Chapter 22-
"Reina, I'm leaving for school now. Make sure you don't oversleep," I heard London lightly knock on my door before I heard her walking down the stairs. I mumbled an okay before rolling over, looking at the clock on the table.
6:32 A.M. exact.
I rolled over the bed sighing, only to come in contact with someone else's body.
I let out a yelp in surprise, jumping up from the bed as my heart jumped about one hundred times faster that I am pretty sure I will have a heart attack right there and then.
At the edge of my bed, sat Calvin, looking a bit shocked at how I reacted suddenly, but then his small grin turn bigger and bigger until he is full out laughing at me.
I mumbled a curse word until my breath, trying to hide my embarrassment from him by covering my face with the entangled blankets around me.
I totally forgot that he is sleeping at my house.
"That was a nice way to wake up," Calvin said as I fully glare at him.
He has a full out grin on his face.
"Shut up. Why were you staring at me while I was sleeping? You gave me a heart attack! And you're not sleeping in the air mattress I set up for you either!"
"Cause I noticed that you drool when you sleep, that's cute."
Immediately, my face heat up.
I don't know if it is embarrassment that he figured out that I sometimes do drool in my sleep, or because he called me cute.
"I-I do not drool!" I defended.
"That wet spot on the pillow says otherwise," he grinned, knowing he won this argument.
Not knowing what else to say to defend myself, I mumbled to him that we should start getting ready for school.
"Is Joshua picking us up today?"
"No, he's skipping the first two periods today so he can finish his essay," I recalled Joshua telling me yesterday night after I sent him the homework before sleeping. Thankfully, I remembered before he could come to my house at five in the morning demanding it.
I know him well enough to know that he would do it.
"Looks like we're walking to school today," Calvin groaned, looking out the window, "Not to mention it looks like it's going to rain and it seems cold as well. Let's bring an umbrella."
"I think it's just gloomy. It's not going to rain according to the weather forecast yesterday."
"Bring one, just in case."
"Fine, Mom," I rolled my eyes at him for being so overprotective, even though I'm pretty sure it's not going to rain today. I pulled myself out of the entangled sheets around my body and make my way to the door.
"I'm going to get ready first, you can go to the bathroom on the first floor, you know where it is. We need to leave in twenty minutes, so we won't miss the first bell."
"What about breakfast?"
"You can choose between taking a shower before school or skip breakfast. I'm skipping breakfast," with that said, I make my way to the bathroom to do my daily morning schedule of brushing my teeth, shower and getting ready for school again by applying BB cream to my scars to cover it up along with a long sleeve.
After I am done with my shower, I quickly dried my hair before changing and making my way downstairs. I am surprised when I see Calvin's back towards me, still in the pajamas I gave him yesterday and his hair still a mess. It was good to see him not in pain anymore as his back healed nicely the last time I saw him, with only a little scar left.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm making us breakfast, what else?" he asked, taking a piece of bacon from the plate and holding it up for me. I cautiously took it from him and took a small bite.
"Not bad," I said after a moment of silence.
"I'm a bit offended you think I was a bad cooker to begin with," he joked setting the bacon, eggs and pancakes on the table. I stared at the plate as if it is foreign food to me.
When was the last time I ate something this big in the morning?
Let alone ever?
I remembered that mom used to make me pancakes during the first day of school in September but it was November now and I have been skipping breakfast all this time as well.
"You didn't have to do that. Now you're not going to have enough time to take a shower," I said feeling bad about this.
"I can manage. Start eating, I'm going to get dressed."
I slid into the seat and stared at the pile of food in front of me.
As I do, I recalled a time when me, my sister and parents would sit together every morning and eat as a family. London would be chatting really loudly with my mom about her latest issue at school. Dad would be on his IPad reading the New York Times and nodding here and there to show that he was listening even though we all knew he wasn't.
Those were the days when I was still...normal.
I was still happy.
I loved my life before summer.
I slowly start eating, feeling a bit weird to be eating first thing in the morning, rather than starving myself till lunch time. From the first bite, I knew I am a goner, because damn can Calvin cook, that or I'm just starving.
By the time I am done with my plate, Calvin is coming down, wincing a bit as he does so.
Immediately, I was alert and on my feet.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, it's just the back is hurting from you know what and before when I was putting on the shirt, I might have opened up a healing wound but the bandages are doing a pretty well job of not staining my shirt," he explained giving me a reassuring smile to cover up any pain he is probably hiding.
He took a seat right across from me and started to eat as I got up to get both of us some orange juice from the fridge.
"Thanks for cooking me breakfast, I haven't had breakfast for so long, I forgot how it feels like," I confessed, pouring some orange juice into a cup, holding it out for him to take.
He slowly took a sip before he gave me a small, shy, smile.
"It's not a problem; I enjoy cooking if it means I can see you eat. I barely see you eat, you're like a twig," he commented.
I frowned at the last sentence.
"I am not," I scoffed. I am far from a twig, weighing at 110, I am far from it.
"Yeah, you are trust me. You need to eat more," he almost commanded.
"Yeah, because I clearly have enough time to make myself breakfast every morning," I said before taking a sip of my orange juice.
"I can come every morning if you want to cook you food," he offered without a second thought, making me almost choke on my orange juice.
How can he sound so carefree saying something like that?
