3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Calista

“Just a sprite for me, please.” I tell the bartender after he takes the other girls’ drink orders.

Jessa grabs my arm, spinning me around to face her. “Please tell me you didn’t get knocked up, Cali.”

“I’m not pregnant,” I tell her, placing my hand on top of hers, “Rune is getting tired of me drinking every night and losing control.”

“Girl, fuck that.” Dahlia chimes in. “Don’t let that man tell you what to do. Get a shot to go in your sprite and loosen the fuck up.”

“I can’t.” Shaking my head, I grab my drink and head toward our table. After a moment, Dahlia and Rose join me.

“Jessa is ordering shots, she’ll be right over.” Rose says quietly. “You shouldn’t let him control you, Cali. If you want a drink, you’re allowed to have a drink.”

“You don’t understand.” I say, pushing away from the table, about to walk away from them. “I’m not going to jeopardize my relationship for a night out.”

“Don’t leave.” Jessa says, putting her hand on my shoulder. “Have one last night out with us. You can quit tomorrow and none of us will bother you about it.”

“Fine,” sliding my chair back in, I push the shots around the table so everyone has one, “but I'm going out with a bang.”

After six or seven shots, I can barely stand, but that doesn't stop me from making my way to the dance floor. Halfway through the first song, Jessa and Rose disappear, leaving me by myself. Dahlia makes her way toward me, shooing off strange men that approach her.

“I’m heading home, do you need a ride?” She yells over the loud bass. Shaking my head no, I spin away from her, almost falling on my ass in the process. I know I probably should go, but if this is my last ladies night, I want to make the best of it. “Okay, call me tomorrow.” She says before she makes her way back through the sea of people. After a few more songs, and quite a few near falls, I head back toward the table shocked to find it completely empty, except for my phone. It takes me a few tries to correctly put the password in, but once I’m in, my stomach sinks and all of the alcohol threatens to come up. I pull open my group chat with the girls realizing that I'm all alone with no ride home. How the fuck could they just leave me here?

Reluctantly, I click on Rune’s name and press the call button. Sucking in a deep breath, I bring the phone to my ear. He answers after a few rings and I already know how much trouble I’m about to be in.

“It’s two am, Cali, where the fuck are you?” He spits in lieu of a greeting. “I thought you agreed to give this shit a rest?”

“I don’t have a ride home. They left me here at Oasis.” I put all of my effort into sounding much more sober than I actually am.

“I’ll be there in five.” He says before ending the call. I quickly make my way to the bathroom to rinse my mouth and make sure I look semi presentable when he gets here. As I’m freshening up, my phone pings with a text.

Rune: I’m outside.

Shit. When I reach the side of his Nova, he doesn’t even bother leaning over to open the door for me. The entire time I’ve been with this man, I’ve never had to open a door in his presence. That realization sinks in even further when I slide in the car and put my hand on his thigh, the same exact spot my hand always rests. He pulls his knee over, letting my hand hit the seat. Tears build behind my eyes as he pulls out of the parking lot, heading in the opposite direction of home. As he drives closer to my parents house, I can no longer hold back the tears that are now flowing freely down my face.

He pulls into my parents driveway, puts the car in park and gets out, walking around to open my door. He stands behind it, not offering me his hand the way he always does.

“Please don’t do this, Rune.” I sob as I struggle to get out of the car, reaching for his hand. He quickly pulls it away and walks back to his side of the car. I stumble after him, my head swirling with so many emotions. Everything from regret to fear is warring around up there. “Please, just talk to me.”

“Don’t make this harder than it has to be.” He says, sliding behind the wheel and pulling the door closed, quickly clicking the lock button. I watch in complete disbelief as the love of my life puts the car in reverse and backs out of the driveway. When I fall to my knees, his brake lights flash for just a second before his engine roars and he’s gone.