We Love a Tortured Artist - Xavier Thorpe

How do you spell awkward again?

I'd never spent a night away from my own house, not even to stay at a friends house. To be fair, I really only had Denis for a friend, but even still we weren't that close.

Regardless, I'm sure you can understand why, even after everything that had happened today, I still found it scary. I knew I would be safe, I knew nothing would happen, it's just that every night I would have dinner with my parents and every night I would do my nightly routine, and every night I would sleep in my own bed, and this would be the first time in years, my whole life really, that I wouldn't be able to do those things.

I felt a fresh wave of tears coming on, but I managed to hold them back. I decided I would wait until I was alone to cry again, I didn't want Callahan to think I was weak.

I followed him across his front yard and up the stairs into his house. It was small on the inside, but clean. There was a picture on his wall of who I assumed to be his family.

In the picture I immediately noticed Callahan, he was much younger, but the face was still there. He had his hand around another mans shoulder, I assumed it to be his husband. In front of the both of them were two little girls. They didn't look like the two men, in fact they all looked very different, but I could tell they were a family.

Next to this photo there were two others, two teenage girls, both in a graduation cap and gown. They had grown up. I smiled and looked over at Callahan. He was watching me sadly.

"Those are my girls." I nodded and walked away from the pictures.

"Do you live here alone then? What about that other man."

"Gregory, my husband. He uh..." Callahan's eyes were glossed over with tears. He waved for me to follow him, and took me up the stairs. "He died of cancer a few years back, and my girls are adults now, so they moved out. They visit sometimes though, bring their kids with them."

"I'm sorry about your husband." Callahan switched on the light at the top of the stairs and nodded. He wiped the tears away and cleared his throat, quickly returning to his previous gruff state.

"You'll be staying in the guest bedroom. It's got a bathroom and all that. I'll find you some clothes to wear while your here, and I'll wash the clothes you got on. " 

I looked down at my muddy clothes and nodded. He walked across the hall and opened the door to the guest bedroom. He let me walk in first. I sat down on the bed and looked at him.

"I'll go find those clothes, you just wait here while I do okay?" He left the room and didn't come back for another few minutes.

He brought with him a bin full of clothing. He opened it and dumped it out on the bed next to me.

"Lyla, my youngest. She dressed a lot like you but she outgrew this all. Your small and I think some of it may even be too big, but I figured you would like this."

There were oversized band t-shirts and flannels, boots and leggings. Everything I liked to wear was right there.

"It's perfect thank you." Callahan nodded.

"You clean up now and come and find me when were done, we'll talk some more when your a little less... frazzled." He smiled a quick smile and turned on his heel, closing the door behind him.

I went through the bin and pulled out a black and red Metallica t-shirt and a pair of black sweatpants. I peeled off the clothes I was wearing and made my way to the bathroom.

I took a very quick shower, making sure to scrub off all of the dirt and dried blood on my legs. I got out and dried off, putting on the clothes. 

They smelled clean, like lavender. It was comforting.

I looked through the draws in the bathroom and found a brush, an unopened toothbrush and a tube of toothpaste.

I quickly brushed my teeth and ran the hairbrush through my long blonde hair. I braided it and walked back out into the bedroom. I picked the clothes I had on before up off of the floor and folded them.

I walked out of the bedroom and looked down the Hall.

"Chief Callahan?" I called out softly. He appeared at the bottom of the steps.

"That was fast, come on down here kid."

I climbed down the stairs and followed him into the living room. He sat down on one of the couches and motioned for me to sit across from him.

"So. Here's what's gonna happen." Callahan sat back and crossed his legs. "Your aunt and uncle will be here by Sunday, they gave me a call while you were in the shower. So that means your here for a week. I don't care what you do during the day, but I still got to work, okay?"

I nodded and he continued.

"I contacted your school and got everything sorted out, you don't have to go. After all it is June and you do only have about two weeks left anyways. I highly doubt you'll be doing anything important. Once your with your aunt and uncle sign the papers and your their problem, they'll figure out what to do with you next year."

"Okay." 

"Uhm, what else? There's food in the pantry and fridge, have whatever you want, I would appreciate it if you were back here by 10 pm, oh and don't go sneaking around trying to figure out anything about this case you hear?"

"I won't."

"Promise?" I smiled slightly at this. It seemed like such a silly little thing, but Callahan seemed so serious.

"Cross my heart and hope to die sir."

"Good. Now you're free to go, I'll take those clothes and get them washed for you." I handed him the pile of clothes and we both went our separate ways. 

I made my way back up the stairs to the guest bedroom and closed the door softly behind me. I grabbed my phone off of the dresser and got into bed, clicking off the light as I went.

I turned my phone on and went through my notifications.

Denis had texted me twenty seven times. I sighed and opened my massager app.

Meet me at the diner on seventh and green tomorrow after school.

I sent him the text and shut my phone back off. I put it on the bedside table and tried to get comfortable in the bed.

It was harder than expected, but eventually i fell into an uncomfortable sleep.