Calum’s POV
“What is wrong with you?” I ask Marissa, as I practically drag her to the empty hallway.
“I could ask you the same thing.” She says, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
“What are you talking about?” I say. I know what she’s talking about. Here we go…
“I’m talking about the fact that you’ve been ditching me everyday this week. And you always hang out with your friends, and with her!” She says.
“She is part of my friends.” I say. Marissa rolls her eyes.
“ I thought I told you to stay away from her” She says and arches an eyebrow.
“Yeah well-“ I start saying but she cuts me off.
“Well what?!” she snaps.
“You don’t get to choose who I’m friends with, Marissa. Not anymore” I say. Her jaw drops open, like this is too much to ask or something.
“What are you trying to say, Calum?” she asks.
“I’m saying…we’re done Marissa.” I say. She looks furious “I’ve had enough of your controlling and monitoring my life. And I’ve had enough of your lying. I’m done with all this” I say.
“You’re breaking up with me?!” She articulates every word.
“Yes.” I say shortly.
“On what grounds?!” She is getting loud now “That I’m jealous because you are hanging out with a girl. That I want to spend time with you? That I expected you to pick me up this morning, like you’ve done for the past year?! Please, enlighten me. What is your reason for breaking up. Or let me guess, you’re gonna give me the whole I just don’t feel the same way as I did bullshit? Or is it going to be the It’s not you, it’s me? What’s your excuse for ruining what we have, Calum?” Why won’t she stop talking.
“None of the above” I say. My voice is low, but firm. “It’s not me, it’s you. It’s your need to control every aspect of my life, and it’s the fact that I feel trapped when I’m with you. And it’s also the fact that you are screwing Stephen”
She is silent for a moment.
“So this is it?! You asshole friends are jealous that you have a girlfriend, try to ruin it and succeed? Is that it?” She says. She is tearing up. Nice acting skills, Marissa.
“It has nothing to do with them. Although, I should’ve opened my eyes earlier. I know everything Marissa” I say. Bluffing. I really hope they are right about this. “So don’t even try to deny it. You’re just gonna dig a bigger hole than you’ve already have.” I say.
“So…we’re done?” she says. Her voice low.
“Finished” I say. And then she smiles, but a tear falls down her cheek.
“I hope you have fun screwing Addie.” She says and then stalks off. Not in the cafeteria, but in the opposite direction. I exhale and I suddenly feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I smile to myself and then I run up the stairs to find Addie. And Michael.

Addie’s POV
I don’t know how long I’ve been crying, but at one point I stop and Michael helps me stand up. He also helps me wash my face and kisses my cheek, saying Everything will be okay Addie, over and over again. I probably stopped crying because I started believing him.
We exit the girl’s bathroom. Michael has my phone, I realize and the moment I look at it, I remember the text. And then I feel horrible again.
Michael leads me outside of the school, and I have no idea where we are walking. I’m like a zombie. He has his arm over my shoulder, as if I’m going to run away at any second. In moments, maybe minutes, after a couple of turns and street corssings, we end up in front of a house that I recognize as Michael’s.
“No one’s home” He says, as he unlocks his door. He leads me to the living room and I sit on the soft couch. I hug a pillow while he goes somewhere. He brings me tea and then sits across from me.
“Do you have my phone?” I ask him, unsure if he left it at school maybe. He is texting someone on his phone.
“Yeah” he answers and takes it out from his pocket, and puts it on the coffee table. “Do you feel better?” He asks. I take a sip of the tea. Chamomile. I nod. “Do you want to talk about it?” I shake my head. “Do you want to sleep?” I nod. He looks at me and then leaves the room. I don’t move. And after a minute he comes with a blanket. I lie down, still hugging the pillow and he covers me with the blanket. It’s soft and warm.
“I’ll be right here when you wake up, okay? And when you’re ready to talk, I’m ready to listen” He says, searching my eyes. I nod and close my eyes. He rubs my leg over the blanket, and that touch lulls me to sleep.

