell silent at my words.
Maybe because it was evident that I was mad. Maybe because they expected me to snap but I had a reason to behave like this and they all knew that. I didn't care if I fit into their stereotypical box for once. I didn't care.
"Congrats, you attacked my boyfriend. Do you think you get a prize? Is the prize supposed to be me? Am I supposed to just run into your arms or some shit? What the hell is wrong with you?"
He dropped the bag filled with ice on the couch, his injuries were forgotten. "You shouldn't be with him!"
I scoffed. My hands came up to my head in disbelief before putting them together in front of me. "And who should I be with? You? You complete joke of a man?" I shook my head. "Next time you try to come after Caleb, you're coming after me by default. Don't try it."
"Octavia-"
"You're seriously trying to defend yourself? By making impulse decisions to hurt the one guy that has nothing to do with how wrong our relationship was?"
"He hit me."
"You're nothing but a liar." I spat at him. "I know you provoked and hit him first. Caleb doesn't lie to me. Not like you do."
He stayed quiet as I continued, my breathing harsh as I regarded him. "Telling the media you want to press charges on Caleb? Making it seem like he's the one who started the fight? I know him. He wouldn't do that. Your stupid decision of wanting to press charges seems to forget that the venue could have cameras. And it does."
The realization settles on his face and a dark laugh comes out of me. "You've only set yourself up for failure and an even more negative spotlight when media outlets like TMZ, JustJared, hell even Perez fucking Hilton and more will say how much of an idiot Keith Burton was by attacking Caleb Romero Henderson out of nowhere. And for what reason? Because you're a jealous ex-boyfriend who can't stand to see his ex-girlfriend with someone else."
Hell, if I was getting angry the more I spoke, Keith was furious. The rise and fall of his chest were evidentially faster. "How long have you been with him?"
"No," I shook my head, pointing a finger at him. "I'm not answering your stupid questions. It's irrelevant and frankly, none of your business."
"I knew it," He snarled. "I wasn't even surprised when I heard about you two-"
"Were you jealous?" I taunted him. "Was it the sight of us that made you impulsively lay a hand on him like a child? Like you did with Giulio when you provoked him? We spoke about this. I told you all I wanted was for you to eventually be happy and find someone."
"And I told you why I kept trying to reach out to you when I spoke to you last."
"Yeah, I remember," I rolled my eyes. "You try to get me back and end up calling me a whore. Then you do a stupid interview where you paint me out to be a desperate woman who was begging to get back together with you even though you cheated. Make it make sense, please."
He opened his mouth to speak but I wasn't done. This version of me stepped out with anger that hasn't been used for a long time. "Then everyone realizes you're a liar when I get together with Caleb. Then to make matters worse you go and pick a fight with him as if that's supposed to get me back?"
I looked at him up and down, before glaring. "You disgust me. You try to tear me down-"
"That's not what I tried to do." He yelled.
"It's exactly what you tried to do," I shouted without restraint, holding onto that thread to regain myself.
When I stepped up to him, getting in his face with a quiet and deadly tone. "But I'm not weak. If I was weak, I would be with you. Can't you just let me be happy? Wouldn't you want that if you claim to love me-"
"I do." His voice was rough.
"You think you do," I was seeing red by this point and it took everything in me not to do something I was going to regret. "We broke up over a year ago, Keith. A year ago. And you still think I want you back? Even after you cheated on me multiple times. I told you all the reasons already! You don't remember our conversation back in Italy? Even after my little recap? It didn't end well."
"I had more to say."
"You said enough when you tried to slut-shame me," I narrowed my eyes at him. "Does that mean that this is me being a whore? By being with Caleb? By sleeping with Caleb, apparently, I'm any word you deem as negative. I'm a slut, no?"
Keith's eyes tore from my gaze. He refused to look at me, turning his head to the side as he received the end of my backlash. "Octavia."
"Say it. Tell me I'm a slut. Say it to my face," I snapped, my hands curling into fists at my side. "Try to degrade me, try to kick me when you think I'm down. Go on. Do it."
