Page 101 of Soul of a Psycho

I blink, and a new wet spot appears on the paper. I quickly swipe at my cheek, not even realizing I’ve started to cry. I rein it in and focus back on the note, reminding myself there’s no reason to cry. Because Cade and I aren’t over. Something else is going on. I just have to figure it out.

“You should call him.” I jump up and snag Callie’s phone off the nightstand, thrusting it towards her.

“What?!” She rears back. “No!”

“Yes! He owes you more than a note.”

It’s true, he does. But what I don’t say is that I don’t think he even wrote the note.

“Sky, someone in his familydied. I can’t bother him.”

“You don’t think that if something really did happen, he would want to talk to you?” I grasp at straws. “To confide in you?” I look at Ruby for back up.

She raises a brow at me, signaling she’s not on my side here.

“What do you mean, ‘really did happen’?” Callie asks.

“I don’t know,” I answer honestly and look back at her. “Something just doesn’t feel right. Why would they both do this the same day?”

“Enough with the conspiracies,” Ruby says. “You two got dumped for no other reason than guys suck. Have a cry sesh, and let’s move on.”

My cheeks flame at her words, and I let my hair fall forward to hide it. I know I sound desperate, like the pathetic girl that can’t accept being broken up with, but that’s not what this is. My gut is telling me something is wrong.

“Just call him,” I ignore Ruby and practically beg. “If he doesn’t answer, I’ll let it go.”

“And if he does answer? I don’t know what to say. It would be so awkward.” Callie rubs at her arms. “I don’t think I can do it.”

“Just offer him your condolences.” I hold the phone out to her.

“You’re giving her hives,” Ruby suddenly pushes up from the ground. “I’ll call him.”

“No,” Callie screeches.

But Ruby snatches the phone from my hand and starts tapping.

“I’ll tell him where he can stick his note.” She puts the phone up to her ear. “I can call Cade next if you want, Barbie.” She winks at me.

“Hang up! Hang up!” Callie lunges for her, but I don’t assist. If she’s not going to call, someone has to.

A twinge of guilt has me biting my lip as they war with each other. I shouldn’t be pushing Callie to do this, but I’m too scared to push on my end. If I had any courage at all, I would go to the shack and demand Cade tell me what’s going on. But… I don’t think I would survive it if he twisted the knife he plunged into me this afternoon. I’m hanging on by a thread as it is, stuffing down how cold he was, howvenomous.

I’ve seen him spit that poison at others, but I never thought it could be turned on me, never thought how it would feel to be on the receiving end.

It feels like dying.

Something hot and salty slips between my lips, and I clench my fists.Damn it.I blink back the tears before they can drown me. It’s fine. Everything is going to be fine. It’s not over. It can’t be.

Ringing fills the room as she puts the phone on speaker and holds it over her head. My body tenses, waiting for him to answer. I don’t know what I’m expecting. For him to say he didn’t write the note? Then what will that mean? I don’t even know what it would have to do with Cade. All I have is a feeling, a feeling that has me holding my stomach in trepidation.

“Uh, hey.” Bobby’s voice fills the room.

We all freeze, Callie’s eyes going wide. A second of silence has us gawking at Ruby, waiting to see what she’s going to say, but he continues before her lips even move.

“You’ve reached Bobby. I guess, uh, leave a message.”

Callie sighs, her shoulders quickly sagging, and she wrenches the phone from Ruby.

“I’m changing my passcode,” she snaps as she hangs up the call.

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