Never Before | ✓

Chapter twenty- eight (unedited)

Chapter twenty-eight:

I couldn't sleep yesterday all night. Telling Caleb that I don't want to be with him on the first day of camping was a terrible idea but sooner or later, it had to be done. I'm pretty sure I look terrible. I don't even feel like taking a bath but reluctantly, I do.

Both Ellie and Selena have noticed my change of behaviour. They have asked me twice if I'm sick but I don't tell them about Caleb and me. Eventually, I will. But I can't talk or even think about it right now.

This camping trip would be worst of a camping trip in the entire camping trip's history.

I pull my hair into a high ponytail and glance at myself in the mirror. My face has no sign of happiness and my skin looks considerably placid. I try to smile but it doesn't work. All I could think was about Caleb's broken voice and sad eyes.

"Amber...?" Selena calls out as she grabs the key of the tent house. Ellie and she have stepped out of the room and the cold wind is already blowing inside.

"Are you so sure you're okay? Did you get enough sleep?" Ellie asks. I nod and walk towards them. Selena closes the door behind me.

"Yeah. It's just a silly headache."

The number of lies I have to say to mislead the truth.

"Where did you go last night?" Ellie questions with a mischievous grin on her round face. Selena winks at her.

"Oh, nothing. Just went for a walk." We slowly walk towards the open ground. Girls run and even push us to reach on time.

It is morning seven. The sun has risen up and the sky is a mixed shade of different colours. We split into our teams. I haven't looked towards Caleb's team yet. I haven't even glanced at him or any of the boys he could be with.

"Okay, students!" The trainer yells to make everyone quite. As soon as silence falls over, he continues. "We have bad and good news."

"Bad news first, please!" Kanye, my team member shouts back. The trainer looks at him and nods.

"The bad news is that the weather predictions say that a storm is hitting tomorrow. So the camp is cancelled and you'll be leaving at sharp 4 p.m. today," he announces. A series of Oh no and boos spread all across the ground.

"And the good news?" Someone yells. Suddenly, I feel someone's sharp gaze on me but I avoid to look in that direction. I know who it could be. I can't see his face. I can't. I can not.

"The good news is that there was only one bad news." The trainer faintly smiles. Everyone frowns and begin to whisper things to each other. I hear Selena sigh beside me audibly.

"Okay, okay!" The trainer claps to gain our attention. "Now let me tell you how things are going to go today. We will first go for a run into the woods, then go kayaking, have lunch, play group games and leave. Reminder, we're leaving at four so you must pack your bags in fifteen minutes prior to the leaving time!"

●●●

The time flew faster than I expected. I was able to distract myself for a little while during the adventure but every time my eyes met Caleb's broken ones or he made an effort to talk to me, I brushed him off. Selena and Wllie tried to ask me what had happened but I avoided that question at all costs.

The worst things are yet to be done. After what I did to Caleb, I have to hurt others as well so that they would stop looking for me after I leave. I don't want anyone of them to find me ever again. Caleb is important to me just like everyone else is.

You love them, Sloane so you have to look out for them. Sooner or later, Reggie will find out about you and you're pretty sure he'll prefer hurting the people closest to you rather than killing you.

I sigh and pack my bag. I'm internally glad that the trip is ending. Selena comes to help me fold my clothes.

"You know you can tell us anything, Amber. What happened between Caleb and you?" Selena asks in a gentle voice. It is so soft that I felt like crying in her arms and tell her everything but I can't.

"Nothing did. I just didn't feel good today."

"I can spot a liar. You wouldn't just brush him off or avoid Caleb for no reason. Something has messed up. Is it because he found out that you kissed Mr. Bernard?" Ellie questions. I widen my eyes. It was supposed to be secret. There's no way anyone could find that out.

"What...how..how did y—" I am intervened when I hear something fall. The door is open with Caleb standing there. His eyes were wide open and his lips quivered. The bag he was holding was fallen down.

Fuck.

"You kissed him? You kissed that fucking bastard?" Caleb is breathing heavily. Although he is incredibly furious, I can see he is hurt. His arm veins bulge horror.

"Cal—" Ellie realises what she had done. She made it even worse and she knew it.

"Shut up, Ellie!!" He yells. I flinch and he looks into my eyes. "DID YOU REALLY KISS JACK BERNARD?"

"Y..yes," I stammer.

"When?" He asks calmly while taking sharp breaths and staring down.

"Wh..what?"

"I said WHEN?" He screams.

I swallow and lower my eyes. "The night when you saw me and Jack together and called me names."

He huffs. "So, I was right back then." He laughs with no humour. "You lied to me. He was assisting you to get into his pants. And here I thought, you were just insecure about me. You were and always will be a liar."

Don't cry. Don't cry. Yell at him. Yell. Hurt him. Hurt the man you love. Let him go.

"Damn, right. I don't do emotionally unstable guys with fucked up family issues," I say with fake confidence. I twist my lips.

"I don't care or never cared about you, Caleb West. It was just a dare to kiss your fucking face. There are far better guys in this world than you."

I look away and continue packing my bags to avoid looking at him. I hear him say nothing and walk away. Ellie's and Selena's eyes are on me.

"What just happened?" Selena asks in a low voice.

"You heard the truth. I pretended to like you all," I lie for the hundredth fucking time.

(Guess what, we are going to have a sequel!! Don't hate me for doing this lol. )