He stayed silent.
"Of course, you can't say it. You could call me a slut in Italy because you thought I was still crying over you and could have taken you back." My snarl turned into a wicked smile. "But I wasn't weak then and I'm not weak now."
I took a step back from him, watching him. Waiting. My eyes went around the room at his so-called friends, faces I was familiar with over the years. They looked stunned by my outburst, by every word I had said to him and none of them said anything.
Because he deserved it.
"I'm starting to love Caleb," I admitted as the anger exhausted me. Most of it was let out like water from the tap, leaving my voice quiet with my confession.
"Can't you give me that?" I asked him rhetorically. "The chance to love someone else who supports me when I go away? Who cares for me? Who encourages the fuck out of me and tells me I deserve everything that I work for? Let me love someone who deserves the world and thinks I should have the world too."
This conversation-potentially the last I would ever have with my ex-boyfriend Keith Burton was finally ending. But I had two more things to say before I could get out of this house for the final time.
"Caleb has done nothing wrong. Leave him out of whatever mental argument going on in your head. Pressing charges? Don't. That's all I'm asking. " I repeated, backing away.
"And have a nice life, Keith," I say for what feels like the hundredth time. "And please, for the love of God, the next we see each other," The scoff out of my mouth turned into a pitiful laugh. "And I know we will. Don't talk to me or try to provoke anyone I care for. Don't interact with me."
I walked out of place calmer than I entered it. A headache was starting to form on one side of my head and yet I felt relief for myself.
When I returned to my house, I found Angie and Jake on my couch looking at their phones. "Too many videos of tonight are surfacing," Jake mumbled, glancing up at me.
As per usual.
"We can deal with that and everything surrounding it tomorrow," I took off my heels. "It'll all work out."
Angie looked at me with worry. "Judging by that, you went over to Keith's." I gave her a sharp nod, taking deep breaths. "Didn't go well?"
"He's the one ex that nothing ever goes well with. But he's not going to be a problem anymore." I pressed a hand to my temple, before shaking my head. "Where's Caleb?"
"He's upstairs." Jake answered, "Said he was going to sleep the night off."
I gave them a grateful smile. "Thanks, guys. So much. You're free to stay over if you want."
"We'll leave you two to talk." Angie mustered a small smile, kissing me on the cheek as they collected their things. When they had left and I was alone in the living room, I threw my purse on the couch before making my way to my bedroom.
Shooting Krystal a text to check if her night still went well despite everything that had happened, I found Caleb lying down on my bed with his eyes closed. Putting my earrings on the counter, I sat down next to him, running my hand over the waves of his hair. "Hi, baby." He mumbled, leaning into my touch.
"Are you okay?" He lifted his head onto my lap, pressing his face into my stomach. His arm wrapped around my back as he adjusted himself into a comfortable position.
Opening one eye, he huffed. "One side of my face hurts as someone stomped on it but I'm okay."
My heart weighed heavy as I cupped the other side of his face where it didn't hurt. "I'm so sorry."
He grabbed my hand quickly, shaking his head. His eyes were kind and reassuring enough for me to believe him when he said, "It wasn't your fault."
"I feel like it was."
"It wasn't." He repeated with a grimace. "You aren't responsible for his actions. Did you go see him?"
"Yeah. Wasn't a good conversation but he got the hint."
Caleb turned his head over to look up at me. "He should have known better than go against you."
"Life would be much easier for other people don't you think?" I cracked a smile, smoothening his hair. "You really hit him in the jaw, there was a bruise forming. Strong guy, huh?" I managed to joke and he had started to laugh before groaning at the facial movement.
"Here," I grabbed the ice pack and pressed it against his face, making him groan again but relax.
Before I could say anything more, my phone buzzed in my pocket. Dad, I thought looking down at the contact information.
Any sense of rage, of irritation, quickly faded when I glanced at Caleb with a soft smile. "Are you up for a visit home anytime soon?"