introducing...
𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍ˡᵉᵗ'ˢ ᵗᵃᵏᵉ ᵃ ᵈᵉᵉᵖ ᵇʳᵉᵃᵗʰ
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋𝐒 walked along the snow-covered path, while Diana and Ruby discussed what to say to don't make Gilbert uncomfortable.
"There's nothing wrong with saying I'm sorry for your loss Ruby. I'm going to say it because I am".
Ruby interrupted her, trying to talk some sense into her friend
"You'll just make it worse. His father just died". Callie refrains from snorting, finding what Ruby was saying much more insensitive than Diana's declaration.
"That's what people say when someone dies" Diana pointed out. Ruby continued to insist "I don't want you to upset him".
"He's probably already upset because his father just died. And I don't think this stupid pie's gonna comfort him or that what Diana's gonna say is gonna matter" Calliope shouted, nervous about the situation.
The other girls looked shocked at the brunette, not expecting such a reaction from Callie.
It took her a moment to realize how hard her words were, and she apologized immediately afterward.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be so hostile. Just, this situation is stressing me out," Callie told with a sigh. Ruby nodded, having immediately figured it all out
"Come on, hold my hand. Let's take a deep breath." Callie rolled her eyes, squeezing Ruby's hand and continuing to walk down the street.
✦——————————✦
Calliope had never entered the Blythe house. When she had visited Gilbert to bring him the books, the girl had stayed at the door, not wanting to disturb him.
The girl had always imagined the house as a cozy and warm place, but after Mr. Blythe's death, it didn't seem so.
Callie found that she was anxious about having to talk to Gilbert.
She hadn't seen him since the funeral, so she didn't know exactly how Gilbert was doing.
She knew that grieving took time, but she also hoped that the boy had cheered up a bit. She was also afraid that their somewhat improvised visit might somehow disturb the guy.
When they entered the boy's home, Callie couldn't help but be saddened.
The place was dark and dull as if all the serenity that once ruled the house had disappeared along with the old parent.
Gilbert seemed to have recovered a little, but Calliope knew that the wound in his heart was still fresh and would take a long time to heal.
The girls had just left the meal on the table, leaving Gilbert to analyze it. The boy felt some discomfort, not expecting the five girls to arrive.
Izzy and Callie stood a little behind the other three, not wanting to intimidate Gilbert too much. Calliope hoped to get out of that place as soon as possible, feeling oppressed by the silence in the room.
Gilbert continued to look at every point but the girls, searching for the right words. Finally, Ruby was the first to speak, breaking the silence. "We're sorry to intrude, but we wanted you to have that".
Diana started talking, interrupting Ruby. "We're sorry for your loss".
Ruby continued talking, changing the subject again.
"It's a shepherd's pie. We made it together especially for you". Ruby explained what the food they had brought to Gilbert was.
Anne had nodded at everything the two of them had said, while Izzy tried to bring Callie back to reality.
Callie wasn't paying much attention to the conversation, being lost in her thoughts. Her mind was wandering, without a very clear middle.
A sense of pain had struck her, especially after entering the house. The girl couldn't imagine living in such an empty house. She simply couldn't think of not hearing her father's laughter, or her brother's screams, or even the dirty look her mother gave her when she said something inappropriate.
Callie just at that moment realized what was tormenting her. Loneliness had broken her soul, butchered her mind, and torn her heart.
Calliope wasn't used to letting her emotions get the best of her, but this time she couldn't help herself.
Her gaze was lost on some indefinite point in the room, but her mind was placed on Gilbert.
She couldn't fully comprehend the pain the boy was feeling, but somehow she sensed it and it was destroying her.
She only came back to reality when she heard her name mentioned, awakening her from the trance she was trapped in.
"Calliope is an incredible cooker. Without her, we wouldn't have even started". Anne's cheerful voice came straight to her eardrums, forcing her to respond soon after.
"It's best cooked with good company," Callie said, looking at the others. The girls smiled at her in thanks.
Gilbert had noticed Callie's drab mood very well, not knowing why.
He had noticed how from one moment to the next the light in her eyes had gone out, making her look almost like a lifeless doll.
He had also noticed how she had suddenly waked when she had heard her name, coming back to reality.
Gilbert didn't know what the cause for Calliope's unstable mood and part of him desired to ask her fervently, even though it should have been none of his interest.
Calliope was an indecipherable enigma, and the further you went, the more you wanted to get to the end.
The little girl had a somewhat haughty manner, having the air of someone who thought she was better than others. She liked to win and be admired, or at least feared.
Callie had never done anything to make others like her she had probably done many more things to make them hate her even more.
In short, Calliope Rhodes was an insufferable and arrogant person.
But Gilbert was aware that this wasn't the only aspect of Callie's character. She was very passionate, and if there was luck she could also be a friendly and kind person.
Gilbert had seen many aspects of Callie but never had he seen her defenseless.
Callie decided to put herself back together as Izzy began to speak.
"We hope you enjoy this one. We did everything we could to make this shepherd's pie the best we've ever cooked. We wish we've succeeded." Gilbert smiled politely at the blonde and replied,
"It will certainly be great. The idea is the most important thing". At that point, Gilbert crossed his gaze with Calliope's.
No words were needed to describe that contact. For the first time in her entire life, Calliope was defenseless.
The pain Gilbert was feeling had partly been transmitted to the brunette, obviously in a different way.
Callie felt like a feeling of longing for something that hadn't happened yet, or for something that hadn't happened to her either.
It wasn't an easy feeling to describe, but it could be compared to losing something without even owning it. It was a feeling that left your heart empty and blew your mind.
Callie had never felt anything like it before. But perhaps the realization that everything ends at some point had opened up a new perspective.
It was still unclear to Gilbert what had happened to turn the girl that way, but the moment she had dropped her mask of arrogance, he had seen a new shade of Callie.
✦——————————✦
The girls left to head back toward the house, but Callie still had a matter to attend to. She made up an excuse, something about some books she had to leave to the boy, being abandoned by the others.
The two stood in silence until Callie spoke up.
"I don't know how you do it", She said simply, staring into his eyes. He wrinkled his eyebrows, trying to understand the girl's words.
"I'm not following you" he declared, wanting a more thorough explanation from the girl.
"I don't know how you can stay here, in a place that has given you so much pain" She clarified, trying to push away the incessant feeling of desolation that gripped her stomach.
"It hurts, but I'll get through it", He said, simply explaining the matter to Callie.
"You shouldn't be doing something that gives you so much misery" Callie reiterated. "Are you telling me to leave?" He asked, not getting the point of the situation.
"I'm saying that if you left, I would want you to remember that you are not alone and that you will always have someone to count on. I'm saying that if you need any help at all, you can count on me, even though I'm the least appropriate person for such things."
Gilbert had finally realized that the girl just wanted to be close to him in one of the worst moments of his life.
"Gilbert, I understand some things about you. And I see that this is not where you want to be. I don't want to tell you what to do, but if you are dismal then you are making the wrong decision."
The two looked at each other one last time, before approaching to embrace. The two hugged tightly, knowing that they wouldn't see each other for quite some time.
Author's Note
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