Page 55 of Shattered

Fuck.

Fuck.

He was a goner.

Chapter 26 - Sam

Sam had read the same paragraph four times over and had hardly retained any of the information. All she could focus on was what had transpired the previous week with Callum.

She had walked away to the bus stop after she left Callum standing at the truck. She’d pretended not to notice how that same truck had followed right behind the bus until she’d gotten off at her stop. And then she’d pretended not to notice how it had stayed close behind her as she walked the hundred yards to her apartment complex.

He hadn’t driven off until she’d turned on her bedroom light, and even then it had lingered for a moment as she peeked out from her window.

She hadn’t seen him since, mostly because she was working through two projects and she hadn’t been to Topline or to Micah’s in a few days.

But she had been thinking about that night all week. Had barely slept more than an hour or two at a time.

She had hoped a review of the material for her upcoming exam would help take her mind away from the man that now plagued every one of her dreams, but nothing took him from her thoughts.

Sam was just about to call it quits for the day when she saw her phone flash with a new message.

Unknown: Come outside.

It wasn’t a number she recognized, so she sneakily peeked out the blinds from her second-floor bedroom before responding. She didn’t see anyone familiar and was planning on texting backwrong numberjust as a second message arrived.

Unknown: I’m not the boogie man, Sam. You can open the blinds all the way and check.

Sam: Who is this?

Unknown: Who do you think it is?

Sam: Someone who is annoying me.

Unknown: I got your number from Micah.

Sam: That tells me nothing. Micah is friends with far too many people.

Unknown: It’s Callum. Will you come outside?

Sam: Why?

Callum: Because I want to see you.

She took a deep breath and looked down at her SpongeBob pajamas. It was supposed to be astay at home and do nothing but studyday. She hadn’t even fixed her hair. She wasn’t even certain if she’d brushed her teeth now that she thought about it. Her hand came up to her face as she blew out a puff of air and then cringed at the odor that erupted from her mouth.

Sam: Give me 5 minutes.

It was a rush of trying not to look like an absolute slob. She quickly ran her fingers through her hair and made sure her breath smelled of mint. She reached for the shorts and tank, but then the tags from that flowy summer dress Kristin had given her the previous year shimmered in the light of her closet.

The dress was brand new. It was a gorgeous deep blue that reminded her of the ocean and a perfect blend of comfortability and sexiness wrapped into one. Something girls would wear when they want to look effortless and yet impress someone. Kristin had found it during a shopping trip and Sam hadn’t yet had a chance to wear it during her weekly lunch or coffee visits with Christian.

With a deep breath, she yanked the tags off and threw it on over her head. She hadn’t even tried it on before, but when she stood before the mirror even she was a little taken aback by how well it fit. And it was casual enough that maybe he would think she’d had it on all along. She felt a small sense of betrayal knowing that who she’d intended to wear it for and who she was actually wearing it for were two completely different people.

When she saw him sitting on the front porch steps facing the street, she contemplated running back upstairs and blocking the number. But then he turned, lifting his hand up to cover his eyes so he could make out her form from the other side of the storm door.

“What are you doing here?” she asked as she opened the door. He looked up, a relaxed smile on his face like none she’d seen on him before. His eyes took her in from head to toe.

“You’re beautiful, Sam.”

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