The Junior (College Years 3)

The waiting is a killer. It’s as if he’s doing it on purpose, and maybe he is. I don’t know. He’s not one to play games. Caleb is one of the most straightforward people I know.

It’s one of my favorite things about him.

That and his smile. The way he takes care of me. How loyal he is to his friends. How loyal he’s become to me. How he may act like a dog with females, but he’s always been respectful to his friends’ girlfriends. He’s a nice guy. He’s a fun guy.

People don’t give him enough credit. I used to not give him enough credit either, but that’s all changed now.

Caleb: And I have faith in you. Isn’t that enough to say we have faith in US?

I decide to be completely truthful.

Me: I wish I could see you right now.

Caleb: Me too. I wish you were in my bed.

My heart soars at seeing his words.

Me: Lonely?

Caleb: Always when you’re not around.

“Are we almost ready to go?” Ellie calls, catching my attention. I glance up from my phone to find everyone at the table focused on me.

I put my phone back into my bag, smiling. “I’m ready.”

“You didn’t eat any dessert,” Jackson chastises.

I shrug. “Not hungry. Still full from dinner.”

Didn’t eat much of that either, but no one calls me out on it.

“Who were you texting?” Ellie asks, getting right to the point.

“Caleb,” I admit.

Ellie frowns. “Everything okay between you two?”

I slowly nod. “Actually, yes. He seems…content.”

She smiles and claps. “Yay!”

We take a private car back to the hotel and by the time I’m walking into my room, my phone starts buzzing with a FaceTime call.

From Caleb.

Shit.

I turn off all the lights and throw myself on the bed, grateful I shut the curtains on the windows before I left for dinner. The room is shrouded in darkness so he can’t see anything and by the time I answer the call, I’ve arranged myself on the bed so he can’t tell where I’m at.

Hopefully.

“Hi,” I say when I see his pretty face filling my screen.

“Hi.” He yawns, immediately covering his mouth, and I can tell he’s in bed. In some random hotel room in this very same city, which is frustrating. We’re so close, yet so far apart still. “What are you up to?”

“Oh, nothing much,” I say, lying through my teeth, which makes me feel guilty.

“About to go to bed?” he asks.