The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden

knees and puts his hands on top of his legs. “Okay, tell me how it went. What were you doing? And how did it happen?”
     
    I sit up and lean against the wooden headboard. “He said that whole challenge thing was a set up to get me up there.”
     
    Seth rolls his brown eyes. “Well, duh. I got that they were up to something.”
     
    “Really?” I feel stupid. “I thought they were just being guys.”
     
    “Oh they were,” he assures me. “Relax, it was all for fun and he got to kiss you just like he was trying to do the whole night.”
     
    I pull the pillow onto my lap, reliving it over and over again in my mind. “Yeah, but did Kayden seem a little offish when we left?”
     
    Seth shrugs. “He seemed tired, but not offish.”
     
    I yank the elastic out of my hair, gather the strands into a messy bun, and secure the band around it. “What happened with that guy you were talking about?”
     
    He reaches his hand into his pocket and takes out his phone. Flicking the screen with his finger, he shows it to me. “I got his number.”
     
    “I’m so happy for you.” I incline back against the headboard. “Are you going to go out with him?”
     
    “Maybe.” He drops the phone onto the desk at the foot of the bed and then lies back down, glancing at the picture on the wall. “God, it was such a great night.”
     
    I slide my body down and lay flat on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. “It really was.”
     
    And at that moment, I mean it.
     
    ***
     
    I wake up in the middle of the night dripping in sweat, unable to tell where the hell I am. The sound of heavy breathing drifts up from the warm body lying beside me. I sit up, blinking around the dark, clutching at the blankets, panting feverishly, trying to shake my dream.
     
    “Callie, listen to me,” he says. “If you tell anyone about this, you’re going to get into trouble and I’m going to have to hurt you.”
     
    My small body trembles, my muscles are sore, and my body and mind is bruised. Tears stain my eyes as I blink up at my bedroom ceiling with my hands lifeless at my sides, my fingers clutching the comforter.
     
    “Callie do you understand me?” His face is getting red and the tone of his voice is sharp.
     
    I nod, unable to speak, gripping the blankets tighter.
     
    He climbs off me and zips up his pants, then backs away to the door, putting his finger to his lips. “This is our little secret.”
     
    When he disappears out the door, I gasp for air, but my lungs won’t work. I can’t breathe. Letting go of the blanket, I stumble off the bed and run to the bathroom, leaning my head over the toilet bowl. I heave my guts out until my stomach is empty, but I still feel dirty inside, spoiled, rotten, foul. It’s killing me, gnawing away at my insides and I need to get it out.
     
    I shove my finger down my throat, desperate to get rid of it. I push and gag until my throat bleeds and tears slide down my cheeks. My shoulders shake as I stare at the trail of blood on the floor and listen to the sounds of the kids just outside, laughing and playing hide-and-seek.
     
    I gasp for air, dragging my fingernails down my neck. “Go away. Go away,” I whisper and Seth lets out a loud snore.
     
    I hop out of bed and search the floor for my shoes, needing to get rid of the feelings beginning to surface. But I can’t find my shoes. It’s too dark. I yank at my hair wanting to rip it out and scream.
     
    Finally, I give up and sneak out the door bare foot. The hallway is vacant and I run to the end of it where the bathrooms are. Locking myself in the farthest stall, I kneel down on the cold hard tile floor, lean my head over the toilet, and jab my finger down my throat.
     
    As the vomit surfaces I start to feel better. I keep pushing and pushing until I brink the end and my stomach is empty. Calmness settles over me as I take back control.
     
     
     
     
     
    Kayden
     
    The next morning, after Callie and I made out in the jungle gym, I wake up with my mind crammed with a lot of shit. I climb out of bed and start packing a bag, shoving in a few shirts and an extra pair of jeans. Then I zip it up and swing the handle over my shoulder.
     
    Luke is lying on his bed, face down and I shake his shoulder. He rolls over with his fists up, ready to take a swing at my face. “What the hell?”
     
    “Hey, I need a favor.” I collect my wallet and phone off the dresser.
     
    He relaxes. “What favor? And why do you have a bag