Left Behind: Left Behind Series #1

by D. J. Pierson

  I debated for hours whether or not to call her last night. Since I inherited my father’s stubborn gene, I figured if she wasn’t reaching out to me, I wasn’t going to make it any easier for her. My phone never left my damn hand all night. It didn’t even go in my pocket. I walked around the club all goddamn night, holding it and constantly checking to see if there was a missed call, a text, low battery, something. When I woke up, it was still in my grasp. Who would have guessed I was also making it harder on myself? A little after ten this morning, I broke down and sent a text wishing her a happy birthday. What the hell did I get? Nothing. Not even a thank you. After a few minutes of waiting, I threw my phone across the room. Thankfully, it only landed on a pile of dirty clothes. As soon as my head leaned back on the pillow the fucker started ringing. I jumped out of bed, only to see it was Jade. I declined the call. A short time later, she called back and I ignored her again. Then, she texted me.

  ANSWER YOUR PHONE OR I’M COMING OVER THERE!

  I picked it up the next time it rang. “What?”

  “Aren’t you a fucking peach today?” she replied.

  “You have five seconds before I hang up.”

  “Don’t threaten me. You don’t want me making a scene at your front door. Your neighbors will never forget it. I promise.”

  Damn, she can be so fucking irritating. “What do you want, Jade?”

  “Have you talked to Kacie, yet?”

  “Nope.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because I haven’t. What’s it to you, anyway?”

  “Evan, so help me, if you don’t knock your shit off right now, you will be sorry.” I heard her take a deep breath. “Did you forget today is her birthday?”

  “How could I forget? It’s all I’ve been thinking about since I found out. I texted her and got no reply. Not sure why I’m surprised, though.”

  “UGH! She’s having a bad day and, to make matters worse, you slammed the door in her face when she was trying to stop you from leaving. You almost caught her hand in the door, asshole!”

  “She wasn’t trying to stop me,” I said. Was she? I was so pissed, I probably wouldn’t have noticed. Was she close enough to the door that I could have hurt her?

  “Yeah, I’m pretty sure that’s what she told me. Although it was a little hard to hear her through the sobbing!” she snapped. “Look, she realized why you were upset and she feels terrible. She didn’t mean to piss you off. The poor girl is trying to grieve, move on, and keep her sanity all at the same time. The last thing she needs is this shit. I’m only calling because I love her. Don’t think for one second I’m sharing this information to make you feel better. I just found out this morning that the issue with her house is officially resolved.”

  “What? How?”

  “She doesn’t even know yet, so keep your big mouth shut. It’s her birthday present from Gram. Apparently, she wanted to give Kacie one last gift. I’m sure Gram would have never done it this way had she known the trouble it would cause. Kacie’s coming in to have lunch with me, then my boss will tell her. This is going to be just as hard for her as it will be a relief. She needs us. Are you over your pathetic attempt at a temper tantrum, or should I not count on you to help out?” My hesitation just pissed her off. “Whatever, Evan! I knew from the beginning you’d never be good enough for her!” Then the bitch hung up on me.

  I have no idea how long I’ve been sitting here thinking about this. It did help hearing how upset Kacie was about the whole thing, but knowing she was crying and I wasn’t there to fix it stings a little. Hell, it’s like a fucking knife in my chest since I’m the one who caused it in the first place. But then I think how quickly she said yes to going with the asshole and the anger surfaces all over again. It’s a nonstop cycle until someone starts banging on my door. Whoever it is needs to leave me the hell alone. Eventually, I make my way into the hallway and my cousin’s mouth becomes audible.

  “If you don’t open this door, I’m calling Daddy to come take it off of the hinges!” Meg yells. I definitely don’t need my uncle busting my balls on top of everything else. “Evan, you have until the count of three…” I flip the deadbolt and she shuts up. Then I twist the doorknob and she pushes her way into my living room. She looks at me in my boxers and sighs. “Took you long enough. The least you could have done is put some pants on.”

  “Don’t like it,” I say, closing the door behind her, “get out.”

