WRONG NUMBER / CH

chptr 19

from: leia :~)
we're at the hospital still

from: leia :~)
warren's still unconscious

from: leia :~)
but the doctor says he'll be ok

Thank God, Calum thought inwardly, squinting at the brightness of his screen against the complete darkness of his room. It was almost midnight, and still he was waiting for Leia's updates, hoping she was okay.

from: leia :~)
mom hasnt stopped crying.

from: leia :~)
i've stopped crying days ago.

from: leia :~)
i decided its not going to do me any good.

from: leia :~)
nothing's gonna happen if i cry so whats the point

He felt a surge of sadness. Everyone cried every now and then. It was something to ease the pain, to let go of buried emotions and empty yourself. But here she was, giving up on the idea of crying just because her dad left her cynical.

He wanted nothing more than to murder the bastard.

from: leia :~)
im in the waiting room right now.

from: leia :~)
im so fucking pissed at dad

"Well, me too," Calum mused aloud. Right after the words left his mouth, he felt pathetic.

from: leia :~)
why cant he just leave us the fuck alone

from: leia :~)
why doesnt mom just sue him or something i dont give a damn anymore

from: leia :~)
why doesnt he just ignore us

from: leia :~)
why couldnt he let us leave in peace

from: leia :~)
now warren still hasn't woken up because dad triggered his panic attacks and he couldn't brrathe andd

from: leia :~)
im just so tired.

Calum rubbed his eyes on cue. He refused to let his eyelids droop. If she wasn't sleeping, he wasn't sleeping. He didn't care anymore. He cared about Leia, despite the circumstances. In a weird way, it was like worrying over your favorite celebrity even though you've never met them. A love beyond rationality.

from: leia :~)
but you know what

from: leia :~)
like i said before

from: leia :~)
this is all your fucking fault

The words hit Calum and sent daggers through his heart. He knew it wasn't meant for him, but he still couldn't help but agree. He wouldn't be in this mess of emotions if he had just came clean the first time she texted him. He'd still be oblivious of Leia gracing the planet. He didn't know if he regretted it. Was it his fault for giving false hopes?

from: leia :~)
if you didnt leave

from: leia :~)
mom and dad might still be together

from: leia :~)
and i jnow dad was cheating on her but

from: leia :~)
we could be at home right now watching cartoons with warren

from: leia :~)
and mom could be happily oblivious

from: leia :~)
im being selfish but its true

from: leia :~)
all of this is your fault

This was a side of her he'd never experienced- an angry, defeated, bitter Leia. Someone who had given up on her happiness, given up on being okay and pushing through. Sadness overwhelmed Calum. And even though it was a futile action, Calum mentally apologized for Anna's actions. God knows someone has to.

from: leia :~)
you know the only reason im still texting you is to let you know how fucking terrible of a person you are

from: leia :~)
i hate you.

from: leia :~)
drop dead.

12:49 a.m. It's almost been half an hour since Leia last texted, but Calum was still staring shell-shocked at his phone.

Drop dead. What a horrible combination of words. It was sickening to read and hear. But it was terrifying to be on the receiving end of it. To be so upset as to wish death to a person-what could be more frightening than that?

Still, Calum had to remind himself that it wasn't meant for him. The reality started scaring him, so he had to remember that Leia didn't even know he existed and that those words weren't directed to him. If they were, he probably would have died from agony.

1:22 a.m. Leia didn't text back. Calum's phone had already locked itself and left Calum in complete darkness, but the exhaustion had left his body. Instead, he was jittery, nervous. What was her next text going to be? What could she possibly say after drop dead?

He didn't find out that night. Because at 4:19 a.m. he was still awake, too stressed out to sleep. She didn't text anymore. There was a part of him that said it was going to be alright, she just probably went home and slept, she'll be back in the morning.

But there was a bigger part of him that believed it was the end of her altogether.