Page 92 of Exes That Puck
“You can’t just barge in here,” she snaps.
“I can,” I say. “As a matter of fact, they let me in the building. Now where is she?”
She shrugs. “Why the hell would I know? You’re the one screwing her.”
“What’s your problem, Payton?”
She rolls her eyes. “My problem is you! You keep your claws so tight in Kara that she can’t let you go. She destroys everything in her life for you, and you just take it for granted.”
“She told you about Brianne?” The words slip out before I can stop them. “Whatever she said, it’s not true.”
Payton’s laugh is cold and knowing. “She didn’t tell me anything about Brianne, but this is making much more sense now. What did you do with Brianne?”
Shit. I just outed myself. “I didn’t do anything.”
“That explains why she was being such a bitch earlier. Word of advice, Zeke—you guys are broken up. Stop fucking her, stop messing with her feelings, and leave her alone so she can move on.”
I shake my head. “You wouldn’t understand. Do you have Find My Friends with her or whatever? I need to know where she is.”
“I’m not telling you where she is. She and I aren’t even friends anymore, thanks to you.”
“What do you mean you’re not friends?”
“We had a massive fight because she’s so fucked up over you that she can’t see straight. So congratulations, you’ve officially destroyed her relationship with everyone who cares about her.”
The words hit like a punch to the gut. “If she comes back, tell her to call me. And if she won’t, at least text me that she’s okay.”
“I am not texting you shit. Now get out.”
I storm out, pissed off that she’s not here. I get into my truck and hit the steering wheel. God fucking damn it. I sit in my truck and realize I have no idea where else to look. Outside of our relationship, Kara doesn’t have that many people. Lola, maybe, but I don’t have her number, and I don’t know where she lives. The thought hits me that Payton might have been her only real friend, and now that’s gone too.
I drive home, my chest tight with the realization that I might have just isolated her completely.
I call Kara over and over until her phone starts going straight to voicemail after one ring. She blocked me.
Perfect. I hit the steering wheel.
Fuck!
The next morning I wake up hoping for a message from Kara, but there’s no notifications on my phone and nothing on social media. I roll over, staring at the ceiling, wondering if she’s safe or if she spent the night doing something stupid out of spite.
On the team bus, the guys are in their usual good mood—joking around, chirping each other, loose before the game. I wish Icould tap into that energy, but with everything going on in my head, it’s impossible.
“You good?” Dylan asks, sliding into the seat next to me.
“Yeah.”
“You sure? You look like hell.”
“I’m fine. I don’t wanna talk about it.”
Scott says, “Probably something to do with trying to hook up with Brianne and Kara catching them.”
Dylan looks over at him while Westley hits Scott in the chest.
“If you’re going to live with us, we have fucking house rules, bro,” Dylan says.
Westley nods.
