exts from Trevor and Marley. I still need to find and talk to Levi. Victor is my only option. I shower, change, and head to my car. I drive all the way out to Victor’s home. I am so hopeful that Levi is there.
“Presley, what a surprise.” Victor hugs me, but when he pulls me out of the hug, he sees my tears. “Presley?”
“Is Levi here?”
“Come in here.” We walk into the house, and I sit down. “He isn’t here. What’s going on?”
I’m able to tell him the whole story only breaking down one time. I tell him how I thought Zack wanted to be my friend and I didn’t want to upset Levi. I tell him that Zack kissed me, but in the end, I broke his nose. I tell him that I sent Levi text after text and there hasn’t been a response.
“I just want to make sure that he is okay.”
“Presley, I don’t usually stick my nose in when it comes to Levi’s relationships.”
“I’m not asking you to do that. I just want to know that he is okay. Please.”
Victor finally nods and heads over to the phone and dials his number. “Son…no, I’m fine, just checking in on you…Well, Presley is here…I know…She was just worried about you…That’s fine….I will let her know…Love you.” He hangs up and walks over to me.
“I guess he is okay?” I look down at my hands in sadness.
“Presley, he’s a Carr and he does have a temper. Just let him cool off and he will come around.” I nod and hug Victor before I leave.
I spend the rest of my day sending Levi text after text. He never responds. The whole evening, I do the same thing, but still nothing. I try to sleep, but I toss and turn all night, and I can’t stop thinking about him. Finally, I come up with one idea to see and talk to Levi.
~
When the time comes, I get ready and skip my classes to head over to RU’s campus. I know Levi’s schedule by heart and know that he wouldn’t miss his classes no matter what. I sit on the bench outside the science building. I don’t know how long I sit there, until I finally see him. He looks terrible and I know that I must too.
“Levi,” I call to him, and he turns around.
He frowns but walks over to me, sitting down beside me. “I have things to do before my next class, Presley.”
I hate that he called me Presley in that tone. “It will only be a few minutes, please.”
“Fine. Three minutes.”
“Levi, what you saw isn’t what you think. Zack kissed me and it didn’t mean anything, I swear.”
“Tell me something you haven’t already texted me, Presley. You’re wasting my time.”
“Okay, I lied. I have been hanging out with Zack, but I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to be upset. He told me that he quit drinking and that we could be friends again. I’ve known him almost as long as I have known Marley. I didn’t think he was deceiving me.”
“Is that all?”
“Levi, please. I love you and I don’t want us to break up. Please forgive me and we can move on.” I would beg for his forgiveness for as long as I need to.
“You know, part of me feels like I shouldn’t be mad because I lied to you before. But then again, when I lied, I wasn’t in love you. You lied after and got jealous over me running into Sunny at the library. I didn’t sneak around. So yeah, I’m still mad.”
“Levi, please, don’t be mad. I know that I hurt you, but I’m begging you. Please forgive me. Please come home with me and we can work this all out.” I reach for his hand. I miss touching him.
“Don’t,” he starts, not moving away, but simply looking at my hand. “Nothing you say is going to matter until I quit being pissed off. Didn’t my dad tell you to just let me cool off? You’re not exactly helping me here.”
“Your dad told me that, but I wanted to tell you face to face. Levi, I love you and I’m so sorry.”
“I know, Presley. Look, when I’m ready to talk to you, I’ll find ya, okay? Until then, just leave me alone.”
“I’ll be waiting, whenever that is, I’ll be there.” I lean over and kiss his cheek. I walk to my car, without crying, and make it all the way to my apartment before the tears fall.
Chapter Twenty-Six