polarize :: [hood]

[v.ii. 0-100/the catch up]

"She gon' see some shit that she don't wanna see...

She ain't ready for it..."

___

If there's one thing Calum knew, it was that Royce had serious issues bordering PTSD when it came to her mom.

Her real mom.

Dina.

If there's one thing he also knew, it was that getting Royce to agree to meet with her was not only going to be difficult, but she might actually hate him forever for even suggesting the fucking idea.

This is something he relays to Dina after he meets her in the rain, beneath a small green awning outside of The Diner.

And despite this knowledge, he feels bad as he gets off the bus and meets Dina outside and her face falls as she sees that he's alone.

"Royce didn't come, I see?"

"I," Calum pauses, shoving his hands into his pockets, "I didn't tell her."

Her eyebrow goes up. "You didn't tell Royce...what?" She asks slowly. "About me?"

"About you, about us, about meeting her," he rambles. "I couldn't. I didn't--"

"She told you," Dina nods, chuckling softly. "Didn't she."

Calum's silence is all the reply she needs.

"Ah," Dina replies with a nod and small smile. "What a dutiful boyfriend."

"I didn't know how, honestly!" He exclaims. "She'd...she'd be so..."

"It's not your fault, Calum," Dina shakes her head. "It's mine. Believe me, I know what Royce would say. I know what she'd do. It was...It was selfish of me to ask this favor of you," she says, and there's a sadness and a sincerity in her familiar eyes that makes Calum feel not only worse, but again, like he's caught up in something much bigger than he, in high school, could handle.

"I--I'm sorry?"

"Don't be," Dina replies. "Calum, really. Don't be."

And Calum smiles sadly. Because honestly, he'd love it if he could get Royce to talk to her mom. He'd love it if she could start to move beyond the past. He'd love it if she could trust him enough to let him help her--

"What. The. Fuck. Is. This."

And Calum nearly chokes on his breath and swallows his tongue and passes out because Royce is standing outside with him and her mom in this pouring rain.

"I--" He gasps, because the look on Royce's face is murderous, her gaze so steely and furious that it scares him, shaking him so fully he can't even process words, "I--Royce, wait. I can--"

"Explain?" She grits, hands balled into fists at her side, her hood pulled over her head. "What the fuck's there to fucking explain."

"Royce," Dina steps between them, "Don't use that language; don't speak to him like that, he's here helping me."

"Ha--!" She screams, and Calum wishes Dina had never ever mentioned him helping her because that literally was a slap across Royce's face.

Blood floods his face.

"Wait, Royce--!"

"Helping you?" She exclaims, "You? What, he's your supplier now?"

"Girl," Dina's glare matches her daughter's, "you're so far outta line--"