That evening, I called Caleb. He picked me up in his car, his usual cocky grin firmly in place. “Ready for some fun?” he asked, his tone light.
“Yeah,” I said, forcing a smile. “I need a distraction.”
Caleb didn’t hesitate. He took me to a party on the outskirts of town, the kind of place that felt just far enough from reality to make you forget everything. The music was loud, the drinks flowed freely, and Caleb was right at home in the chaos. He wrapped an arm around me, pulling me close as we moved through the crowd.
For a while, I let myself get lost in his world. I danced with him, laughed at his jokes, and ignored the little voice in the back of my head telling me something was missing.
Later, we found ourselves in the backseat of his car, his hands exploring my skin with a confidence that made my heart race. His kisses were urgent, his touch firm, and I let myself fall into the moment. But even as I kissed him back, a hollow feeling lingered in my chest, like a reminder of everything I was trying to forget.
Caleb had a way of making me forget—forget the whispers at school, the ache Logan left behind, and the sinking weight of my own guilt. In the days that followed, he pulled me deeper into his reckless lifestyle. He took me to places I’d never been, introduced me to people I never thought I’d meet, and pushed boundaries I never imagined crossing. Our relationship was a blur of late-night drives, whispered promises, and reckless decisions that made me feel alive and hollow all at once.
I should’ve felt free, alive, but instead, I felt like I was running in circles, chasing something I couldn’t quite reach.
And no matter how hard I tried to drown it out, Logan’s words kept echoing in my mind: “You’re not happy.”
One night, after the bar had closed, Caleb convinced me to stay behind with him. The staff had left, and the dim lights above the counter cast a warm glow over the otherwise dark space.
“Come on,” he said, tugging me toward the pool table. “Live a little.”
I rolled my eyes but followed him. Caleb grabbed a stick, pretending to line up a shot. “What do you say, Em? Winner gets whatever they want.”
“And if I win?” I asked, crossing my arms.
His grin widened. “Guess you’ll have to surprise me.”
I picked up a cue stick, but it wasn’t long before Caleb was behind me, his hands guiding mine. “You’re terrible at this,” he teased, his breath warm against my ear.
“Maybe I just don’t care about impressing you,” I shot back, though my voice lacked conviction.
His hands tightened on my hips, spinning me to face him. “Oh, I think you care,” he said, his voice dropping.
The look in his eyes was magnetic, and before I could stop myself, I leaned in. Our kiss was intense, all heat and urgency, the tension that had been building between us spilling over. Caleb lifted me onto the edge of the pool table, his hands sliding under my shirt as my heart pounded in my chest.
For a moment, I let myself get lost in him, letting go of every doubt and hesitation. But when it was over, and the room fell quiet again, the hollow feeling crept back in.