Calum’s POV

I look for Addie, but I can’t find her. I go back to Luke. He is doing homework, and I ask him if he’s seen Michael. He hasn’t.
The bell rings and I text Michael on my way to class
‘Dude, are you with Addie? Is she okay?’
I settle in my seat and stare at my phone, waiting for a response. After a minute I read Michael’s text. ‘I took her to my house. I don’t know what’s wrong. I’ll update you if anything happens’ I exhale deeply, glad she is with Michael. And then a spark of jealousy hits me because she is with Michael.

Addie’s POV

When I wake up, I’m in an unknown room. It’s dark, but once my eyes adjust all I can see are band posters. I jolt up and then I see Mikey next to me. He is sleeping. What time is it? It’s dark outside. I search for my phone and find it on the nightstand. I see missed calls form both my mom and Aggie. It’s almost 10pm. Mikey wakes to my shifting.
“You’re up” he says. I nod, still looking at my phone. I have a couple of messages from my mom as well.
‘What do you want for dinner?’ is the first one.
‘Honey where are you?’ the second one.
‘Addie, pick up your phone’.
‘Adelaide Benson pick up your phone!!!!’
‘You’re grounded. Pick up!’
“I am so dead” I whisper. Mikey sits up.
“What’s up?” He asks.
“My mom is going to kill me” just as I say, my phone vibrates. It’s Aggie. “Hello?” I answer, half scared, half angry at Aggie.
“Where the hell are you?!” She whispers. Not really quietly I might add. It’s just like shouting. Why do people whisper when they actually talk in normal tone of voice? Or like…angry whispering? It’s loud. Totally ruins the point of whispering.
“At Michael’s” I answer.
“Mom is going to kill you. You haven’t been picking up, and she called our school, and they said you didn’t show up after lunch.!” She is pacing. I can hear it.
“I didn’t feel good” I say “ So Michael made me tea and I fell asleep” I say. Michael looks at me worried. And guilty.
“Well, you’re dead. What did you want to talk to me about, by the way?” She asks. She sounds so casual. As if I wanted to ask for $10.
“I don’t’ have time for that right now” I say and then tell her that I’m going to come home soon and hang up.
“What did she say?” Mikey asks.
“My mom is going to kill me.” I say and jump up. I’m still wearing my dress. My hoodie is on the floor. I put it on and then I hear the tv in the living room. “Is someone home?” I ask him. He nods.
“My mom is. She came a while ago, so I had to bring you to my room.” He says. I look around. It’s messy and smells like soap and a bit of weed.
“I don’t’ want to meet her looking like this” I say hiding my face “Oh my god, this is so embarrassing.”
Michael ruffles my hair and gets up. “I’ll see what I can do” He says and exists his room. While he is gone I zip up my hoodie, and put my backpack on my shoulders. After a minute, he comes back.
“She’s asleep anyway” He says and smiles “Come on” He gives me his hand and I take it. He leads me through a narrow hallway. We pass the living room. His mom is on the couch, sleeping. I find my boots at the door and put them on. And then we both exit. It’s pretty cold, and I have no idea how to get home. All the streets look the same.
“Thanks” I turn to him. He has his hands in his pockets and smiles. “Seriously” I say. And then I’m hugging him. He wraps his arms around me.
“I’m gonna call Calum to pick you up” He says.
“No, no, it’s okay. I can walk” I say. That’s a lie, but I don’t want to be asked questions right now.
“Relax” he says, smiling at me, while going through his contacts on his phone. He calls Calum and it doesn’t take an ounce of energy to convince Calum. The conversation lasts maybe 10 seconds. Give or take 5.
I’m cold and shivering, and Mikey hugs me sideways, stroking my arm, keeping me warm. I put my head on his shoulder and wrap my arms around his waist.
Five minutes later, Calum’s car comes into view and he stops in front of us.
“Thanks Mikey. I’m serious” I say, hug him and as I pull away I kiss him on the cheek. His cheeks flush, but he just mumbles an Any time, Addie, and then I’m walking to Calum’s car. It’s warm inside, and I watch Mikey disappear as we turn the corner.
