Chapter 10-
A couple of weeks ago, just the thought of being alone with a boy other than Joshua doesn't would make me feel sick to my stomach.
Oy was as if I needed to get as far as possible away from him or else I'd have a panic attack at any given moment.
Heck, being alone with Mason leaves me a bit nausea even though I kind of think of him like a friend as well.
Yet here I am.
Standing on the corner of the street waiting for Calvin to come pick me up on a Sunday as well. It isn't that cold today so I wore a pull over hoodie and jeans like I usually would.
I am starting to regret my choice now as I stand in the cold waiting for him. I looked at my watch. It was currently 3:30pm as I stood waiting for him.
The reason why I decided to stand on a street to wait for him instead of walking towards his house was because I was called in to work in the early shifts at Starbucks due to another coworker of mine coming down with a flu last minute. We both decided to just meet at a different time instead which was around 3:30 instead.
I nervously start to play with the hem of my hoodie trying to calm my nerves.
Why did I have to be so nosey about Calvin and his life? Why do I want to know about him so badly, and what does he need help with?
Is it because I can relate to his problem?
His pain?
I pull out my phone from my pocket and check the time.
3:37.
I frowned.
Calvin is seven minutes late, which isn't like him.
Sure he oversleeps a lot, but I highly doubt that getting here takes that long to begin with since he doesn't have much going on anyways.
Did he get into trouble?
Did he get into a fight with Erik?
Does Erik know that Calvin goes here so he came here just to beat him up?
I shook the thought out of my head.
No.
I will not think like that.
He had to be okay.
Suddenly I feel something fall on my shoulder, and I jumped.
My heart is pounding. My feet are ready to run at a moment's notice, but something, someone grabbed a hold of my wrist, jerking me and making me yelp out of surprise and being scared as well.
"Oh sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. You looked a bit cold so I gave you my old jacket that I was going to donate."
I turned to come in contact with his light blue eyes that clashed with mine.
I stared, hard and tensed on the male standing before me.
He looked guilty that he almost gave me a heart attack. He isn't that bad looking but he isn't drop dead hot. Maybe...cute? Handsome? I'm not too sure how to call him.
He has dark blond hair that is pushed to one side of his face. It is neat and tidy. He has two bags in each hand supposedly filled with clothes by the looks of it that he was going to donate from what he told me. He was wearing a cozy looking button down shirt and a sweater tied to his hips.
I looked at him and then the jacket that is over my shoulders and took a few steps away from him.
"Um...uh..thank you?"
I honestly don't know what to say to him. I mean what do you say to someone who gave you a jacket that is going to be donated for the needy?
He stood at almost six foot something as well, almost about the same height as Calvin or Joshua even.
"It's no problem. You can keep it if you want. Not that I think you're homeless or anything, but you seem like you're cold and you're on the street. I can't just let you stand there and, oh my goodness, I'm babbling. I'm sorry," he scratched his head nervously as he chuckled nervously as I continued to stare at him in confusion.
I gave him a small smile before shaking my head, relaxing a bit more.
"No it's fine. I was getting a bit cold as I'm waiting for my friend. Thank you...."
"Christian. Christian Wilson. Or Chris for short if you want to call me that but I would prefer Chris more then Christian."
"Reina... Reina Caverly."
"What a nice name you have," he gave me a small smile as he shifted the bags in his hands.
"Do you need some help with that?" I said before I can even think about it.
It was a habit to just help people I see struggling, but I have never done it after the incident which was weird.
Was there something about him that made me feel at ease?
Or was I going crazy?
"You don't need to if you're busy. The church I'm going to donate the clothes to is just a block from here. I can make it on my own."
"No let me help you. I mean you did give me you're jacket and you're really generous. I was waiting for someone but I'll just text him to wait a bit or just drive up to the church," I explained before frowning to myself.
Since when was I so nice to a random stranger that is a guy?
I reached to take one from his hand when someone else grabbed the bag I was aiming for before I can reach down to get it myself and my other hand was yanked back, making my whole body take a few steps back.
Usually, when someone grabs me, I would yelp and go into a panic attack but for some reason...I didn't.
I realized it is Calvin when I catch a glimpse of him from the corner of my eyes.
My heart sped instantly in the sight of him.
I'm not sure it was because I was nervous and scared something happened to him or something but my speeding heart wouldn't stop as he gripped me harder and pushed me closer to him as he growled at Christian.