It was almost as if we were dating which was crazy to even think about.
"No, it's fine, I was kidding, and it's going to be a bother."
"I don't think so. You know I only have about three to four hours of sleep anyways, I'm usually up around four maybe and wonder around till school starts. What kind of gentlemen would I be if I do not take care of my friend whose mom is always busy to cook? I can cook for London as well."
"No, it's fine, I really don't want to be a bother to you," I continued to protest, "Besides we have to start going before we're late for school, I feel like walking today anyways."
I got up and started to put the dishes and cups in the sink, making a note to myself to wash it as soon as I get home.
Calvin finished his breakfast quickly before setting it in the sink as he grabbed his schoolbag he brought yesterday with him.
I wonder if this will become a habit?
Him leaving his house because of his abusive step-dad every night, and me letting him stay at my house for the night because I prefer getting in trouble than allowing him to get hurt.
No one deserves to go through any of that.
We made our way out the house just as I grabbed my North Face sweater and handed him the one my dad had. I can already see Calvin struggling to walk properly as his wounds haven't fully close yet.
"Are you sure you want to go to school after opening one of your cuts?"
I can't imagine how much pain he's in. I mean, when I cut myself deep enough, it is hard enough to just lifting my arm, let alone my whole body like what Calvin is doing.
"I'm fine, I can't skip school, I'm not going to risk it," he said.
"Risk what? Not getting into a good college?" I questioned since this is the biggest worry someone has to think about now during their final years in high school.
"I don't think I'm going to college," he confessed, looking a bit uncomfortable with the topic.
"What?" I exclaimed before I can stop myself.
"Yeah..."
"But you have amazing grades Calvin! I see the way teachers compliment your work and possibly colleges are even fighting to get you into their school! How can you-"
I stopped speaking when I see the twig of pain in his face.
"I'm not allowed to leave here. Ever."
I am thrown off by his words.
"W-What? What do you mean?" I was confused by his statement as I locked the door and quickly speed walking to catch up to him.
Why isn't he allowed to leave?
Is something controlling him?
Or rather stopping him?
Is it...?
"I'm chained, Reina. I can't leave here, or else he's going to go after Becca... Hell, he might even go after you if I leave! I can't do that... I'm chained to this place till he dies," he said, pain and agony in his voice.
And I am scared for him.
"Can't you... Can't you get the police involved?" I whispered.
"As if I can. He has connection, he threatened me. If I try, if I say anything then I'm good as dead, I learned after the incident with Christian to just keep quiet, to just not get involved with anyone until I met you. You're the reason I'm still breathing. That I didn't kill myself yet."
His confession made my heart beat faster and his face makes me want to hug him all at once. This was the first time I have ever seen Calvin look so....scared.
He was scared for his sister.
He was scared for me as well.
I was the reason he's still breathing.
And yet here I was...rejecting him.
I already knew he liked me because he almost confessed but it was different now that I see him showing his emotion out in the open like that to me.
For as long as I known Calvin, he has never shown anything more. He was usually tired and aloof from the rest of our group. He always hung out with our group but he made sure to stay distant. He always looked bored out of his mind. I rarely see him smile.
There was time I saw him grin and smirk but smiling was rare.
Fear and worried was always hidden...until now.
Calvin Young was vulnerable and was letting me out of all people see that.
Immediately, I stopped walking and pulled him until a hug, careful not to touch his back or else he'll be in more pain than he already is.
I usually dislike touching people and try to avoid it as much as I can, especially after the incident. Even if Joshua or Megan or even London hug me, I would freeze for a moment because of the contact.
But this is the only exception.
"He won't hurt Becca. Hell, he won't hurt me either," I softly whispered to him.
I am not sure if I am reassuring him or myself at this point.
But I know that he won't be facing this alone.
We're in this together now.
I felt him shaking his head, "Reina, you saw him last time. You saw the pain he inflicted on me, on my own damn sister! He saw you already! How you look like, how much you mean to me probably. Fuck...if he goes after you next..."
From the side, I see him clenched his hands into a fist in anger at that thought.
"He won't hurt me, I promise," I reassured him once more by gently holding on his fists and prying them open slowly to calm him.
"How do I know that?" he pushed, all his focus on me. He cupped my cheeks and I leaned into his touch, as if to reassure him.
"I'm strong enough, Calvin trust me."
I've been through enough to know how to handle myself pretty well without any help.
He pulled away with a small frown, trying to find out if I am lying or not.
"Calvin, really I'm going to be fine. Plus, we have a lot of time before we have to make any big decision. I'm sure we can find a way beforehand."
"To put that bastard in jail?" he raised an eyebrow as if he already knows what I am thinking.
I nodded in confirmation.
'I'll get him out of there, or I'll die trying helping him before I do anything to myself,' I promised to myself as we make our way to school, dropping the topic.
But I still can't help but think over and over, like a stuck on a record, what he said:
"You're the reason I'm still breathing. That I didn't kill myself yet."
Was he saying that because we're close friends and we help each other so that is what's keeping him alive?
Or...
Is Calvin falling for me deeper as I am with him?
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Reasons to Live: 22. "Don't listen to the people who push you around because they aren't worth it and are most likely jealous of you and what you have in life. So enjoy life to the fullest and only listen to your heart and those who matter" -Anonymous.