Crossways (book 2) [Completed]

Ch. 14 Drunken state of mind

Drinking Alone by Carrie Underwood^

Laying in the bathtub, I let my body soak under the water and my worries fade away. I sigh as I felt my body relax and everything around me was disappearing in thin air.

It's Thursday afternoon. I got off of work early today and I don't have to work tomorrow. It's now four and I decided to take a bath to try and drown out all this constant stress.

I keep thinking about ways I can talk to Tory and make her listen to me. She's been giving me the silent treatment and it hurts.

She has her reasons, but she should atleast let me talk to her.

Now that I know Kayla likes me, makes it a little bit more understandable.

Tory and Maddie were the only ones who knew she liked me cause I was clueless. She didn't give any hints that she did like me. She never flirted with me besides the first time I met her, so I didn't know.

I understand Tory is afraid that I'm going to be just like her other relationships, but I'm not ever going to leave her under any circumstances.

Proving that to her was going to be harder than I thought.

As I was laying there with my eyes shut, I was letting everything in my body completely relax that I didn't hear the door open until I heard Tory's voice.

"Babe?"

Turning my head, I look up to see her staring at me and I slightly smile. "Hi."

"What are you doing?" She held her chest.

Looking down at my body that was underneath the water, I look back up at her and shrug. "Just chilling."

She looks at me for a moment before sitting down on the toilet as the lid was closed. "I didn't hear you when I walked in and I called your name, but you didn't answer. I came in and saw you laying here and it scared the hell out of me."

"I'm sorry." I watch her for a moment until I held my breath then slid under the water for a second before coming back up. I ran my hands over my hair before looking over and seeing Tory watching me.

Sighing, she looks away for a moment. "Carter, I'm sorry we haven't talked in a few days.. I've been mentally dealing with everything that's been going on." She looks back at me.

"I didn't know." I watch as she gives me a confused look. "Kayla told me she liked me and also said she knew boundaries so she wasn't going to-"

"That's just words, Carter." Tory spoke, which made me look at her confused. "Those feelings are still there inside of her. It doesn't matter what she says." She stays silent for a moment.

"I've heard the same thing many times."

I look down for a moment. "So, you think she will try something? Even when she said she wouldn't?" I look up at her.

She shrugs. "Most likely. I just don't want you to find out." She looks at me for a moment. "I meant it when I said I didn't want you hanging with her anymore. I understand everything you told me about her not having friends, but she will have to find someone else who she doesn't like."

I laid there and thought about what she was saying and it kind of hurt cause Kayla is a really nice girl, who I know for sure that she wouldn't try anything with me since she knows I'm with Tory.

But risking that isn't worth losing Tory.

Looking up at her, I slightly smile. "Wanna join?"

She looks at me for a moment before shaking her head. I watch as she stands up then leans over and kissing my forehead. "I love you."