The Redemption of Callie and Kayden by Jessica Sorensen Read Free Book Online Page B

and both the
    guys really start getting into it. The smoke burns my lungs and the
    cold causes goose bumps to sprout all over my arms. I experience
    almost every single detail of the moment and I decide to
    experience it all.

    “Oh fine, what the hell.” I start lifting my shoulders up and
    down to the rhythm and Seth grins at me.

    “That’s my girl,” he says and blows out a cloud of smoke with
    his lips puckered out.

    We both start doing this funny jiving thing with our hands
    and Luke laughs as he cranks up the music. For a second I
    transform myself into a dancer. When the chorus hits again we all
    take a deep breath and belt out the lyrics at the top of our lungs. I raise my hands above my head and shut my eyes. It’ll be all right.
    It’ll be all right. Kayden will be all right.

    Because I’m here, dancing, smiling, and sitting between two
    guys, and if that can happen, then anything’s possible.
    Kayden

    I’ve been in the clinic for a week now and today should be a
    really good morning. Doug has informed me that I can have
    visitors outside of family and that I can make a few phone calls
    throughout the day. When he gives me time to make the phone
    call, however, I get stuck on who to call. My first instinct is to call Callie, but I haven’t talked to her since it happened and I’m not
    sure she wants to talk to me after finding me like that. The idea of
    finding out scares the shit out of me. Besides, I’m trying to keep
    my distance and protect her from me because the last thing she
    needs is my instability and fucked-up head.

    I dial Luke’s number and lean back in the bed, watching the
    storm outside my window as the phone rings and rings.

    “Kayden?” he says, sounding confounded. There’s an eighties
    song playing in the background and I can hear a lot of giggling.

    “What’s up?” It sounds so stupid after I say it. There’s a long
    pause and then someone starts singing really loudly and really off
    key. “Is that Seth in the background?”

    “Yeah.” He hesitates again. “Are you okay?”

    I flick the rubber band with my finger. It snaps back, hits my
    wrist, and sends a sting through my arm. “Kind of… Why are you
    with Seth?”

    “Because… we’re in the truck.” He seems conflicted. “We’re
    headed to Afton to see you actually.”

    I snap the rubber band against my wrist a few more times,
    but it’s not stilling the anxiety twisting inside me. “When you say
    we you mean…”

    “I mean, Seth, me and…” He trails off. “And Callie.”

    The singing stops and so does the music.

    “Who are you talking to?” Callie asks.

    When I hear her voice I swear to God my heart stops. I clutch
    at the chord and wrap it around my wrist until it’s tight and cuts
    off the circulation. I stare outside at the slush on the ground and
    the banks of snow around the mostly vacant parking lot.

    “Umm…” Luke struggles for words.

    “You can tell her,” I say, because if they’re headed here then
    I’m going to have to face her soon.

    “It’s Kayden,” he tells her and then it gets quiet.

    “Oh…” She’s perplexed and I don’t blame her. “Can I… Can I
    talk to him?”

    “Hold on,” Luke says and then asks me, “You want to talk to
    Callie?”

    “I…” I never get to discover my answer, and it sucks because
    I’m dying to know how I feel. My response would have revealed
    the truth about my fear and how bad it’s going to be when she
    gets here. But like always, my mother walks in just at the right
    moment and steals everything away from me.

    “We need to talk.” Her chin is tipped high like she’s better
    than everyone in the building and she’s carrying around a duffel
    bag on her shoulder. “Now.”

    “I gotta go.” I hang up, knowing I’m being a pussy and
    dodging my feelings. I unravel the cord from my hand and lean
    back in my bed, putting my feet up on it. I’m wearing a pair of
    plaid pajama bottoms and an old blue T-shirt