Skinny Love (Luke Hemmings)

Chapter 8

We eat and John and Mum are laughing and carrying on. Calum gestures to the other room and I follow him. "I'm guessing your parents are divorced too?" he asks.

"Something like that, yeah." I say.

"It feels weird, doesn't it? Seeing your parent with someone else." he says, putting his hands in his pockets. "You have no idea." I said. We walked out to the backyard. The stars were out and the moon was shining bright.

"So, how old are you, Reina?" he asks.

"Sixteen. How about you?" We walk around outside.

"Seventeen. You know, don't feel like you're forced to hang out with me. I understand if you don't want to, seeing how my dad is getting close to your mum and all." he says.

"Why? You don't want to hang out with me?" I question.

"No, not at all! I rather enjoy talking to you...you aren't as bad as I thought you'd be." he says.

"Same with you. And how would you know? You barely met me." I say, walking ahead.

"Well, I mean't your appearance...but, I would like to get to know you." he said, catching up with me. "I wouldn't be flirting with your potential future sister." I say. "That would get weird." I finish.

"Oh, please. Don't even say that. The thought of my dad getting remarried is...I don't think I could tolerate it. No offence to your mum." he says.

"You know, it's kind of like you understand me...kinda. My dad is actually coming to visit me tomorrow. And by the way, I don't care what you say about my mum. I do it too. She's a...well, I'll just say witch." I say, Calum laughs.

"You don't care about her?" he asks.

"Nope. It's kind of complicated, but basically, she lied to me and she's overprotective and won't let me even live my own life." I say.

"Oh." is all he says. We find a tree to sit down under.

"I wish I could run away sometimes." Calum says.

"I'm right there with you." I laugh.

"We could run away together." he says, looking at me. I smile. "We should." I say. That would never happen.

"Got a boyfriend?" Calum asks. Of course he would ask the question.

"I don't know. Kind of. There's this boy who I really really liked and he likes me back, but my mother found out about it and I'm never allowed to talk to him again. She doesn't want me to make the same mistakes she did when she was around my age, so she controls my life and would be extatic if I stayed a old maid for the rest of my life." I say. Calums face falls.

"You don't know that." he says.

"Yes, I do. I can't even talk to the guy I love...like, I mean." I correct myself.

"Do you love him?" He's getting a bit personal.

"I don't know. I've only known him for a little bit. Not enough to love him, but you know." I answer.

"Well, you're a really sweet and beautiful girl." Calum comments. My heart beats faster. "Thank you." I try to hold back my smile, but I fail.

We go back inside to see that Mr. Hood and Mum have moved to the family room and are talking. They don't even notice us come in. We walk into the kitchen and find the creme pie that my mother made for dessert.

I cut two slices and get out extra whipped cream. Almost the whole can goes onto the piece of pie and I offer Calum some but he says no, so I fill my mouth with the stuff. I honestly don't care what Calum thinks of me.