two moons ❦ calum

❦ chapter thirteen ❦

"okay I get the jest of it," her younger sister interrupted, "but why don't you tell him this? I mean, everyone and their mother knows that he's had feelings for you since even before you two got close."

"but what if he doesn't actually like me? what if after all this time I, and everyone else who agrees with you, over-analyzed everything and he just wants me to be his best friend?" Flossy's eyes were wider than her sister had ever seen them and she continuously shook her head. "he's my best friend, he's everything to me and I can't lose him just because I'm in -" she stopped herself short with a shaky hand over her mouth.

"you're in what?!" Chessie shrieked in response while she grinned from ear to ear. "go ahead, finish that sentence."

Flossy had developed early with her feelings towards boys and started "dating" at an early age but it was never like this. she never solely depended on another for her happiness or was just happy thinking about the person. she had looked up the definition of the word love more times than she could count and still never really cognized what it actually meant but when she looked at him at any given moment, all she could think was, "God I'm in love with him."

"fine," Flossy exasperated, "I'm in love with Calum Hood. happy now?"

Chessie simply grinned contently, much like a puppy dog. "very."

Flossy rolled her caramel eyes in response then got off the island chair to place her utensils in the sink. as she brushed by the younger of the two, she ruffled her hair and proceeded up the stairs to finish getting ready for the long day ahead of her.

❦

Flossy's heart was hammering out of her chest, she wouldn't be surprised if she tripped or collapsed in the middle of the hallway from it. people were chattering in the corridor like always but it was soft enough to hear her boot buckles quake with every step she took towards her locker.

Calum got driven in by his friends but even when they were running late, he was so much earlier than Flossy. he was usually found waiting by her locker, looking up and down the halls for her. as she approached the metal, she was the one who was looking around for her owner like a lost puppy would. the one day she desperately needed to see him in the morning, he was nowhere to be found.

upon her frantic search, she spotted Diff walking down from the opposite direction she did. it was her intention to talk to him after school so he wouldn't go through the day upset or angry but as she watched him approach her in the way she liked to remember him best, and his icy oceanic eyes met hers, she realized that it would be the only time that could suffice.

she grabbed his forearm and led him to stand against her locker, the exact place Calum would stand with her. Diff didn't look mad, he didn't look sad, he just didn't look . . . anything. she immediately asked if he was doing okay, to which he replied with a shrug. she let out a breath as the stress climbed up through her body from her feet.

"I don't think that we should be . . . involved anymore," she spoke, not finding a better word to describe their interactions. "the truth is we just use each other until the other is dry and left to find someone else to get some sort of feeling from. it's exhausting to have to come home to that kind of air being bounced off the walls and inhabiting the space."

he didn't use words, his fists, or even his body to react to her words; he just blinked.

"we can still talk and support each other, I just think we should keep things platonic between us." again, he did not react and just blinked in agreement. it kind of set Flossy off. yes, she was stating how she felt but her tone indicated that she wanted his input as well. his lack of tone indicated he couldn't be bothered with the conversation at all. on edge and frustrated, she asked, "what do you think?"