Shattered: A Salvation Society Novel by Bella Emy (pdf to ebook reader .TXT) 📕

of tears falls from my eyes as those thoughts run through my mind. How could things between us have changed so drastically in such a short amount of time? It just doesn’t make sense to me.

I try his cell phone, but once again, it goes to his voicemail. No. I refuse to leave another message for him. I’m going to call his house phone, and hopefully, maybe I can get through to him there somehow. I know if he wanted to talk to me, he would’ve called me by now. He would have seen all the missed calls and texts and gotten back to me.

But he’s leaving me absolutely no choice. The next thing I’m going to do is head over to his house if I can’t get him through the phone.

I sit up and hit his number on my phone, waiting to hear the line trill. I clear my throat and hope he picks up this time. I really don’t want to text him to tell him to call me. I’d rather just talk to him now and get everything out on the table. It would be nice if he would start by telling me what’s been up with him these last few days. It rings three times before someone picks up. “Hello?” It’s not Kalen. It’s his father.

“Mr. Starling? Hi, it’s Lexi.” I sniffle but hope he doesn’t notice I’ve been crying.

“Lexi? Are you alright, hun?”

Crap, he noticed.

“Oh, yeah. I’m fine. Sorry, it’s just my allergies.” I lie, of course, because how do I tell him the truth? My life sucks so bad right now. Kalen doesn’t want to talk to me anymore, my parents are divorcing, and I’m being forced to uproot my life and move across the country.

“Hmm, okay. What can I do for you?”

I furrow my brows. Isn’t it obvious I called for Kalen? Well, maybe not because I didn’t call his phone directly. But I bet his father doesn’t know I’ve been trying to reach him for days.

“I was looking for Kalen. May I please speak to him?”

He sucks in a deep breath, and after a moment, he says, “Kalen? Sweetie, did you try his phone?”

I bite the inside of my cheek. “Yes, numerous times, but I haven’t been able to get through to him. I know he wasn’t in school the last few days, and I want to make sure he’s okay.” That’s not a lie at all. I’ve been worried. What if something happened to him or what if he’s really sick? I’m sure Mr. Starling would have told me by now, but still. I suck in a deep breath. “Plus, I really need to speak to him. Is he there?” I’m starting to get antsy, and if I don’t get to speak to Kalen soon, I’m going to burst into tears again.

“Oh, Lexi. Didn’t he tell you?” he asks.

I swallow hard. “Tell me?”

“When’s the last time you spoke to or saw Kalen?”

I shut my eyes. “It’s been a few days,” I admit.

“I’m so sorry, sweetie. But Kalen’s gone.”

My heart sinks to the pit of my stomach, breaking into a million pieces. What does he mean, gone? “Gone?” I repeat.

“Yes. He left three days ago to stay with some family in Florida. He’s been going back and forth on his decision for about a week or so now... I’m so sorry.”

He left to go to Florida? Why? Why didn’t he even bother telling me he was leaving? Why did he just up and leave without a single word? He took my virginity and left me all alone. What the hell?

Another stream of tears falls down my face, but I compose myself before responding. “It’s fine. Thank you for telling me, Mr. Starling. When you speak to Kalen, please let him know I’ll be leaving for New Jersey by the end of the week.”

“You’re leaving California, too?”

I nod, even though I know he can’t see me. “Yes. My parents are getting a divorce, and I’m moving with my mother to stay with my grandparents out there for a while.”

He sighs audibly. “Oh, I’m so sorry, sweetheart. But I’ll deliver the message. You take care of yourself, young lady.”

“Thank you, Mr. Starling. Good-bye.”

I hang up before he can add anything more because it hurts too much to continue with this conversation.

I use the back of my hand to wipe my tears. Anger begins to fill my heart, and now I know for sure I had been right all along.

I knew it. I fucking knew from the beginning that I should have never fallen for him. Now I know he never loved me. He never even cared. If he did, he would have at least said good-bye. All he wanted was to get me to sleep with him just so he could say he did, and then leave me in the dust. Nothing makes sense like it used to. All I want to do is lie on my bed and cry and pretend the last couple of months never existed. Because did they even? They weren’t real.

And then it hits me like a brick wall to the face that without even one last and final good-bye, Kalen is gone.

Chapter Nineteen

Back to the Present…

“That was a beautiful wedding, wasn’t it?” Erin flips over onto her belly to soak up some sun.

We’re currently lying on one of Starling Paradise’s beaches, and it’s been heavenly. I needed this so badly. Seeing Kalen that evening at the rehearsal dinner definitely threw me off, making me reminisce about our time together. And then seeing him again during the wedding the following day really made my knees weak and sent my insides on a high anxiety spree.

Now that it’s all over and we can just relax here without worrying about a damn thing, I know this is just what I needed. Plus, not seeing Kalen since has really helped me get a grip.

I take a breath, inhaling the summery coconut scent of suntan lotion that the wind swishes in our direction.