Page 5 of Barron's Second Chance
"I'm sorry, E. I just don't want you to misunderstand what I saw, what IknowI saw. It didn't look innocent; it didn't look like an accident. Her hands were over his -"
"Stop," she whispered. She felt like she couldn't catch her breath, like the walls were coming down on her. "Just stop. I believe you. Just..." a sob escaped her as more tears fell. "...stop."
"E," Sofia said firmly. "We will get through this. Fuck him. He's going to regret whatever the hell he's doing. I swear to God, when I see him, I will kick him so hard in the -"
Eden let her phone drop on the bed before walking in a daze to the ensuite bathroom at her grandparent's house. She turned on the shower and stood there for a few minutes, watching the steam rise. Eden felt numb and cold. Without thinking, she stepped into the shower, clothes and all, and sank onto the corner floor. It was all very melodramatic when she thought back on it. But at that moment, she was in complete emotional despair. She buried her head in her arms and sobbed.
Barron never texted her back.
Eden had been back in New Haven for five hours, and she still had yet to hear back from Barron.
She had finished out her vacation week privately crying while putting on a brave face to her Mom and grandparents. The last thing she wanted to deal with was pity. Besides, she wanted to talk with Barron first. Face to face.
A part of her wanted to believe that it was a misunderstanding. That once she saw Barron, he would wrap his strong arms around her and tell her that it wasn't true. That he hadn't cheated on her with Lissa Kelston. That he still loved her and wanted to be with her forever. Just like they had planned.
So she hadn't contacted him for the rest of her vacation, trying to ignore that he hadn't reached out to her as a sign that Sofia had been right.
Instead, she waited until their taxi had pulled into their driveway before flicking Barron a text to let him know she was home and to ask if she could come around. She made Sofia promise not to confront Barron, citing her wanting to talk to him first.
It was true. Eden wanted to talk to Barron first about what Sofia had seen. But only so he could deny it. Tell her that Sofia had gotten it wrong. She knew that she was acting like one of those silly girls who refused to believe their man was cheating on them, despite evidence to the contrary.
But this was Barron.HerBarron. He couldn't - wouldn't have done this to them?
So here she was, five hours later and still waiting for his response. She had tried calling and texting him a few more times before finally resolving to track him down herself. With a quick word to her Mom about where she was headed, she walked the two blocks to Barron's house. Her heart was hammering as a sense of foreboding trickled down her spine.
She walked up the stone steps to his front door before calmly ringing the doorbell. She clasped her hands in front of her as she patiently waited for her knock to be answered.
When the door finally opened, it was Barron's mom on the other side. She loved Kelly Carter almost as much as she loved her own Mom. She was warm, caring, and adored having Eden around.
She also always greeted Eden with a big smile. So, the fact that a small frown now marred her pretty features was another clue that something was wrong. Even more so when Kelly stepped out onto the porch with Eden instead of throwing the door open and ushering her inside like she usually would.
"Eden, sweetheart, are you okay?"
Instead of waiting for an answer, she wrapped Eden’s slim frame into her arms for a tight hug.
"Uhh, I'm fine, Mrs. Carter." She returned her hug, still confused. "Is Barron home? He hasn't replied to my messages."
Kelly pulled back, her brow still furrowed. "Uh, yes. He's out the back in the pool with his friends and Simon. But sweetheart," she rubbed her hands up and down Eden's arms, "Why are you here? Don't get me wrong, I've been dying to see you. I was so disappointed and sad when Barron told me that you split up, but now's probably not the best time."
Eden stood there stoically, the color draining from her face.
Split up.Split up.
Barron's Mom thought they had split up. Eden wracked her brain, casting her mind back on all the texts and calls between them while she was away. Granted, there weren’t that many, but she still wondered if there was a breakup message that she had missed or misinterpreted.
No.
No.Fuck, no.That motherfucker was making her doubt. He made her gaslight herself into thinking they had somehow broken up in the seven weeks and periodic messages apart. But they hadn't. Barron had lied to his mom, and God knows who else. This wasn't the Barron she knew and loved.
Kelly read the look on her face, realization starting to dawn on her pretty features. She took a step back, her hand on her heart. "Oh, no," she whispered. "Barron didn't end things with you, did he?"
Because she couldn't trust herself to speak, Eden instead shook her head.
Kelly's face flushed in anger. "That - that - that stupid,stupidboy," she spat out. She brought her hand to her head and pulled on her hair in frustration. "I can't believe he would do this. And all this time, he's been -" she abruptly cut off, her eyes cutting to Eden in what could only be described as guilt.
"All this time he's been what, Mrs. Carter?" she asked softly and calmly.
Kelly shook her head. "Nothing, sweetheart. Eden, now's not the time to see Barron. I'll get him to come round to see you. Iwillget him to come round," she gritted out.