Cal doesn’t ask me anything. We just drive in silence. And in a few minutes we are at Calum’s. I sit in the car and then I look at him.
“You didn’t have to come and pick me up” I say to him.
“I wanted to” he says and smiles. I nod and exit his car. The cold wind throws my ponytail around.
“Text me if you want to talk, okay? I’ll be right over” He says to me and I nod.
Then my legs are carrying me to the front door. When I enter my mom erupts with her questions. “Where were you”. “Are you okay?” “I’ve been so worried!” “Why didn’t you answer your phone” “You are grounded for a week” “I thought someone kidnapped you” “Why did you skip school?!” and so on.
“I’m fine” I answer finally.
“Where were you Addie!? I’ve been calling you all day!” She repeats herself.
“I felt ill, and then I went to Michael’s and then I fell asleep. And now I’m home and I want to sleep.” I say walking towards my room but my mom stops me.
“Are you okay? You’re not feverish” She says checking my temperature with the back of her palm.
“I’m fine mom” I say, trying to get away, but she knows me too well.
“What’s wrong Addie? You can talk to me” She says. I look at her. She wants me to talk? Fine.
“He knows.” I say. My mom freezes. “And of course you knew” I say and then pause. “And you didn’t’ tell us”
“I was waiting for the right time” she says.
“There is no right time, mom!” I say a bit too loud. I hear Aggie’s door open from upstairs. “How long have you known?”
She is silent.
“Is that why you weren’t answering your own sister a few days ago?!” I say. She nods.
“How do you know” She asks. Her voice is weak.
“It doesn’t matter” I say, not wanting to rat on Lucy. “The real question you want to know the answer to is does Aggie know. She doesn’t” I say. Mom slowly exhales the breath she was holding.
“I don’t know what?” Aggie says. She is standing at the top of the stairs wearing a nightgown. She looks like a Disney princess.
Mom looks at me and I shrug.
“It’s your dad, sweetie” mom says “He knows where we live. And I think he might be coming” She finishes. The last part drains the blood from my face. And I can see Aggie pale just like me.
After that, the three of us sat in the living room and we talked about it. That’s why aunt Anna wants to live here, and she made uncle Dan find a better job. She wants to be near mom, want’s to protect her. And after our talk mom went to bed. She un-grounded me when I told her why I was actually feeling horrible, and she left Aggie and me alone.
“I’m going to bed” I say.
“Addie, wait” she says. She looks more like me than ever. All big eyes, confused and a bit scared. I stop and look at her. I’m still angry at her. “I’m sorry about today. It’s just…We haven’t talked and I was mad at you and then you suddenly wanted to talk to me, and I wanted you to know how I’ve been feeling this past week” She says.
“Yeah, sorry’s not gonna cut it” I say coldly. “You never once came to me and told me that you wanted to talk to me. You didn’t look like you haven’t been sleeping for days, and I didn’t ignore you, letting my friends make fun of you while flirting with some boy” Her eyes are tearing up. Mine are completely dry.
“I’m sorry Addie. I didn’t know it was about this” She says, hugging herself as if hiding.
“You couldn’t have, right? You never listen to me, and you never pay attention.” I say. “I can’t do this with you anymore. I can’t keep trying to be your friend just to be shut down every time. I’m done with it. We’re sisters, but that’s it.” I say and then I leave her in the living room alone. I feel shitty for saying those things, but I also feel like I’ve eased something off my shoulders. Just a little bit of weight.
I go to my room, and open my door for air. I look up, and see the light in Calum’s room on. It’s 2am but I decide to text him anyway.
‘I don’t know if you’re awake or not. I’m going to go to bed now. Carpool tomorrow?’
Not even a minute passed, as I was changing into my pajamas Calum texted back.
‘If you oversleep again, I will splash you with water’ I laugh and then I’m in bed. I sleep better than I’ve had in the couple of days that have passed.

Notes

Sorry for the spelling mistakes and bad sentence structure sometimes.
Rate, Comment and subscribe :))
I hope I can update again today