Page 114 of Let's Get Textual

How much I could lovehim.

I’m already falling; I just hope he’ll catch me when I land.

Twenty

“Hello?”

“D? Why are you whispering?”

“Because it’s late, Caleb, and everyone is asleep. Do you need something?”

“I’m sending you a text and I need you not to freak out, okay?”

I pull the phone back and check the time. “Really, Caleb? It’s almost midnight and you’re trying to text me?”

“Zoe’s been trying to reach you since yesterday. Have you spoken with her yet?”

Shit.I never did call her back. We spent the rest of Friday watching movies until we participated in the traditional Friday game night, and today Zach walked me around downtown and let me fawn all over the cute shops the town has. Add that to the less than stellar phone signal I have here, and I haven’t even thought about calling Zoe back.

“No, I’ve been busy. I’m with…” I pause, wanting to phrase it the right way.

“You’re with him, right? I told you, it’s cool.”

“Yeah, I’m with him.”

“Well she couldn’t reach you, so she enlisted my help. This is the first I’ve had signal.”

“Fine. Whatever. Send the text.”

“You have to promise first.”

I’m beginning to become agitated, and it’s evident in my noisy sigh. “I promise.”

“Okay, check your phone.”

Pulling my phone from my ear, I see I have one new message from him. I tap it open.

I wish I hadn’t.

I can’t breathe. My lungs have stopped working as I stare down at the picture—mypicture.

It’s me.

Naked.

It’s the exact same photo I sent to Zach Thanksgiving morning.

An array of emotions flutter through me—rage, hurt, confusion.

How could this happen? Why would Zach betray me like this? How did Caleb get ahold of the photo?

“How did you get that picture?”

“It’s spreading like wildfire. Everyone from school is talking about it, but no one knows it’s you, D. I only recognized you because, well, I’ve seen it all before, and because of your tattoo.”

“Nobody else knows it’s me?”

“Not as far as I know,” Caleb says. He sighs. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what happened. I don’t know who sent it, and I don’t know how it’s spread so fast, buteveryoneis talking about it.”

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