  My cousin rolls her eyes. “You look like shit. When was the last time you took a shower?”

  I flop my ass on the sofa. “What the fuck are you doing here, Meg?”

  She reaches into her purse and pulls out a small plastic bag. “You told me to make sure I got this to you as early as possible today.” The bag and its contents come flying across the small coffee table to land in my lap. “You’re welcome,” she says sarcastically. I completely forgot about Kacie’s birthday present. One of Meg’s friends has his own jewelry store. I knew he’d be able to get me exactly what I wanted on such short notice. “Aren’t you even going to look at it?” My free hand runs through my hair. “Guess the rumor going around about you being a real dick is true,” she mumbles, grabbing a chair from the kitchen table and dragging it over.

  “Who told you that?” I watch her sit down and prop her feet on the table separating us.

  “Everyone who worked last night texted me at least once during their shift. So, what’s up your ass?”

  Starting from the beginning, I go over every detail I know. For the most part, my cousin is quiet and doesn’t offer much while I talk. The story ends with me walking out on Kacie yesterday. “Wow,” she says. “Some great parents she has there. You two have a lot in common.” Meg will never forgive my mom for how she treated me. She shifts in her chair. “By the way your face contorted when you mentioned him, your problem is this doctor guy the parents want her to date and the gala on Saturday?”

  “Yeah. It’s fucked up she told him she’d go, right?”

  “I have a few questions before I answer that. When did you and Kacie officially become a couple? I haven’t heard that.”

  Something about the way she asks that nags at me. “What the hell does that matter?”

  “Don’t get defensive. Just answer me. Have either of you brought it up?”

  Then I realize why her question bugged me. “Actually, I did.”

  “What did she say?” I bury my head in my hands. I know where she’s going with this. “Evan?” She nudges me.

  “Basically that she couldn’t commit until this shit was over.”

  Meg crosses her arms and leans back in the chair. “And you decided to just ignore her honesty and hear what you wanted to hear?”

  I stand up and begin pacing the floor. My phone buzzes from the bedroom, so I go to find it. Seeing Kacie’s name on the screen is a relief. She hasn’t forgotten about me, at least. I quickly send a reply and toss my phone onto the nightstand. Meg is standing in the doorway.

  “Was that Kacie?”

  “Yeah.”

  “What did she want?”

  “To know if I was coming to her party tonight.”

  “And you told her…?”

  “That I wasn’t sure.”

  “Now, why would you say that? You know damn well you’re going.”

  “No, I don’t.”

  “Evan…”

  “I’m done listening to you, Meg. Get out.”

  “No.” She stands firmly in place. “We both know that’s not going to happen. So, let’s continue, shall we?” I rummage through the piles of clothes around my room for something to wear. “With all the money Daddy pays you to manage Skyline, you really should hire someone to clean this shithole and do your laundry.” She follows me across the hall. I turn to her.

  “Do you mind? I’m going to take the shower you were so kind to point out I need!” I snap, annoyed.

  “Obviously not. Get in. We can continue this through the shower curtain. You do use soap, right?” />
  Not answering her stupid ass question, I strip out of my boxers and jump in the shower. She comes in when she hears me close the curtain. “You were serious?” I ask.

  “Wait until I tell Mom how gross this place is. Do you clean your toilet? Ever?”

  “You’re making it hard to resist locking you in a closet. This place is clean. It’s just the clothes that aren’t,” I enlighten her as the shampoo runs out of my hair.

  “Keep telling yourself that,” I barely hear her say. “Back to Kacie. So, you threw a fit because Kacie told this guy she’d go to some party with him to make her parents happy and keep them off her ass?”

  “Something like that. He doesn’t even like her. He’s just using her to get a promotion from her dad.”

  “Doesn’t seem all that harmful, if you ask me.”

  “Yeah, well, no one asked you.”

  “I’m serious. So what if she just goes, makes an appearance, then ducks out. She’s not marrying the dude. It should make you feel better knowing he doesn’t like her.”

