Page 79 of Worth the Risk

I’ve thought hard about that night. I was in Leo’s room with Amber, and we had a drink. I’m quite sure I fell asleep in Leo’s bed, but that is where my memories fade. I only remember one drink. Did I really tell Amber I was going to get back at Leo by sleeping with Nash?No. There’s no way I did that. I may not remember the whole evening, but I would never do that.

“Wait, Amber said you said what?” Sierra exclaimed.

“That I wanted to sleep with Nash to get back at Leo. Sierra, I admit there are some blanks from that night that I can’t explain, but I didn’t say those things to Amber or climb into Nash’s bed and have sex with him. I never even had that thought sober.”

“Oh, I believe you. I don’t care what Amber said, you didn’t say that. She’s just jealous because she has it bad for Leo, and he could never love her. He loved you, Ky.”

Huh?

“What do you mean she has it bad for Leo?” I asked.

She stared at me deadpan.

“I love you, Ky, but you can be so naïve. I noticed it quickly. I saw the looks she would give him when she thought no one was watching. Your focus was on Leo so it didn’t concern me because I could tell he only wanted you. He saw her as a friend, nothing more. Now I wish I would have said something.”

I vaguely remembered initially that I thought she may have liked him, but for some reason, I dismissed it. Probably because I was so distracted by everything Leo.

“Do you think she lied to break us up?” Nothing else makes sense.

“Now that I’ve heard what she said, I do believe that.”

I thought about my conversation with Sierra the entire week after she left. Between my numerous bouts of crying and wishing I could talk to Leo, I knew something wasn’t right. I had my old phone reactivated and called him the next day, but it went straight to voicemail, and texts were left unread.

That lasted all week.

Today, I tried to call him, and it wouldn’t ring through. Texts were undelivered. He blocked me. I brought up his Facebook and Instagram, hoping I could message him, but he blocked me on those too.

That made me angry.

I needed to talk to him, and he blocked me out. I wanted to ask him about Amber and if she would lie to break us up. I also wanted to know if he knew she wanted him and what exactly went down with him and Beth.

I’ve not forgotten about that in all this mess.Was he telling the truth that it was once and before me, or am I being naïve again and believing a cheating asshole?

I tried to reach out to Sophie, but the same thing happened. She blocked me too. I can’t even confront Amber. It seems I’m not friends with anyone anymore.

I have only gotten angrier, so I decided to confront Leo face to face.

When I pull into his driveway, his SUV isn’t there, but it could be in the garage where he sometimes parks it, so I knock. When no one answers, I enter the entry code into the keypad and let myself into the house, but it’s silent.

Leo’s bed is made, so I go into the bathroom. The counter is clear, his toiletries gone. It’s as if no one lives here. My stomach sinks.

I race into his closet, and as I suspected, his stuff is gone.

He left. Believing I betrayed him.

As my world crashes around me, I crumble to the floor and sob again.

It’s actually over.

* * *

Six weeks later, I’m not much better. I’ve become a recluse and decide to take a semester off because I’m not in any shape to be teaching young children. I can barely take care of myself. I’ve gone through so many emotions. Anger that he won’t talk to me and that Amber is somehow involved. Sadness because I miss him. Then anger again for missing a man who may have been cheating on me.

I’m also extremely tired. I’ve slept the world away the past couple of days, and now that my body has caught up on the sleep I’ve missed for over a month, I’m throwing up too. Stress will do that. I can’t keep what little I do eat down.

My door opens, and my mom and Manda enter my room. Mom is sympathetic, and Manda is clearly on a mission.

Mom sits on the bed and takes my hand. “Sweetheart, I can’t stand watching you like this anymore. I hear you throwing up now too. It is too much. My heart can’t take seeing you like this.”

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