Page 41 of The Change Up
The air vibrates around us, and I don’t know what to say. I can’t form words because I don’t know why I did things the way that I did.
“I went to the field. After the fourth day of not hearing a word from you, I went to the field to get answers, and you want to know what happened?”
I didn’t want to hear what happened. Hudson later told me what went down at the field, and I’m not proud of that either.
Shaking my head, I hope that prevents her from continuing. A menacing laugh escapes her lips and has me snapping my eyes to her. She looks maniacal.
“You weren’t there, and every single one of those guys ignored me. Hudson told me nothing was going on between us and that it was never serious. NEVER SERIOUS! I felt duped. You were the first guy to give me any attention that didn’t revolve around making fun of me. You were my first everything—date, kiss, more. But it was never serious. I guess all of those late-night confessions were a joke. I guess I read way more into the situation than you ever did.”
Sighing, I remove my hat and run my fingers through my hair. “Hudson told me what he said, and I’m sorry for that, too. In some twisted way, it was his way of making sure you moved on. That you knew that I wasn’t coming back for the summer. There was so much happening at home, but I wanted to keep you away from that part of my life. I was embarrassed. I just wanted one summer to get away and have fun. Falling for you wasn’t something I ever could’ve predicted.”
Her shoulders slump, and her body relaxes as she slides down to the floor. She sits there with her legs crossed in front of her. “You could’ve talked to me.” Her voice is broken.
“I know, but I was embarrassed.” My voice dropped as I tried to get her to look at me, to really see that I was in fact, upset over everything. Chloe’s eyes cast up and lock onto mine. “I never would’ve imagined we’d end up in the same place, but when I saw you on campus with Brynn, I couldn’t believe it. It felt like fate was giving me a second chance, but then you acted like you didn’t know who I was. So I kept up with the facade that we didn’t know each other. But I never forgot you.”
“But why just disappear?”
“I got a phone call in the middle of the night that my dad had a heart attack. Leah called me sobbing on the phone.” Chloe gasps at my admission. “I didn’t think. I just wanted to get to my sister.”
“Did you think that I would be mad that you went home to your family?”
“Of course not. I didn’t think we’d ever see each other again. We never talked about college or what was next. I knew there was no way I could’ve made a long-distance relationship work, not with school and baseball.”
“So you decided to just ghost me? Cool.”
“I thought it was best at the time. Look, my dad is an asshole. I wanted to protect you from him, from my fucked up relationship with him. And I’ve been living with the decision to ignore you for two years, and I know that it was wrong. I should have at least texted you back that I was fine.”
Her eyes bug out, and her jaw drops in shock. “The least you could’ve done? No, the least you could’ve done was be man enough to let me know that you had to go home for an emergency and that our time together was more than just nothing.”
“Dammit, Chloe. I know. If I could go back, I’d do it all over. But I was young and dumb and a chicken shit.”
“Pretty much,” she mumbles as she runs her hands up and down her crossed arms.
Sighing, I lean forward and place my elbows on my knees. “I didn’t come here to fight with you.”
“Did you think you’d just come here and say sorry and that everything would go back to normal? We’d go back to endless days together, and I’d just forget about everything that happened?”
Honestly, I did think that’s how things would go, but based on the look on her face, there’s no way I was going to admit that now.
“Uh, no?” Her eyebrow quirks as she hears the question in my voice.
Standing, she starts walking out of the room. I jump to my feet and follow her. She stops at the front door before reaching for the handle to open it.
“Thanks for finally giving me the apology I’ve deserved for two years, but I think you need to go.”
“Chloe, please,” I beg, hoping she hears that sincerity in my voice. I didn’t want to come here and fight with her.
“Go, Cody. I need to think.”
With a terse nod, I slip my shoes on and walk out her front door.
This was not how I saw things going.
“We’re going out tonight.” I bark the words out as I enter the house I share with my three teammates.
Ty is the first to turn his head from the couch the guys are sitting on playing some MLB video game.
“Bro, it’s the night before a game.” He quirks an eyebrow at me as he tries to get a read on my mood.