  The faucet practically gets ripped from the wall when I turn the water off. I almost forget to grab a towel before yanking the shower curtain back. Standing there dripping wet with the faded brown towel hanging in front of me, I scowl at my cousin. “You expect me to sit back while my girl goes on a date with some other guy?!” I shout.

  “Your girl? The girl who you just told you weren’t even sure you were going to her birthday party? The one who you walked out on without trying to find a way to work this stupid shit out? The one whose already fragile heart you may have shattered? That girl?” Meg doesn’t even look up. She blurts that shit out while inspecting her fingernails, as if she was talking about the weather. “Here’s what I think.” She turns her focus back to me. “I think you’re scared. You’ve never had a girlfriend before. As a matter of fact, the only girls you’ve ever really dealt with are the ones who did whatever you wanted or said, just so you’d screw them even more senseless than they already were. You have no idea how a real relationship works, or what to do with a girl who’s able to think for herself. I believe we’ve had this conversation before, have we not?”

  She doesn’t wait for me to acknowledge her question. She knows I remember. “It scares you knowing that Kacie actually cares for the real you. The Evan who is sweet, kind, and caring. Not the sexist pig you pretend to be. At first, you were probably worried she’d be just like Jenna, the two-timing whore who got your brother killed. But then you found out Kacie is nothing like her and that, more than likely, makes it worse because then there’s nothing holding you back from being with her. You walked out and are purposely avoiding her to make it easier on yourself. Or so you think. If you don’t face her, then your problems don’t exist. But you’re wrong. I know you feel that pain in your chest. The one making it hard to breathe. The one choking you from the inside. The one that will only go away once the girl is in your arms, assuring you everything’s okay. You want to know what I think is the number one thing you’re afraid of? Love. Loving someone means you have to let them in. You have to let them see every part of you. The good. The bad. The in-between. You’ve never let anyone in and it terrifies you to be that vulnerable to anyone.” My cousin finally takes a break in her rant.

  “What if you had something of Ethan’s and someone was trying to take it? Are you going to stand there and tell me that you wouldn’t do whatever it took to hang onto it?” I stare at her as if she slapped me in the face. “I’ll let you get dressed,” she says before walking out and closing the door behind her.

  In a daze, I slowly get dressed, brush my teeth, and fix my hair. Is Meg right about any of this? When I’m with Kacie, nothing seems as though it requires any effort. We just exist in a world where bad shit happens, but we’re together. Somehow, that’s all that matters. Everything else is just details. Small details that don’t mean a damn thing. How the hell do I fix this? What if it’s too late? What if I pushed Kacie too far and I can never get her back?

  I find Meg sitting on the sofa, inspecting the gift I bought for Kacie. “Why does it hurt so damn bad?” I ask my cousin who seems to know everything today.

  “Because she’s your glue,” she says without looking up.

  “Glue?” Now I’m thoroughly confused. “Okay, the shit in the bathroom I could follow, but glue?”

  Meg glances at me with a small smile. “You really should pay more attention when I talk to you.” She holds out the open box. I stroll over to take it from her. The front of the oval locket has a daisy etched into it, a diamond at the center of the flower. When I open the locket, the face carved into the metal is just like the picture Jade was able to get for me. Every feature of the woman Kacie admires most is captured perfectly. I’m not sure why I’m so surprised, but I am. “It’s beautiful. She’s going to love it,” my cousin tells me.

  Still staring at it, I sit down on the cushion next to her. “Glue?” I whisper to remind her.

  Meg leans her head on my shoulder and wraps her arm around mine. “Not that long ago, we had a discussion about how we’re all broken. You insisted you weren’t, of course. I explained to you that, sometimes, it’s not until we find the person meant to hold us together that we realize it. Kacie is the person meant to keep you in one piece. Before she came along, you hid by pretending to be someone you’re not. Lately, you’ve been yourself, and you’ve never been happier.”

  I close the locket and set the box down on the table. “How do you know I’m happy?” I ask, leaning my head to my cousin’s.

  “Anyone with eyes can see you’re happy, Evan, especially when Kacie’s around.”

  “Do you think she’ll still want to be around?”

