Page 36 of Until He Confesses

Before we even arrived at our destination and to my surprise, she responded again.

Callie: I think you truly believe I won’t do it.

I realized the crazy part of her that I had always found impossible to understand but was always vastly entertained by was the one speaking now.

I was aware now that if I teased her further, she was going to do as she had threatened.

She hated being undermined or not taken seriously and I shared that feeling. In fact, it was one of the things that had attracted me to her in the first place. As I responded to her message, I was a bit more cordial.

Me: Can we meet later on? If you’re able to convince me that you want nothing to do with the money, then I’ll let it go.

I got out of the car a few minutes later and was shown to the restaurant. Just as I was seated at my table, her response came in.

Callie: Why should I have to convince you? It’s yours. You just want to fuck again. You must really think I’m still sixteen and naive.

I smiled.

Me: Last night fucking blew my mind. Just look at how we fit even after so many years apart. If you tell me you’ve ever felt that way with anyone else I’ll know you’re lying.

Her message didn’t come until about ten minutes later and it was clear she was flabbergasted by my words.

Callie: Wow, you’ve become quite audacious.

I could almost picture the look of shock on her face as well as her raised eyebrows and open mouth. She was not always facially expressive but when she was astounded or in shock, she couldn’t keep her astonishment off her face.

It reminded me of a time in high school. I was certain it was the first day I had transferred.

We were in different grades, but I hadn’t gotten the chance to see her nor had I even been thinking about it. I remembered her and from time to time after we had parted ways that night, she would come to mind. But it had never been with any serious feeling.

Anyway, on that fateful first day, Brett had joined us in the cafeteria, beyond excited at my transfer and I too had been surprised to see her.

When he’d told me earlier to choose a table that would have enough seats so he could join me for lunch I didn’t expect that he would be bringing the two other girls along, especially since I hadn’t even known that he was that close to them.

I soon found out that they weren’t but when Brett began to date her friend, Anna, the bonds strengthened. Anyway, that day, we had all practically kept to ourselves at the table with the exception of the other two who whispered to each other from time to time.

I’d been content enough to remain quiet while they chattered on, but then suddenly I heard gasps and had to look up to see what had happened. It also didn’t help that some mashed potatoes had splattered onto the table right in front of me and seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. I lifted a brow, absolutely disgusted until I looked up to see Callie before me with that wide-eyed and open-mouthed expression on her face.

Immediately my annoyance disappeared and the more I watched her especially since she was right opposite me and looking straight at me although I was certain at that moment, she wasn’t even seeing me, the more amused I got. Until I had to lower my head to hide my face and she hadn’t missed this. She’d given me a glare and then turned around to see where the hit had come from, and that was when I saw the now splattered ball of mashed potatoes that had hit the back of her head.

The sight had instantly wiped out every ounce of amusement I felt, however, it was already too late, and she hated me. I watched as she glared around the hall trying to look for who had done it but yet not finding anyone. Snickering had ensued and then a voice had called out from seemingly out of nowhere.

“That wasn’t meant for you, sorry. Your head was just in the way.”

The hall laughed again, and I could feel her visibly turn red. Furious, she rose to her feet and began to leave. I didn’t miss the glint of tears in her eyes in embarrassment and my annoyance had heightened even further.

I didn’t know who had thrown it, but it didn’t take me long to find out. A few days later, as Brett and I sat down for lunch with her and Anna a few tables away, I had balled up the mashed potatoes in my plate and sent it straight to the back of the head of the lanky red haired boy that had hit her that first day.

Everyone had been shocked and when he had angrily gotten out of his chair ready to fight whoever had done it, I turned and looked directly at Callie. She seemed upset, shocked, and worried all at once.

I rose to my feet then and the moment I did, the boy who had seemed as though he was ready to march over, cowered and didn’t say a single word.

I exited the hall but from that moment on, the four of us had our lunch together.

There had been quiet moments at first but eventually, the four of us had become quite friendly.

And then I had lost her altogether. She didn’t care about me, I reminded myself, at least not the way I’d cared about her and so there was no need to be too cautious. She either held interest or didn’t and so I replied to her message.

Me: You can keep the money or give it away. It’s all up to you but it’s already been recorded in our books so there’s no way I can take it back.