"I was looking for you Reina."
"You were? I told you I am going to wait here at the corner of the street over there...like you said where we should meet."
"Reina, last time I check we are not at the corner."
I look around and I suddenly realize that we are actually not where I was a few minutes ago.
It must have been when Christian scared me and gave me the jacket and I decided to talk with him while walking with him without even knowing.
Huh.
"Sorry I was helping him, and I got distracted. Oh by the way this is-"
"Christian Wilson," Calvin finished looking at him with cold eyes.
Christian gave a sweet smile to him, "It's Chris. I prefer to be called that more. I think you should know that by young, Calvin Young."
"You guys know each other?" I asked, confused as I looked at him and then back to Christian.
"Somewhat. My dad was his-"
"Friend," Calvin said cutting him off.
I looked between Calvin and Christian. Huh. Calvin is friends with Christian's dad. Or was.
What does that mean?
Were the friends before?
How come I never seen him before or heard of him?
"Right, friend. Thanks for offering to help though I believe Reina offered."
Christian, or as he preferred Chris, said as he eyed the bag that is now in Calvin's hand.
"Well she's my friend. So where is that charity of yours?" Calvin began to follow Chris who led the way.
"The church."
I followed, still lost at the atmosphere between them.
It was too tense for me to even understand.
What was their relationship?
"So Chris, what school do you go too? I never see you around before," I tried to make small talk so things would be a little less awkward and tense between us.
"I go to a private school, I'm a senior by the way but I'm not from here. I'm just here during the weekends visiting my mom who works at the church we're all heading to right now. Other than that, I'm with my dad during the weekdays in San Diego. It's hectic with a living in a divorce family. Shuffling between one family to another. You ever been to the church here before, Reina? Calvin?"
"I had a few months ago when I had to do community service," I confessed.
"I don't do churches or believe in religion," Calvin mumbled, not looking at Chris even once.
"Great! I think you seen her then, or heard her, I should say," Chris said happily, ignoring Calvin's comment.
"Is she in chorus?"
"Yeah. And she plays the organ."
My eyes widen in awe.
"Are you serious? She's amazing!"
I have heard her play the organ, and it was beyond amazing.
It was before the incident as well.
My parents are both Christians so they use to take me and my sister to church every week.
I considered becoming Christian, but after the incident I don't think I can step inside such a pure place.
I remembered I was there helping there because I volunteered to do the soup kitchen there when I saw her practice at the organ. She was very talented. She played with her eyes closed and a look of true happiness. It seemed as if she was an angel to be honest. I wanted to learn to play the piano like her, but that changed after my parents' divorce. I don't want to do anything anymore.
"Really? You should tell her that," Chris said opening the church door for us.
Calvin walked in without another word while I mumbled a thank you.
"Wait here I'll go get her. Be right back."
He set the bags on the floor and ran up the stairs of the church.
"So do you and Chris know each other?" I asked, looking at Calvin.
"Not as well as you know him," he snapped.
I am taken aback by his harsh tone.
What does that mean?
I only met him today!
And it wasn't on purpose either!
"Excuse me?"
"You seem awfully comfortable with him," he looked at the stain-glass window as he spoke, not once looking at me.
"Just because I'm being friendly doesn't mean I'm comfortable with him. I was just trying to make conversation."
"Is that why you're wearing his jacket? Even now?" he growled.
I realized I still was.
I gently took the jacket off of me and placed it on top of the other two bag sets of clothes and crossed my arms at him.
What is his problem?
"He just gave it to me out of pity because I was standing in the cold waiting for you."
"Whatever," he said still not looking at me.
"I only met him today, Calvin. I never even seen him before," I retorted.
"Then why were you looking so cozy with him?"
"Are you...jealous?" I finally ask after a few seconds of silence, befuddled.
I remembered when I was dating Paul before, he was jealous a few times as well when I was got too personal with another guy in the past.
Like when I had to kiss Mason on the cheek when I lost in a game.
He was mad for weeks.
And I didn't want to either but under everyone's peer pressure, I did it.
But Mason knew I had a boyfriend so he wouldn't try anything on me...
...unlike recently when he knows that me and Paul broke up.
But thats when Calvin started to become a bit more possessive and would make himself part of everything that Mason wanted only the two of us to do.
