Find Her, Keep Her (CFTM Sequel)

Chapter 12 (Part 2)

*Note: Click the Youtube link above to listen to the Audiobook Version of this chapter voiced by (Kristen) featuring music by Switchfoot, Andrew Belle, Ok Go, and All The Luck In The World.

Alex

"Yes. But I--"

"Elias King, the asshole from last year, is at UCLA?"

Kai grips onto my shoulders to the point where I feel the desperation spilling through his fingertips.

"Yeah..."

"Does he know you're here?"

All the beautiful color in Kai's cheeks turns gray before I even have the chance to answer.

I swallow the rising lump in my throat despite the fact that I barely have any spit left in my mouth.

"He's--kind of co-teaching my class."

Kai sucks in a sharp breath and recoils from me so fast the sting of his distance ripples across my skin.

"Seriously? Why didn't you tell me?" He asks.

My mind races through a series of excuses, a flood of stupid reasons like not having enough time, or being so busy with classes I forgot to text him about it.

But I could've. I should've.

A better girlfriend would've said something at dinner last night. But I didn't. I don't even know why I didn't. But it doesn't matter now. 'Cause Elias isn't the same Elias anymore.

"I was going to, I just--wanted to wait until we had time to sit down and talk."

"So let's talk. Come with me."

Kai steps out of line and away from the mob of all too curious on-lookers eavesdropping on our problems.

I follow him, desperate to explain my way out of a situation that's borderline inexplicable. He waves me over to a collection of empty chairs in front of an almost deserted sushi restaurant. I sit down across from him, ready to do or say anything to keep things from falling apart.

"How long have you known he was here?" He asks.

Since last night.

"Since class. Honestly, Kai, I walked in thinking we'd be studying J.D. Salinger and then my professor made this huge surprise announcement and Elias walked in and I just...panicked."

Kai massages the tension out of his forehead then looks up at me with something darker than disappointment written across his face.

"Did he try to talk to you?"

"He did, but it totally doesn't even matter because--"

"Do you hear yourself right now, Alex? The guy abandons you for over a year and then randomly shows up in your freshman seminar with a book with your name printed on the front and you think that doesn't matter?"

Kai never yells. The closest I've ever heard him get to raising his voice was when we watched British soccer games on TV together during Christmas. But today, he's doing everything he can not to shout at me the way I know he wants to.

"Babe, I promise it's not what you think. The whole book's about--"

"A series of unsent love letters written by debut bestselling author Elias King to a mysterious girl named "Jersey". A heart-wrenching story of unresolved young love and the harrowing year of separation that followed the couple's first meeting. "Letters to Jersey" has captured the the hearts of millions of readers across the globe, snagging the top spot in book sales lists in over fourteen countries. Buy with 1-click on Kindle for 8.99."