Kik || Calum Hood

Twenty

Stretching out my arms and making the most inhumane sound possible, I finally find it in me to get out of bed.

I don't go to school anymore... Ever since my parents died and I moved in with my aunt, things have been different.

She's only gets home at about ten pm and leaves again at five am. She works a lot to sustain all of us.

No, by all of us, I don't mean my siblings, I'm sort of an only child.

Ravi is six years old and she's kind of my only friend.

Bruce is two years old and he's a legend.

My aunt found Ravi locked in the basement of one of her old boss' houses. I know, it's freaky. After secretly freeing her and inviting her to live with us a year ago, she quit her job and Ravi, me, Bruce and my aunt moved away.

She gave birth to Bruce (who we call 'Bee') two years ago, after an actual freaking celebrity had a one night stand with her.

Yeah, my aunt is pretty awesome.

Not the whole one night stand part, although I do secretly admire her for that, but also for the celebrity part, and for the saving Ravi part, and for the taking me in part... And for raising us all.

Ravi goes to school while I stay home with Bruce, since she can't afford a babysitter at the same time as paying Ravi's school fees.

No one knew about my parents or Ravi last year, when I went to school. My parents gave all their money to my aunt in their will, so she used that for a while... But now she has to work a lot.

Everyone thinks I moved schools... I occasionally run into people when I go to buy groceries, they ask me about my new school and I just make it all up on the spot. They also ask about Bruce (since he has to go everywhere with me) and I tell them he's my brother.

Technically he isn't, but I do feel like he is. Just like how Ravi is my sister.

"Cassie!"

Speak of the devil.

"I'm coming!" I shout back, descending the staircase, "What is it?"

Once I enter the living room, I see her sitting there in her pyjamas, holding Bee in her arms.

"Woah," my eyes widen and I take him from her, "Why aren't you ready for school, you have to get to the bus stop in five minutes!"

She shakes her head, tears on the brims of her eyes.

"What is it?"

"She's dead."

For a while it's silent, my eyebrows furrowed. Who's dead?

"My birth mother," Ravi explains, "I lived with her and that devil of a man. She snuck me extra food and warm blankets. I know she never stopped him, but she still made everything slightly better..."

Ravi has become a lot more mature over the years. With everything she went through as a child and with adapting to life with us... The world hasn't been very kind to her.

"I'm sorry," I mumble, "How did you find out?"

She runs a hand through her dark her, a few tears slipping, "I-It's on the TV."

What? Why?

I turn my attention to the tiny TV set, a woman's picture on the screen. Rushing over, I turn up the volume, indulged in the man's voice.

"-was found in the basement of her home after she was supposedly murdered. One of the possible perpetrators is her husband, Gareth Lorn."

A small gasp escapes my lips, enough for me to ignore the buzzing in my pocket.

Only one person texts me and Calum can wait.

"Sweetie," I place Bee on the ground before pulling Ravi into my arms, "It's okay, she's happier now. She doesn't have to put up with him anymore, she's up there with the angels."

"There are no angels. For if there was one spec of a god, he wouldn't be so cruel as to make that man so sick. If there is a god, he made him do that to me. And he made him kill her."

I feel my own eyes start to water as I process her words, "The world has been unfair to you, that much is true... But you're here now. With us. And your childhood so far may have been filled with cruelty... But do you remember that time we went to the water park in Aukland? And all those times we've gone to the park and laughed on the swings. When Auntie Mabel brings us to go get ice cream some Sundays... Now it's going to be fine. You're going to be fine."

"Promise?" She whimpers.

I nod, "Promise."

A/N:

I am so sorry this is mostly a backstory kind of thing and it's so dramatic but she gets back to texting Cal, this is just a... Getting to know her life more chapter :P

'Cause I realised all of this is just them texting, so I wanted to add a small bit of... Feeling to it.

Sorry if you don't like it, thank you if you do. <3