Page 62 of Obligation
With a forced smile, he left and closed the door behind him. Carissa expelled a long, heavy breath. She blinked hard against the tears pooling in her eyes, but her efforts were useless. Tears spilled down her cheeks, and she hastily wiped them away.
Why couldn’t she have met Bradley before Danny? Better yet, why couldn’t she find the strength to leave Danny? He wasn’t the same guy she’d fallen for, and he didn’t really respect her. Not the way she deserved anyway.
Bradley’s promise from earlier whispered through her thoughts. Would he really be waiting for her when she got her shit together? She desperately wanted to believe he would be, but a guy like Bradley wouldn’t be single for long, and any girl who snagged him would be the luckiest girl on the planet.
She could be that girl.
Yeah, right.She huffed, then busied herself with changing back into her clothes from the night before. After making the bed and piling the pajamas she’d borrowed onto the foot of the bed, she left the room.
Bradley stood near the living room window, his back to her, and he was on the phone. She stood silently in the kitchen, not wanting to interrupt him. Yet, she was curious who he was talking to.
“Yeah, we’re leaving in a few minutes so we should be back in a few hours.” He paused. “Sure… Okay… See ya soon.” He lowered the phone from his ear and spun around. “Sorry. Didn’t know you were there.”
“No, it’s okay,” she said quickly. “Everything alright?”
He nodded. “That was Jeremy.” Bradley slid his phone into his pocket. “Ready?”
“Yeah.” She moved toward the front door, both happy and sad to be leaving.
“Did you want to stop by the mall first to get your phone?” he asked as he guided her from the penthouse and down the hall to the elevator.
She really wasn’t in the mood to fight the crowds at a mall, but she did need a new phone, and her father had said he’d call ahead to make sure one was ready for her.
“If you don’t mind,” she said and stepped into the elevator.
“I don’t mind at all.” Bradley pushed the button for the lobby, and they rode down in silence.
Why were things suddenly so awkward? Their make-out sessions had been hotter than hell, so she didn’t think that was the problem. Stopping him and then poorly explaining why was probably the issue. She really needed to learn to keep her mouth shut.
The short drive to the mall was made in silence, too, and Carissa’s thoughts raced with all the things she’d said and done wrong. She analyzed and overanalyzed every word she’d said, every facial expression and move she’d made. Had she done something he hadn’t liked?
Thankfully, the trip into the mall to get her phone went quickly, and she didn’t run into any problems getting her new phone. Her father had even handled the payment, too, and so within minutes, she and Bradley were back in his car and headed home.
She spent the first hour of the trip catching up on all her messages. Considering she’d already talked to Tiffany, Carissa cleared all notifications from her friend, along with ones from Garrett and Cory—she assumed Tiffany had told them what was going on.
The two dozen messages from Danny were another story. At first, his voicemails started out as they always did—sweet and apologetic and begging for her forgiveness—and then they slowly morphed into meaner, nastier messages. She deleted every single voicemail he’d left for her. Then, she turned her attention to all the text messages.
Danny: Went back to find you and you were gone. Where are you?
Danny: I know you’re pissed but this isn’t funny. Where are you?
Danny: WHERE ARE YOU?!?!?
Danny: Okay, enough. I’m really worried. Please tell me where you are.
Danny: Really? You’re just going to ignore me now? Real mature.
Danny: C’mon, Carissa. Knock it off and talk to me!
Danny: I said I was sorry. What more do you want?
Danny: If you don’t answer me right now, I’m calling the police and then I’m calling your dad.
Carissa’s face grew hotter with each new message she read. Was he for real? He’d left her with no way home and no working phone, and he had the nerve to act like she was in the wrong for not answering him? Her hands shook with anger as she held her fingers poised above the screen. She was so tempted to send him a few nasty messages of her own, but that would only lead to an even bigger argument.
If Tiffany hadn’t bothered to tell Danny that Carissa was okay, then she was going to let him sweat it for a little while longer. That was the least he deserved after what he’d done. But she would check in with her friends.
Carissa: Hey. Got a new phone. Headed back to campus. Be there soon.
