April 1, 2015
C A L U M
For the past few days, I've been declining any offer Aspen has made to hang out with me. I feel super guilty about it, but I also feel super bad about having to tell her that Raff has been dishonest about almost everything. She called me yesterday asking if I wanted to go to the mall to get clothes for the upcoming bands concert in the park coming up, and I had to accept.
And here we both are, sitting in my car, as I drive both of us to the mall. The only sound is the soft Bush song playing on an alternative rock radio station that Aspen and I both lightly thump the beat to, Aspen tapping her foot, and me patting my fingers on the steering wheel.
The giant super mall comes into my vision, and it takes me a while to find a good parking spot, close enough so that we dont have to walk far to get inside. Once I find a spot, I stop the car inside of it, and look at Aspen, to see thats she's been staring at me.
"You're awfully quiet." She observes.
"Yeah, I guess..." I shrug, sliding my hands off of the steering wheel and setting them in my lap.
"What's eatin at ya, Cal?" Aspen questions.
"I'd rather not tell you right now. It can wait..." I say.
I can see in her eyes that she wants to fight me, and tell me that she wants to know now, but she just nods before climbing out of the passenger seat. We walk side by side into the mall, my hands in the front pockets of my skinny jeans.
"Where do you want to go?" She asks, nudging me with her elbow to get my attention to her, and not into space.
"I dont know... Hot Topic?" I answer with a question, looking down at her for some sign of approval.
"Sounds great, lets go."
As soon as we get into the store, I already know what I want. I spot it on the wall where its displayed, way up high, calling my name. It's a black Bring Me The Horizon shirt.
"Look Aspen! Over there, look!" I say excitedly like a little kid while grabbing her arm, my mood instantly changing. She laughs and follows me through the crowded store to the wall that displays a bunch of shirts. Squatting down, I search through the stack of shirts and grab one in an extra large.
"I love Bring Me The Horizon!" She says excitedly, and looks over the shirt that's resting in my hands.
"This is all I want. I dont need any more pants, all I wear is black jeans." I shrug.
"Let's wait in line." She lightly touches my back, leading me to the short line. It sounds cliche as fuck, but the little touch brings me goose bumps, and it gets my mind going.
After the shirt is legally mine, and in a black Hot Topic bag, Aspen and I start walking back to my car. As we stroll, I sneakily stare down at her, looking at her hands that I have an urge to hold. I glance at her charlie brown cheeks and i want to lean down and peck one of them. I gaze at her slightly pointy, but not by too much, nose, that i want to boop and kiss. I overlook at her lips, both of them a great and kissable size, and I want blanket them with mine.
My heart jumps when her green eyes snap up at mine. But, she doesnt scold me for staring at her like she usually would. She actually blushes and looks back down.
When we get inisde my car, and both of ur seatbelts are on, I take a deep breath. I'm actually really glad that this whole shopping thing only took twenty minutes, because now I can tell her about Raff. The hardest thing though, about telling her, will be to see her reaction. I couldnt give a shit about Raff, and I never will.
Aspen reads my mind when she says, "You were gonna tell me something?"
"I... I-uh- Yeah." I stutter, my eyebrows knitting closer together as I stare at my pointer finger tracing circles into my thigh. If i just look away from her, it will make this easier.
"Well?"
"When I was picking up Mali, from that hotel, I-I saw something. Well, someone." I sigh, not having the courage to look up yet. "I saw your boyfriend. He was with someone else. I kind of um... I watched them steal a roomkey. Then I followed them to their room, and I saw something I really wish I hadn't seen. And he uh... He admitted to being a prostitute." My words come out slowly, and I take deep breaths between each sentence. When I finally look at Aspen, I see her eyebrows furrowed in anger, and I already know she doesn't believe me.
"God, Calum, I know you dont like Raphael, but really?" She scoffs. "Take me home."
"No, you gotta listen-"
"No! You listen to me! Raff is the sweetest guy to me, and he finds me attractive, and he doesn't fucking lie!" Her volume increases, to where she's yelling.
"Aspen, he's been lying to you!" I yell back.
"No, he hasn't!"
"Yes-"
"STOP! God, Calum, stop!"
Tears spill out of her eyes, and my features immediately soften. She breaks down into sobs, her body doubling over. Sucking in a deep breagh, I hurriedly unbuckle my seatbelt and duck out of the car, running to her side. I open the door and right away, she attacks me, her arms wrapping around my thighs, her head against my stomach.
"Please tell me this is a dumb April Fools joke." She cries, as my hand strokes her hair.
Unwrapping her arms from me, I squat down so that I look up at her. Her hands never leave her eyes, she just wipes and wipes her own wet eyes.
"Why would I joke about this? I dont find my best friend sobbing funny. I wouldn't use some sick guy as a pun."
"But Raff isn't just some sick guy. He's my boyfriend."
"He doesn't deserve you." I shake my head. "You deserve so so much better."
She shakes her head back.
"He's been ignoring me. I've called him and he's declined. I thought it was something I did or because I told him about the hospital. But..." She trails off, and I place my hand on her knee, to balance myself.
"You told him?" I say softly.
"Yeah.... Are you... Are you sure it was him?" She asks, hope glimmering in her eyes.
"I'm positive. I walked in on them, he was talking to me. I'm so sorry." My voice stays soft, as if speaking softly will make her feel better.
"Can you just take me home..."
"Yeah."
[an]
Im thinking about changing my username but idk
tell me ya thoughts about this chapter.! and sorry theres so much draMa happeninggg.. after the next chapter things should slow down a bit
