Taint, Time and Tangents✔️

≑ Chapter Nine

Cover on the Multimedia made by: DirectionerLips (kimberly)

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 C H A P T E R    N I N E 

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CALLIE

"Was everything okay?"

From looking down at the tiny rocks tumbling beside my shoes, I raised my head to meet Isaiah's gaze. We were walking along a narrow pavement, with the deserted road on our left and the crescent moon peering behind the overgrowth of trees on our right side.

His friend, who as I remembered was named Chester, had driven us with his car out of the woods but once we reached the road, Isaiah told him that both of us would just be walking the rest of the way. It was strange at first, but now, as he repeatedly stumbled on his words--which I think were so carefully-thought of-- I guess he simply wanted a reason for me to start talking about Zeke.

"Did something... happen to you?" His eyes were shifting uncomfortably back-and-forth from my face to the flickering bulb of a streetlight ahead of us. I couldn't help but think that he was not used in initiating conversations like this. 

"Everything's fine," I whispered, concealing the heaviness on my chest. Too many things had been said, had occurred and were witnessed, that my head was spinning from trying to discern reality from not. A part of me wanted to believe that the kiss did not happen but I was not a fool. It did happen and all I need to do was to accept it... and move on. 

"Does it hurt?" My eyes shot up. Dark shadows were falling lightly on his face, covering his eyes from my inquisitive look. "...your back, I mean."

I lowered my gaze. It somehow sounded like he was pertaining for something else other than my back. "Just a little. I guess, I really need some time to... get used to it," I mumbled, not sure what I was also referring to.

On my peripheral view, I saw him studying me, probably weighing what to say next. He was trying to comfort me in all ways possible, I knew it; and yet, my responses hinder him to do so.

He opened his mouth then closed it after a second, keeping what he had in mind for a bit. Then after a minute, he talked again. "So earlier..."

My lips twitched with a smile. "You want me to talk about it?"

He let out a chuckle. "I wouldn't have let us walked in the first place," he said, half-embarrassed. His thick blonde hair seemed to grow darker as we plunged deeper on the night. 

I looked on the silent, foreboding forest on our side, thinking on where to begin, on how to share something about me without disclosing my true identity. After awhile, I decided to begin with the simplest acceptable explanation. "He's my best friend."

"Your be---?" He stopped his outburst at once, perhaps afraid to scare me off with his reaction. His lips turned into a thin line, making me uneasy. He seemed to be suppressing any unsolicited remarks on his mind. "Wow, that's the least thing I expected."

"I guess he never mentioned me," I muttered, smiling sadly.   

"He would never talk about you with me," he said, and when I looked at him questioningly, he shrugged. "We're not what you call 'friends', not acquaintances either. We're simply... not in good terms."