The Redemption of Callie & Kayden

search the parking lot and even walk over to the lobby, wondering if maybe he went to raid the vending machines, but I can’t find him anywhere. My mind is racing with a thousand thoughts of what’s going on. Where would he go? Why would he leave? Why did he look so sad?
    By the time I’m headed back to the stairway, Seth and Luke are walking down it. I’m about in tears, frozen without a jacket on. “He’s gone,” I sputter.
    They meet me at the bottom of the steps and Luke’s forehead creases as he stares at his truck. “What do you mean he’s gone?”
    “I searched everywhere.” I wrap my arms around myself, shivering from the cold and my nerves. “I can’t find him.”
    Seth’s arms encircle me. “I’m sure he’s fine. Maybe he just went for a walk.”
    “It’s almost ten thirty at night and freezing,” I say. “There’s nowhere to walk to.”
    “Maybe he walked to a gas station to get something to eat.” Even he sounds like he doesn’t believe it. “I thought I saw one a few roads up.”
    “Hang on a second,” Luke says as he removes his phone from his back pocket. “I’ll call him and see if I can get him to answer and see what’s up.” He dials the number, puts the phone up to his ear, and wanders away toward his truck, leaving footprints in the snow.
    Seth hugs me as I watch Luke kick at the snow with one arm resting across his stomach. He keeps walking and walking farther away from the motel. My legs grow weak and finally I have to sit down on the stairs.
    Seth sits with me. “I’m sure everything’s okay.”
    I shake my head. “He seemed so upset the whole drive. I think something was really bothering him.” I pull my knees to my chest and rest my chin on top of them. What if he’s going to do something… something hurtful to himself?
    I slide my phone out of my pocket and try to call him myself. The phone rings four times and then goes to his voicemail. I hang up and send him a text.
    Me: Hey, where r u… I’m worried. You just took off.
    I wait, but there’s no response. I suck back the tears frantically wanting to escape, wishing I could curl into a ball and cry myself to sleep. I hurt everywhere. And I’m afraid. Not for myself but for Kayden and what he’s doing. I can’t get the picture of him trying to cut himself out of my head. What if he ends up hurting himself really badly?
    Finally, Luke heads back toward us with a puzzled look on his face. Right before he reaches us, my phone beeps.
    Kayden: I’m ok.
    He’s okay?
    Me: Where R U?
    “I got ahold of him,” Luke says as my phone beeps again. “He said to tell you that he’s okay, but that there’s something he needs to take care of.”
    I glance down at the screen, trying to hold the phone steady in my shaking hand.
    Kayden: There’s someone I need to talk to and it can’t wait… with my therapist… Look, I’ll explain everything later. I’ll come back and then we’ll talk. And Callie, I promise I’m OK.
    I don’t understand. My hands tremble as I type.
    Callie: I thought I was going to go with you… and it’s late. The office isn’t even open.
    When he doesn’t respond, I don’t know what to think. Is he really seeing him? Or is he lying?
    I stand up, brushing the snow off the back of my jeans. “We should go look for him.”
    Luke shakes his head, squeezing by us and heading up the stairs. “Callie, I’m sure he’s okay… and he’ll said he be back soon so I think we should just wait here for him.”
    I glance at Seth, wondering what I should do. Sighing, he swings his arm around me and leads me up the stairs. “I’m sure he’s fine,” he says quietly.
    I clutch onto him, hoping with everything I have that he’s right.
Kayden
    I am obsessed about telling the truth and finally having my secrets out in the open the entire drive home. The longer I thought about it, the more anxious I got until I felt like I was going to burst. I’d spent my whole life holding my emotions and secrets in and suddenly I needed to get them all out. Now.
    Even though it was late, I knew if I lay down on that bed, closed my eyes, and went to sleep, my mind would probably change by morning. It was just one of those things where if I’d sat on it, I’d talk myself out of it. So as soon as Callie went into the bathroom, I slipped out of the room, muttering something about getting my suitcase out of the back of the truck.
    I knew she’d be upset that I took off without saying anything, but I had