Everyone found out I broke up with Paul over the summer but didn't really say anything to my face. Even Joshua and Megan was quiet about it and didn't push to ask why and such.
Calvin's whole body seemed to tense for a moment before he regained back his cool. He slowly turned his head to me. His piercing eyes looking straight at me. My whole body froze in response. There is something in his eyes that I didn't see before, a bit of playfulness but danger is evident.
"Now why would I be jealous?" He asked taking a step toward me.
Like a caged animal, I took a step back.
"Well it seems like you don't want me close to him or even Mason..."
"Maybe I'm just being a good friend."
"Good friends don't snap at me when I talk to a guy," I mumbled, my back finally meeting the wall of the church.
Where is everyone anyways?
I thought Sunday always consisted of many people for mass and Sunday school?
He put a hand on each side of me so I was trap between him with no escape.
I am amazed that I didn't break down in tears or started screaming out of fear.
My heart is beating fast, but it isn't because I'm afraid.
It was something else entirely.
I slowly meet his eyes, and he raised an eyebrow at me in curiosity.
"But you seem to forget, I'm not like Joshua, Mason, or Christian for that matter. I'm moody; I'm mysterious. My way of showing I care is different from other people. I'm...possessive when someone tries to steal my friend," he said as he lowered himself until he and I was almost nose to nose.
"Ever heard of sharing?" I said trying not to be uncomfortable by how close we are.
"I do. With Joshua and Megan. Isn't that enough? Plus, I don't like Christian at all. I'm most certainly to going to allow you to be friends with him."
"You seem to know a lot about Chris," I said curiously as I tilted my head.
"I don't."
I raised my eyebrow, knowing for sure that he was lying but I didn't push it for now.
I let out a soft chuckle, "Look, I'm just being polite with Chris okay? Jeez you're acting like you're my boyfriend or something."
"But in order to be your boyfriend, you would have to not be scared of me first."
This caught my attention right away.
I looked up at him, puzzled.
Yes I did think of him as my friend, but did I trust him?
Was I scared of him truly?
"I'm not scared of you," I didn't know who I'm trying to convince at this point.
He doesn't look like he believed me for a second. He puts one arm down so I could escape if I wanted to which got me to be even more nervous. But I didn't escape. I want to know what he wanted from me. He continued to stare at me like I am his prey. He leaned in until we are inches apart from kissing at that moment.
"Tell me the truth Reina," he whispered and my voice got caught when I realized what was going to come next.
He was only a few centimeter at this point with half of his eyes close, as if he was going to kiss me.
"You're scaring me," I said finally with a shaky voice.
As soon as those words left out of my mouth, I wanted to cry, to hide because I didn't want to say it out loud but it was true.
Immediately he pulled back from me, giving me some space.
"That proves my point exactly. Joshua was right."
"Joshua?" I was a bit confused now as I stared at him.
"He forced me into telling him where you're going today with me because he was originally going to take you to the mall or something since it was Sunday and there was a sell or something like that. I told him you were going to be busy, but he got the answer out of me of why I knew you were going to be busy today that is. I told him you are going to help me with something. He said to be careful with you because something seems off about you this year. You seem...guarded. Like you're scared of people. When he found out that you were coming to my house to help me with something, he wanted me to test if I scared you if we were left alone so you won't have a heart attack. You just admitted you are so you don't need to help me with anything. Look I'm going to go now," he turned to leave, but I quickly grabbed onto his shirt even through I was still shaking and scared from what happened before.
"No I'm going to help you," I said stubbornly.
He seemed taken aback by my answer.
Even I am for that matter. He scared me, heck, I think people in general scare me now but...
"I'm scared of you, but I trust you. If that even makes sense," I whispered, looking up at him.
"Am I interrupting something?" Christian said curiously and I quickly let go of his Calvin's coat.
I felt my cheeks flaming up.
"No," we both said in unison.
"If you say so... My mom wants to meet you guys and to thank you for helping me carry some stuff here," he said, leading the way up the stairs now.
We follow silently, and I glanced at Calvin from the corner of my eye.
He looked bored and indifferent about what just happened between us before.
I am surprised that I said that aloud before as well.
Sure I am afraid of him, I mean it's not because he is Calvin.
It is just guys in general that I'm scared of nowadays.
