The Resolution of Callie & Kayden(69)

But other than the occasional sadness and silly fights, Kayden and I are going strong. He tells me every day that he loves me and I tell him every day how important he is to me. Our happy after is working quite well for us and seems to only get better in time. It makes me excited for what the future holds – our future. Makes me excited that we have a future.

‘Writing again, I see,’ Seth interrupts my thoughts as he strolls into my living room without even knocking. He doesn’t bother to shut the door either, even though it’s freezing outside and a light gust of snow blows in.

‘What if I hadn’t been dressed?’ I joke, closing my journal. It’s filled with so many pages of my pen that ink is seriously starting to stain the edges.

He rolls his eyes. ‘Yeah, right. You would never be naked in your living room.’ He pauses then gets this scandalous look on his face. ‘I, on the other hand, make it a daily ritual.’

Now I’m the one rolling my eyes. ‘Oh, whatever.’ I toss the journal on the coffee table as I get to my feet. ‘So are you going to shut the door or are you trying to add to my heating bill?’ I grin at him.

He shakes his head, but is amused. ‘Actually, it’s time to go to the game.’

My forehead creases as I glance at the time on my phone. ‘But it’s super early.’ Like hours early.

‘I know,’ he says, picking up my coat from the armrest and tossing it to me, ‘but I was instructed to take you there early.’

‘By who?’ I ask as I slip my arms through the sleeves of my coat and zip it up.

‘It’s a secret.’ Then he winks at me and heads out the door, leaving me utterly confused.

I follow him outside, locking the door before I trot down the stairs behind him. There’s a light frost on the ground and the air is nipping, but the sun is shining and the reflection of it against the snow makes everything sparkle. I can’t help but breathe in the magicalness of the air before getting into the car.

Seth’s grinning by the time I shut the door as he starts up the engine and then backs out.

‘You’re acting weird,’ I tell him as I buckle my seatbelt. ‘What’s up?’

He shrugs as he turns the steering wheel and we head toward the street. ‘Nothing.’

I know Seth enough to know that he’s lying. ‘You’re so full of it. What’s going on …? Why are you taking me early?’

‘It’s a surprise,’ he says, pulling out onto the street.

‘Please, pretty please, tell me,’ I beg with my hands clasped in front of me.

He shakes his head. ‘No way. Not this time.’

‘I won’t tell anyone.’

‘It doesn’t matter, Callie. I’d be mad at myself if I ruined this one for you.’

I pout as I slump back in the seat. ‘Oh, fine. I’ll play along.’ I fiddle with the stereo until I find a good song then I try to relax, but as we pass by a bookstore something dawns on me.

‘Oh, crap.’ I put a hand to the base of my neck. ‘I forgot my necklace.’ It’s the one Kayden gave me for Christmas that has a book pendant with my name on it.

‘You’ll be fine for one game, Callie,’ Seth brushes me off.

‘No way. We have to go back. It brings him good luck whenever I wear it.’

Seth chuckles as he turns off the main road toward the shiny, steel stadium. ‘You two and your superstition.’

‘It’s not a superstition,’ I say, which isn’t quite the truth, but Kayden says that whenever I wear it, it brings him good luck when he plays. Growing up with a father for a football coach, I know enough to tolerate these superstitions.

‘Relax, Callie,’ Seth tells me as he parks the car near the entrance of the stadium. ‘I have your necklace.’

‘Why do you have it?’ I wonder.

There’s a pause and I feel the shift in the air. Something’s happening. Something important.

Seth looks like he’s about to cry as he reaches over, takes my hand, turns it palm up, and drops the necklace into it. ‘Don’t look at it until you get into the stadium.’ He closes my fingers around it then sits back in his seat. ‘Now go.’

I glance down at my hand and then to the stadium, knowing without really knowing that something magical is about to happen. Unable to form words, I get out of the car and make my journey toward the stadium with the necklace clutched in my hand. The security asks my name then lets me through when I tell him.