Page 98 of The Change Up
He made sure my favorite latte was delivered to me.
He remembers how I take my pizza.
Sitting in the quiet while I read.
The tattoo of the wildflower.
There’s no way our relationship was just a way to work out stress. Deep down I know I’m overreacting, but it doesn’t ease the pain.
Sometime later, I stand up from my seat. Boone hops down from my lap, sitting at my feet. “Thanks for letting me crash here tonight.”
“You’re always welcome,” Gregg replies with a smile.
“Seriously, Chloe. You can stay for as long as you need,” Macy adds.
With a tight-lipped smile, I nod at them. “Thanks, guys, I appreciate it. I’ll just stay for tonight. It won’t be long, and my cover is blown.”
“Love you, Chlo.”
“Love you, too, Mace. Night.” I move around the couch toward the hallway that leads to the spare bedroom. There’s a sweet little shadow at my feet. “Mind if I steal Boone for the night?”
“He’s all yours!” Macy calls out from behind me. Boone and I continue down the hallway. Reaching down, I pick him up and set him on the bed where he spins around in a few circles before plopping down on the bed.
I fall asleep with the warmth of a puppy, a lump in my throat, and tears in my eyes.
Heartbreak fucking sucks.
Ifucked up.
It’s plain and simple. The acidic words burned the whole way out of my mouth, but I didn’t stop saying them. I should have. I knew I shouldn’t have let my dad bait me. But he did, and I lost the battle. In more ways than one.
It’s been four days since I last heard from Chloe.
Four days of unanswered calls and texts.
Of her not being at her townhouse when I stop by.
Brynn is clearly in Chloe’s corner, which she should be because of the whole girl code thing, but I’m her friend, too, dammit. She refuses to tell me where Chloe’s staying, and it’s really starting to piss me off.
I need to know she’s with people who support her and not off someplace spiraling, her insecurities rearing their ugly heads. Especially since I couldn’t show up and be the man she needed me to be.
Dammit. I need to find her. I need to be given the chance to just fucking explain. I know we can move past this. At least I hope we can.
I know that my explanation won’t take the pain away, but maybe it’ll give her some insight on why I did what I did.
There is no excuse for it, but at the end of the day, I did do it to protect her. And I’m pissed that she won’t just answer a text. Give me a ‘leave me alone,’ ‘fuck off,’ something. She won’t even return Leah’s messages, which yeah, she’s digging around for information for me, but she’s also in Chloe’s corner.
“Bro, you look like shit,” Hudson says as he enters our kitchen. I’m standing at our island with my hands resting on the cool surface, head draped down between my shoulders. There’s no doubt that I look like shit. I haven’t slept, and I’ve barely eaten. I’ve been abusing my body by pushing it to the limits in the weight room. If I’m not in class, attending mandatory practice, or visiting the girls’ townhouse, I’m running through campus.
Lifting my head, I glare at him. “No shit, fucker.”
“Hey, don’t shoot the messenger,” he says, raising his hands in defense. “Rumor on the street is a pretty blonde-haired girl is crashing at a sorority house.”
My eyes snap in his direction. “Which one?”
“Whatever one Savannah Holycross is in.”
“Delta Zeta.”
