Black Lace

Twenty-Two

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

I sit lifelessly in a booth with my parents. It took mom another ten times to call my phone before I finally answered her, and she and dad apparently promised not to ask me where I got the money in such a short notice. I'm thankful for that, because I really don't want to talk about Liam or anything that has to do with him. Just this mere, quick thought makes my head hurt. My eyes are sore and slightly burn from all the crying I've done the past couple of days. I've even called out of work two nights in a row, not in the mood to even go. It's Friday, which means I have to go later tonight.

They're talking away about something dealing with their neighbors – I think it involves some stupid party they threw, and they're complaining about how loud it was. My parents can be such prudes sometimes, but I can also see where they're coming from. It being three in the morning, party still raging on. Can't sleep. I would be pretty pissed too.

They start talking about something else, but I zone out and pick at the cherry tomatoes on my chicken salad. I'm not really hungry, but to appease my parents, I eat some of my salad.

Lunch only lasts for another thirty minutes. Thankfully, they don't notice that I haven't been paying attention. They pay the bill, I bid them goodbye, and I head home. And I am more than thankful to be out of their presence because all I want to be is alone.

Well, at least i thought I would be alone.

My heart thumps when I see Liam and Danielle together, and I feel a new wave of tears coming. I thought I already got them all out of my system. Turns out I still have some left in me and boy does it hurt actually seeing them together. Danielle notices that I've arrived, and she leans into Liam, who doesn't seem to notice me yet.

This seriously can't be happening right now.

I turn my car back on, not prepared to see them. Let alone talk to them. I speed on out of the parking lot and end up at one place I never thought I would come to so soon.

Blake's house.

Honestly, I shouldn't be here. Especially on how we left things off. How I left things off with Emily. Taking a deep breath, I open the car door and find myself walking up the front door. Raising my hand, I hesitate to knock, and I almost rethink it. What right do I have to come here? He probably doesn't want to see me after I yelled at the mother of his soon-to-be child, but they should have seen where I came from. We were together when he cheated on me. Regardless of if we were having issues or not, it was still wrong. Of the both of them.

No, I can't do this.

I turn around, ready to get back to my car, when I hear a voice behind me. "Callie?"

It's Emily. The sound of her voice causes me to whip around, surprise etched into her features as she stares at me. All I can do is stare back. What is she doing here? Then again, I should have known she would be at Blake's. They're having a kid together, after all.

Are they dating now? I want to ask, but it's none of my business.

We continue to stare at one another, neither of itching to break eye contact. Finally, though, my gaze drops down to her belly. She's getting bigger, starting to show. Her hand is on her stomach, and she's rubbing it. I look back up to her eyes, and she's crying. It brings out the color of her eyes, and my heart breaks knowing that she's hurting inside. And I know she regrets getting pregnant by Blake. I can see it in her eyes.

Or is that regret that she stabbed me in the back? Either way, I miss her, and I don't want to be mad at her forever. I can't be. After everything that's happened with Liam, I need someone to talk to. I need my best friend.