8:12 AM
I woke up in my own bed the next morning.
I was running on jus three hours sleep, my dark mascara running down my face and staining my pillow.
i laid there spread on my bed, gazing up at the ceiling fan. i watched as it spun around and around.
i began thinking of last night,
then tossed over to my phone to find a text message from Claudia, which causes every aching bone in my body to go away.
it read; "meet me at Sydney's Cafe, it's the same street as the record shop."
I shut my eyes and brought in some air. I was utterly terrified of what happened to her last night. it was so relieving to know she was somewhat okay.
suddenly my phone rang again and appeared another text from Claudia.
"I'll explain everything."
and with that I spun my long legs so they were hanging off the bed. I gazed into my long vanity mirror, exposing my dark under circles and messy hair.
i tried my best to look somewhat acceptable, but let's be honest it was not easy when you're sleep deprived. I found my parents car keys sitting on the kitchen counter top.
when I arrived at the small cafe I had to pass the infamous record shop. the lights were on which made me have the assumption that it was open.
I found a parking spot in front of the small place and gazed into the mirror one last time before I went in.
my hands trailed down my neck and I flinched at the black and blue mark near my jawline.
shit.
there must have been 3 or 4 marks trailing down my neck. ashton really knew what he was doing.
I covered my mouth while examining the bruises and redness that suffocated my neck.
"oh my god." I whispered under my breath and ran a hand through my long hair.
what did i do last night?
I threw my pink heart sunnies over my weak eyes and made my way into the cafe.
the inside was brightly lit causing me to squint my eyes, keeping the sunnies over my eyes for protection.
I scanned the booths, most of them empty, and spotted the back of Claudia's head at a window seat.
but sitting to her left side was a boy, a snapback placed on the top of his head.
I bit down on my lower lip and made my way across the cafe. I stood at the front of the table before choosing to sit across from them, my sunnies still on my eyes.
the boy turned out the be the shirtless employee from the record shop.
calum.
claudia gave me a warming but nervous smile and beckoned me to sit down, "jade, oh my god," she scooted over in the rubber booth, "sit down."
I pouted my lips and plopped down on the booth across from the two of them, my arms folding across my body.
"you remember calum, right?" she gazed over at the boy wearing a black tank top, exposing his arm tattoos.
my eyes trailed over to him, "mhm." I mumbled, not being up for claudia's shit today.
what was he doing here with her?
claudia brought her hand into mine and gave it a squeeze. her bloodshot baby blue eyes sympathetically gazed into mine.
"shit," calum mumbled under his breath, "looks like someone's marked you as their territory."
i watched as he moved his arm down to his neck and gave it a rough rub, cringing slightly.
I rolled my eyes at him, even though he could not see through my dark sun glasses.
"who did that to you?" claudia spat out with concern and worried eyes.
the two of them acted as if they knew each other forever. I don't quite remember the two of them being so friendly.
when we first met him there definitely was attraction between the two, but I don't exactly think they ever saw each other again.
what the fuck was he even doing here.
I pulled my shirt up so it covered most of the marks, "don't worry about it," I pushed my glasses off my eyes and onto my head, "now please, tell me why you abandoned me last night."
to be completely honest, I don't even know where those marks were from.
calum sensed that there was some tension between the two of us and brought his coffee to his mouth and took a sip awkwardly.
she turned and looked at calum as if she needed his back up, "calum got me drunk."
this caused calum to chuckle into his drink, choking slightly on the liquid.
was i missing something here?
"don't act like you didn't have fun, claudia." he smirked at her.
I shook my head in disbelief, "wait you were there?" i directed at calum, confused and heavy hazel eyes.
he nodded proudly, "i went with my friend luke who is dating a girl from your school."
my tired eyes widened as i felt my heart drop. suddenly all i could picture was last night and his friend drunkly sobbing into my arms.
I swallowed harshly, "calum?" I spoke very quiet, scared to ask the question that was coming.
"yes?"
"tell me about luke and his girlfriend, and not just sappy couple shit like going to the movies, tell me what really goes on." i narrowed my eyes at him, tapping my foot, anxious for the answer.
calum lifted an eyebrow, "why are you asking me this?"
I gave him a serious look, "please tell me."
he gazed at claudia and then back at me, "luke and olivia have been dating for three years since when they met in australia. olivia was temporarily living there for her dads job. the two of them started off strong, olivia was a good girl to him," calum let out a harsh sigh,
"but one night luke came back to our apartment completely wasted, he was a fucking mess. I asked him what was the matter and he had told me olivia wasnt the same anymore." he looked at me as if the story was over.
"and?" I added, eager to see what was really up.
he shook his head, "they just weren't the same. olivia began experimenting with drugs and she abused herself awfully. it hurt luke, it tore him apart. but he loved her, he still loves her, he's too good for her. she treats him like nothing and he stays. he can't leave her."
my heart felt empty when I heard this, I had witnessed this last night.
"you can't let him go through that." I spoke up, searching his eyes for some sympathy.
calum shrugged his shoulders, "what do you think I'm trying to do? what do you think I've been trying to do since we've gotten to the states." calums mood changed since we began talking about this.
I rested my cheek in the palm of my hand, gazing out the window, the images of lukes broken face when he was frantically looking for olivia.
"why did you even ask me that in the first place?" calum repeated again, giving me some attitude.
I pushed a piece of my hair behind my ear, "I saw something last night."
"what?" calum sat up, beginning to look very concerned and frightened.
I gazed into his deep brown eyes and shook my head, "I- you can't tell any of this to Luke. I don't even know if he knows, he was too wasted to even comprehend what was happening."
"you were with him last night?" claudia entered the conversation, not knowing luke quite as much.
I nodded my head at her and then looked back at Calum.
"you can't protect him, jade, you're not helping him. you don't know him like I do." calum raised his voice at me.
this was obviously a sensitive topic for him.
I threw my hands up in surrender, "I never said I did!" my voice became shaky, "it just hurt, it hurt seeing him in such pain."
calum furrowed his eyes at him, "what did you see?" he was so concentrated.
I swallowed, "olivia cheated on luke."
instantly calums eyes shut as he leaned back into the booth in disappointment. he rubbed the back of his head and let out a sigh of disappointment.
"with who?" claudia spoke, curiously.
"ashton."
"well what did you fucking do about it?" calum still spoke in a harsh tone to me.
"I took care of the damn boy!" I shouted back at him, "I put him to bed, I was there for him."
"calum," claudia placed a hand on calums shoulder, trying to calm him down, "have you spoken to him since?"
calums worry eyes gazed into Claudia's as he shook his head, "he never came home."
"oh shit." I whispered beneath my breath.
for some reason i felt completely responsible for this, though i barely knew the boy.
"have you tried calling him?" claudia clutched onto his hand.
he nodded, "his phone is off."
I let out a soft sigh, "does he have a shift today?"
calum raised an eyebrow at me, "why the hell would he show up? the shops closed today."
I shook my head, "the lights were on when I drove past it."
Claudia and Calum looked at each other with some hope.
"he must be in there." I gave him some reassurance.
Calum rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. he brought his coffee mug to his lips and took a sip.
Claudia looked me in the eyes, "Jade, would you mind heading over? Calum and I already placed an order in for food."
without a second thought I nodded and slid off the booth. Calum grabbed hold of my hand before releasing me to go.
"wait, I should go."
Claudia's hands found their way onto his back once more, "no Calum, you're hung over, you need to eat."
I gazed down at his tight grip on my wrist, "I'll make things better."
he nodded and his grasp fell from my hand. they both turned their heads around as they watched me exit the diner.
and there I was, to the rescue.