Christian (The Mitchell/Healy Family #3)(21)
Author: Jennifer Foor

This wouldn’t break me forever. I wasn’t going to let it.

Chapter 13

Ethan

After searching for Chris, and then calling her repeatedly I felt like she needed time to get over whatever was bothering her. Since it wasn’t like her to fly off the bat like she had, I knew I’d hear from her once she calmed down.

It was difficult to fall asleep knowing she was out there somewhere thinking I was an asshole. Honestly, I didn’t even get why she’d gotten so bent out of shape. We’d had disagreements in the past, and she’d never overreacted like this time.

It was two in the morning when my cell phone started blowing up. I ignored the first few rings on account of being asleep. When it continued I rolled over to see who the caller was. That’s all it took for me know it was important.

“Chris?”

She was sniffling.

“Talk to me. I’ve been tryin’ to call your ass all day. What’s goin’ on with you? If you like Seth that much just tell me.”

She began to sob on the other end of the call. “Trust me it’s not that at all.”

“Then you need to tell me what’s wrong. How am I supposed to be your best friend when you won’t talk to me about it?”

“Do you think I’m weak?” She questioned.

“What?” I scratched my head and checked the time on my alarm clock again. “Woman, what’s gotten into you?”

“I just need to know. Do you think I’m weak? Do I have a sign on my head that tells people to take me for granted? I don’t understand why I can’t be like everyone else.”

“You’re not weak. You’re pretty damn strong if you ask me. I don’t get why you want to be like everyone else when the person you are is perfect. They’re the ones that need to take notice of you.”

“I’m not askin’ for you to flatter me. I need the truth, Ethan. For once can you be serious.”

“I am,” I argued. “Chris, you’re awesome. Any guy would be lucky to be with someone like you.”

“No they wouldn’t.” She cried harder, making it impossible for me to understand the rest of what she was saying. I felt so bad, but didn’t know a way to convince her that I thought she was amazing. I never should have kept it from her, but I sure as shit wasn’t about to tell her my true feelings over the phone.

“What’s wrong, babe?”

“I don’t understand why life is so hard for me. I can’t catch a break. Every time I try to change, things take a turn for the worse.”

“I’m lost.”

“Take you for instance. I never should have told you I was in love with you, because nothin’s been the same since that happened. You say things haven’t changed, but we’re not as close. It’s like I pushed you away.”

I wiped the sleep from my eyes and sat up completely, trying to figure out how to manage this kind of conversation without being there with her. “You know that’s not true. I care about you too.”

“It’s not the same.” She let out an air-filled laugh. “It doesn’t even matter. Nothin’s ever goin’ to be the same. We can’t be together anyway, even if you changed your mind. I’m damaged goods.”

“You’re not makin’ any sense, Chris. In fact, you’re worryin’ me. Stop bein’ all cryptic and tell me what the hell is your problem. Don’t make me come over there in the middle of the night and force it out of you.”

When she began to bawl I wondered what I’d said to make her so upset. Nothing was making sense. She obviously called me to comfort her, but I had absolutely no idea what was going on.

“Christian, please say somethin’, or else I’m gettin’ in my car and comin’ for ya.”

“Don’t come near me. I’m not there anyway. I had to get away from all of it. I can’t be there, Ethan. Why can’t you get that?”

“I’m tryin’ to. Is this because of me, or that douche you were with last night?”

“This call was a mistake. I won’t bother you anymore. I think I just wanted to hear your voice one more time before you hated me. Goodbye, Ethan. For what it’s worth, you’re the only guy I’ve ever loved. I’m glad I got to experience that feelin’ before all of this happened; otherwise I’d never know what it was like. I’m sorry for ruinin’ our friendship.”

“Wait, you didn’t-.”

The line was dead.

I tried to redial her number, but it went straight to voicemail.

Out of desperation I threw on some clothes and drove over to her house, hoping to make sense over all of this.

First I beat on the door, hoping she’d hear it first. When no one answered, I rang the bell. A girl who I didn’t know answered. I could tell she was sleeping. “What?”

“I need to see Chris. Let me in.”

“She’s not here.” She started to close the door.

I put my hand up preventing her. “Hold up. What do you mean she’s not here?”

“She left earlier, dude. Go home.”

“Did she say where she was goin’?” I asked.

“How the hell would I know? She doesn’t say shit to me. Go on now before I kick you in the balls for wakin’ me up.”

This time the door closed in my face, but I remained standing there wondering why Chris would leave campus. This couldn’t be about me and our last conversation. Something must have happened to her, and I was going to get to the bottom of it.

My first class on Tuesday’s wasn’t until the afternoon, and since I hadn’t gotten but a few hours of sleep I knew I had to find Chris and get things worked out with her. After trying to call her several times, I climbed in my car and headed to her parent’s house. If she wasn’t with me, and she wasn’t at the campus house, that was the only other place she’d go.

I guess it slipped my mind that her family would be dealing with her sister’s latest bouts of trouble. When I pulled into the driveway I saw them climbing out of their SUV. They recognized me right away, and from the shocked look on their faces I knew they were confused about my visit.

“Ethan, what brings you by this late?” Christian’s father, Colt asked.

“Sorry, sir. I was hopin’ Chris was here, but I can see that she’s not. Our messages must have gotten mixed up that’s all. I’ll just head on back to campus and see her in the mornin’.”