Page 45 of Left in the Dark

His message earlier.I forgot what he said on the dock, considering the present circumstances.

Pulling it out, I read his very vague message.

Shaking my head, I suck in a breath, then blow it out. My fingers move over the screen. I’m probably a delusional asshole for reaching out to him, but I’ll worry about that later.

ME: It’s Delaney. What happened today?

An imaginary clock ticks inside my head as I wait for a response.

I wait.

And wait.

When we arrived at Callie’s house, she let me shower first. I check my phone before and after my shower. I stare at it while Callie showers.

While Callie and I eat leftovers from the dinner her mom made, I sneak peeks at it. But he doesn’t respond.

After we eat, she and I head back to her room. Callie receives a phone call from the cute guy who works the concession stand at the lake. I wave her off, waiting to be alone. She blows me a kiss. “I’ll be on the back patio. If you need anything….”

“Go. I know where to find you.”

After she leaves, I find a playlist of sad songs I’d created on Spotify last summer when I was having a rough day and lie back on her bed. Tears roll down my face as I relive my time with Zayne in the tiny restroom.

Zayne ghosting me fucking hurts.

Finally, my eyes grow heavy, and I escape my turbulent thoughts by succumbing to the sweet relief of sleep, still holding my phone in my hand.

“Delaney, please. Wake up.”

I’m disoriented as I try to pull myself from the clutches of exhaustion. My body is shaking like there’s an earthquake.

My eyes fly open as I hear the screams. I shoot up to a sitting position, nearly headbutting Callie in the process.

“What’s going on? Is there an earthquake?” My heart bangs inside my chest as my panicky eyes look around the room. Everything is still in its place, and I don’t feel the world shaking.

“No, honey. No earthquake. But you started mumbling and thrashing, and then you were screaming about chocolate milk and begging not to be hit again.”

Oh, God. I dreamed about that?

I’ve had plenty of nightmares before, but I’ve never had anyone wake me up and tell me that I was blubbering about the abuse I’d endured.

“Shit. I’m sorry, Callie.”

“Sorry? Why the hell are you sorry?” She slides closer to me, throwing her arm over my shaking shoulders. “I hate the shit you’ve endured, Delaney. You don’t deserve it.” She hugs me before she pulls back. “You need out of that house. Seriously. We need a plan to make it happen.”

I tense, knowing what she’s going to say. It’s a great opportunity we’re being presented.

“It’s Zayne, isn’t it?” I whisper. “I’m enduring this hell for a guy who doesn’t know what I’m going through and won’t give me the chance to explain.”

Callie doesn’t say anything. Instead, she plucks the burner phone from my pillow, which I must have finally let go of whilesleeping. She presses the button, revealing my sad text with no response.

It’s like a knife being stabbed through my heart. His silence is deafening.

He doesn’t want me.

I mourn for the boy I knew and fell in love with. Although I’m still in love with him, I can’t stay here, waiting for him.

I know I hurt him. I should have told him about the abuse a long time ago.

---