misfits · calum hood

day thirty-three

day thirty-three - luke

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I woke up because the phone ringing from upstairs.

I didn't have enough energy to open my eyes to check the time. Not enough energy to realize it was 7 a.m.

No one calls on a Saturday at 7 a.m.

Someone walked down the stairs. I still didn't open my eyes. There was whispering. Calum had gotten out of bed. I heard him walk up the stairs.

I felt the need to go check on him, and right when I was about to, I felt the bed dip again, and he was back.

I fell asleep again, and wasn't awake for when Calum got back out of bed at 7:51 and didn't come back this time.

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When I woke up again, it was three minutes past nine. Calum wasn't in bed, but that didn't phase me. He wasn't there the day before either. But I didn't notice the backpack that wasn't in the corner of the room.

Calum wasn't in the kitchen. He wasn't in the family room, either. And neither was the rest of my family. I tried to convince myself that they were still sleeping. They were still asleep and Calum was in the bathroom. That's what I told myself.

I stared at my coffee for five minutes and then Calum rushed into the room. Literally, rushed. His backpack was on his shoulders.

"Vicky," He said, as I stood up quickly. He hugged me, holding me tight and close. "Vicky." He said my name again; his voice seemed uneasy.

"I have to leave. I have to go," Calum said, and I could tell he was freaking out.

"Calum-"

"The hospital called this morning. They found me. It took them long enough," He said, calming down a little bit. "And from what they said, my mom's really pissed at me, I guess, and yeah, I'm going back. But I don't wanna go back, I really don't want to."

Calum sounded panicky again, and I pulled away and looked him in the eye. "I know, Calum. I know."

"I really hate that fucking place." He was crying, but he was smiling at the same time. "It was fine until you leave and then you realize how much you hate it."

"Oh my God," I said, hugging him again. "I'm sorry, Calum. I wish you didn't have to go back. I don't want you to go back. But you're gonna be okay, yeah? You're gonna be fine, I promise."

"Yeah, I'll be fine," He tried to convince himself. "Except it'll be shitty without you there. You made the hospital bearable. You made it more like...home."

"You're my home, Calum."

"And you're my home, Vicky."

We were still hugging two minutes later when my mum came into the kitchen, and I could hear her keys jingling. We broke apart, knowing what this meant. "You ready?"

"Not really." Calum smiled without showing his teeth, readjusting the strap of his backpack.

"Can I come with?" I asked my mum, and she considered it for a minute and then nodded.

The drive was mostly silent. Mum hadn't turned the radio on and none of knew what to say. Calum fiddled with his hands for awhile before I took one if his hands in mine and squeezed it.

It felt weird, going back after I had just left two days ago. We pulled into the parking lot and it almost felt like it was time to get out of the car because I was back home. But I really wasn't. The only thing that was ever home about the damn place was the boy sitting next to me.