Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 83186 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83186 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
“Like in tents or a camper?”
“My dad’s camper. It’s old, but it has a bedroom in the back, and the four of us can fight over that. There’s plenty of room to crash in the main area, though. What do you say?”
I couldn’t think of a reason to say no. “That sounds super fun. Yeah. Let’s do it.”
“Cool.” He smiled. “I’ll get lots of booze, and we can buy stuff to make s’mores by the fire.”
As soon as he said s’mores, I totally lost my train of thought. Caleb’s face smiling through the flames as we made s’mores in my yard swam before my eyes.
Damn you, Caleb, and your gorgeous smile still haunting me.
Jesus. I felt like I might cry. What was wrong with me?
“Be right back,” I said as I escaped to my bathroom, closing the door and leaning back against it. I let myself have one good cry as the feelings I’d been suppressing came out to play for a moment. I grabbed my phone off the sink and did something I knew I’d regret. I looked up Caleb’s Instagram. But when I typed in his profile name, nothing came up. Panic set in. Had Caleb deleted his Instagram account? Or had he blocked me somehow? Why?
I also checked Facebook, the only other social media account he had. That page, too, was totally gone. What’s happening? Why would he delete his social media accounts?
If I didn’t come out of the bathroom soon, Ethan would think something was wrong. So I returned to the bed and lay down next to him. As he fell asleep, I tossed and turned, obsessing about Caleb’s disappearance and feeling like I was losing my mind.
***
The following day, I had to make sure Caleb was okay. So I dialed his number. When there was no answer, I left a message.
“Hey...uh...it’s Teagan. Long time no speak, right? Call me crazy, but I need to know you’re okay. I happened to be on Insta, and I noticed your account was gone. Your Facebook, too. Just wanted to make sure everything was kosher. Can you call or text me to let me know? Anyway, hope all is well. Bye.”
My stomach churned as I spoke, but after I hung up, I felt a ton better. At least I had initiated contact.
***
When two days passed and Caleb hadn’t called me back, I felt a little desperate. I’d also tried emailing him, but the only account I had was his university email, and he might not have checked that. I didn’t want to contact Archie, but I sent him a DM on Instagram anyway.
Hey, Archie! It’s Teagan in Boston. Quick question—I was wondering if everything is okay with Caleb. He’s not answering his phone and I noticed he took down his social media pages. Just wanted to know if you’ve heard from him. Thanks! Hope all is well!
After a few days, my message to Archie remained unread. I wasn’t sure if he checked his messages, and I realized I didn’t even know his last name, so I couldn’t look him up anywhere else in order to reach him.
It had gotten to the point where I couldn’t eat or sleep. As a last-ditch effort, I Googled Caleb’s mother’s name and the address I had for him in England.
I knew his mom’s name was Poppy and his father was Lionel. I found a listing for a Poppy Yates at the address Caleb had given me before he left.
That’s it.
My heart pounded as I dialed. On the third ring, a man with a deep English accent answered.
“Hello?”
My body straightened, and my heart began to race. “Hi...is this Mr. Yates? Lionel?”
“Yes. Who’s this?”
I cleared my throat. “This is Teagan Carroll. I’m a friend of Caleb’s. He stayed with our family when he was in the States. I was wondering if you could tell me how to get in touch with him.”
“Caleb isn’t here. He’s away for the weekend.”
A mix of relief and confusion washed over me.
Okay. He’s alive. He’s fine. That’s all I needed to know.
“Ah, I see. Do you know if he has a new phone number?”
“No. He has the same phone, as far as I know.”
Caleb’s dad wasn’t very forthcoming. Based on how Caleb had described him, this didn’t come as a shock.
“I see.” Feeling helpless, I pulled on my hair. “Okay...well, would you mind telling him Teagan called? Ask him to call me back when he has a chance?”
“Alright,” he said after a pause.
“Okay…well...thank you. Hope you have a nice day.”
When he didn’t say anything further, I hung up. He wasn’t the friendliest person, but at least I knew Caleb was alive and breathing. That was the most important thing, right? And he hadn’t changed his phone number, so that meant…he’d chosen not to respond to me?
***
Kai popped open a beer as Ethan worked to light a fire.