  “Yup,” she answers, sounding so sure of herself.

  “How do you know?”

  “Have you seen the way she looks at you?” Meg chuckles. “She looks at you with such awe, it’s hard not to notice.”

  “How do I fix this, Meg?”

  “Go talk to her,” she says, standing up. “Say you’re sorry for being an ass. I’m sure she feels bad, too. Just don’t let her go because of something as stupid as this. Is that your phone ringing?”

  Now that she mentioned it, I can hear it. It’s still in my room, so by the time I get there, it stops. My uncle calls back right away. “Hey, what’s up?” I pick up.

  “Evan, glad I got you. I know I said I have today covered for you, but is there any way you could do me a huge favor? I am supposed to be meeting with the potential new distributor I told you about in fifteen minutes. Unfortunately, I just got a call that the new bar I ordered for outside is done and needs someone to approve it before they’ll bring it in. Do you think you could run down and check it out for me? I’d really like to get it here as soon as possible.”

  “Yeah, sure. No problem,” I say, even though I don’t want to. “I’ll leave in a few.” Guess my visit to Kacie’s will have to wait.

  A huge favor for my uncle turned into a huge pain in my ass. Between the traffic and the idiot who sent me to the wrong place to look at the wrong bar, I thought I was going to miss Kacie’s party. I wanted to get there before it started so I could talk to her. To tell her how sorry I was for screwing up. Mostly, I was nervous that maybe Meg was wrong and Kacie wouldn’t want to see me. The last hour was the worst, though. I had to stop back at my place to get changed and grab her gift. It was a good thing I left it for Meg to wrap. I have no clue how to do that. The entire ride to Jade’s, I kept thinking of all the ways this could go bad. Would Kacie be pissed at how late I was?

  Seeing that Jade’s driveway is full and so is the street in front of her house, I pull in Kacie’s driveway and park behind her convertible. When I get out of the truck, I look up at Kacie’s house to find it completely dark. She’s definitely already next door. The music coming from Jade’s backyard is pretty loud and I’m wondering if their neighbors are going to complain. I don’t bother with the doorbell since no one will hear it anyway. There aren’t as
many people inside as I thought there would be. Making my way through the kitchen, I spot Jake making drinks behind his bar that sits in the far corner of the dining room.

  “Evan!” he calls out. “You made it. What are you drinking?”

  “Nothing right now. Where’s Kacie?”

  “Last time I saw her, she was outside talking to Danny and the guys on the patio by the pool.”

  “Thanks, man.”

  “Yup.” He goes back to the brunette sitting on the stool in front of him.

  When I go outside, I try to sort through the crowd of people as I look for Kacie or even Danny, but Jade finds me first.

  “Look who finally decided to show up,” she says. I’m not surprised to see my cousin right behind her.

  “Told you he wouldn’t miss it,” Meg tells her, grinning.

  “I would have been here a lot sooner if I could have. Where is she?”

  “Um,” Jade wonders, looking around. “I’m not sure. She was trying to say hello to everyone. I lost her a while ago.”

  “Thanks for the help,” I grumble.

  “Hey, Evan.” Jade grabs my arm. “Be careful. Her brother showed up. I invited him thinking he wouldn’t come, but he’s here. So is his girlfriend. Neither one of them tend to be on the parent’s side, but I’m just giving you a heads up.”

  I nod and think how this night may be taking a turn for the worse. I head to the pool, looking for Danny and his crew. They shouldn’t be hard to spot. As if on cue, I hear Mike’s obnoxious voice calling out to some girl. He’ll never learn.

  “Danny.” I get his attention as soon as I’m close enough.

  “Pierce! You took a night off? Holy shit!” He reaches out to shake my hand.

  “I do that sometimes. Hey, have you seen Kacie? I heard she was last seen with you guys.”

  “The birthday girl is popular this evening.” He tilts his head in the direction to my left. “She just stepped away to take a phone call.”

  Over my left shoulder, I see her. She’s standing in the corner of the yard away from everyone. The phone is up to her one ear and she’s covering the other one with her hand to try and block out some of the noise.