Letting Him In

Chapter-33

"I've been waking up alone
I haven't thought of her for days
I'll be honest
It's better off this way
But every time I think that I can get you out my head
You never, ever let me forget"

-Anne-Marie and Niall Horan, Our Song
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Kaeden

The incessant ringing of his phone woke Kaeden from a fitful sleep. His opened his eyes, still drowsy, his hand fumbling against the side table to find his phone. When he finally found it, he answered the call without seeing the caller ID.

He regretted it as soon as he heard the voice on the other end of the line.

"Kaeden?" The uncertain, soft voice was the same as the last time he had spoken to her, when he had made it clear that he didn't want to hear from her if she was going to keep using him as a rebound- like he was there for her whenever she wanted to forget her asshole of a boyfriend, who dumped her everytime he felt it would be convenient for him to do so.

He had realized that Elijah was right about this, that if all she could do was come to him when she needed someone to make her forget, then he was wasting his time. He was asking to be used, asking to get hurt.

The look on her face when he had told her that he was done with whatever they had still had made his heart clench; it still did.

But a small part of him had reminded him that she had no right to look so wounded, so confused and heavy-hearted when all she had done so far was leave him the exact same way everytime she seeked him out.

"Laia," he said, rubbing his palm against his eyes to rub some sleep out of them.

When she didn't say a word, he sighed. "Why're you calling me?" he asked. He had meant to sound a little harsh, but his voice came out almost gentle, and he cursed himself for it. He made sure the next part was firmer. "I told you I'm done. I'm tired of being there for you every time until that dumbass decides he wants you back, and you decide you'll happily go back."

"I'm sorry," she murmured, her voice so low that Kaeden had to strain his ears to hear her clearly. The raspiness in her tone made him realize she had been crying. "We‐ I broke up with him."

"Okay," Kaeden said, rolling his eyes. That explained it. "Again."

"No," she said, her voice clearer now. "I broke up with him. For real this time."

"Laia..." he trailed off, not sure what to say. This wasn't the first time she said that they had broken up permanently. But it was the first time she had done it. "I don't know what you want me to say."

"I just... I don't know," she said, sighing softly. "That wasn't why I called anyway. I shouldn't even have brought this up."

Kaeden sat up, not feeling sleepy anymore.

"Why are you calling, then?" he asked, confused. Their conversations had always been limited to the time they had together hidden away in their bedrooms or sneaking away at parties. In public, she preferred to pretend like he didn't exist.

"You weren't at school today, and you usually don't skip more than one lesson. I guess I just wanted to make sure you were okay," she admitted.

Kaeden frowned, turning to glance at the watch on his nightstand. Three in the afternoon.

"Shit," he murmured, rubbing his free hand against his forehead. "I overslept."

"Oh," Laia said, and after a few moments of silence, she added, "well, then, I'll get going."