Page 210 of Callan

Hugging myself, I stood on the sidewalk, not knowing where to go and what to do. All that interest with which Callan had surrounded me was permanently gone.

Anyway,I got home eventually, but my life has never been the same.

I lost my peace of mind and sleep. I couldn’t eat.

Somehow, I managed to go through the motions and wait patiently for the job interview.

I knew I needed this job and couldn’t screw it.

So, for now, I’m bottling up my emotions and going with the flow.

All these days, I haven’t expected him to show up and offer an explanation, and he surely hasn’t disappointed.

So here I am.

“So you think I look good,” I say, unease spinning in my chest as I glance in the mirror.

My nervousness doesn’t register with Kayla.

If it does, she might think I’m jittery because of my job interview.

But I see way more than an outfit in the mirror.

My cheeks are hollow, and my eyes burn.

They’ve been burning since he left with atoxic mix of longing and fury.

“Good,” I say, pivoting to the chair and taking inventory of my things––my briefcase, my purse, and my coat.

I put my coat on and Kayla drapes hers on her shoulders before collecting her bag.

Minutes later, we’re in front of my building, waiting for our cab. A merciless wind makes my skin prickle and my eyes water.

Kayla does a double take.

“Damn, you look good, girl. And also sad for some reason,” she continues just as the car comes to a stop in front of us.

We occupy the back seats when the driver steers the car away.

‘Sad for some reason’.

Her words ring in my head as the buildings rush past us.

I am sad.

It’s like moving away from a story that has never reached its ending.Has he ghosted me?

It wouldn’t make much sense, would it?

But what else could it be?

34

CALLAN

The same day.

An hour earlier.

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