The only guy that doesn't scare me is Joshua because I've known him since middle school. Yes I am comfortable around him, but somehow I still feel uneasy around those of the opposite sex. Is there is a difference between scared and trust? Yeah, there is.
Scared is to be fearful; frightened by someone or something.
Trust means to have a firm believe in the reliability, truth, ability or strength of someone or something.
To make it simple, I'm scared of Calvin because he is a guy, but I trust him because he is him. He wouldn't put me in danger.
I didn't know how to put that feeling into words but that was how I felt.
"Mom, these are my new friends, Reina and Calvin. Well I know Calvin from a while back, and I think you know him as well."
The woman sitting next to the church's organ looked up to us and gave us a giant, warm smile. She was beautiful. She had her hair down and she seemed to have dyed it a light brown with streaks of darker brown mixed in. She had light blue eyes that was full of happiness and curiosity.
"I think I know him. Calvin...Young right?" she asked.
He gave a slight nod but doesn't say anything else.
She got up and shook hands with Calvin and then me.
"My name is Grace Sebert. Pleased to meet you."
So Chris kept his dad's last name.
She looked at me curiously and I noticed I was lost in my thought.
Again.
"Nice to meet you as well. I had heard you play before, and you're amazing," I said not knowing what else to do.
She blushed at the compliment and pulled me over to the organ.
"Would you like to play?"
"I don't think I can..." I trailed off. I played the piano and also the organ a while back in freshmen year but that was that.
"You can try. Have you played before?"
"Oh no, I sadly can't play at all but I have come here several time to admire your works!"
"You should come sometimes then! How about join chorus? You can help little kids with the songs, and you can get volunteer hours if you need them."
"Mom stop pressuring her," Christian mumbled while his mom pout.
"No it's fine Chris. I'll think about it and I'll let you know okay? I wouldn't mind coming back here again," I honestly said.
She nodded excitedly and scribbled something down on a piece of paper.
"This is my number. Let me know as soon as possible if you can or cannot. I need an assistant anyways. There's about thirty kids in the chorus and only one of me during the weekends. It gets pretty hectic sometimes when Christian isn't here. If you join, you're require to come on weekends but during week days if you're free is okay as well," she said as she handed me the paper with a huge smile on her face.
I smiled back.
"Okay. If you don't mind, me and Calvin have to go now since it's almost 4:30 and I did promise to help Calvin with something today. Oh I also left the jacket you gave me before on top of the bags we were carrying before. Thank you and it was nice meeting you Chris," I gave him a polite smile.
"You can have it as a token of our new fond friendship if you like," he gave me a wink causing Calvin to snarl before turning and leaving with me behind him.
So was he jealous or not?
Guys can be so confusing.
"Hope I'll see you again soon. Tell Calvin I said bye and that I hope we could hang out one day," Chris said, as if there was a secret meaning.
I nodded before I started to jog in the direction Calvin was. He was already out the door by the time I reached him.
"Chris said bye, and he wants to hang out with you some time," I said when we finally got inside his car that was parked two blocks away from where he found me and Christian.
"I doubt it we will be friends."
"Why not?" I tilted my head.
Chris is a nice guy.
"We don't have much in common."
"Oh."
I still had a feeling there there was some history revolving around Christian, Grace and Calvin that I didn't know about but I wasn't going to push it for now.
"Are you sure you want to come to my house still? It's kind of late now thanks to him," he said as we continued our trip to his house which wasn't that long of a walk. In fact, it would only take about 15 minutes to walk to his house from where we were at.
"Yeah like I said I trust you."
I trusted him even though he still has my pregnancy test somewhere.
"Yet you're scared of me," he pointed out.
"Yeah it's hard to describe it. It's not you personally, trust me. It's just...guys in general."
"Look, you don't need to be scared okay? There's nothing to fear about guys or people for that matter."
I retorted, "That's what I thought before."
I didn't mean for him to hear that, but he did.
"Did something happen before?"
I shake my head and look out the window, "I don't want to think about it."
---- ---- ---- ---- ----
"My mom is sleeping right now, but you don't need to be quiet. She's a heavy sleeper."
I nervously looked around the living room of any sign of that guy, Erik.
"Erik isn't home right now. He gets home around midnight or so usually," Calvin answered as if he read my mind.
I slowly nodded as he led me upstairs and then to the end of the hall that was next to his room.
"Are you hungry? We can order something to eat if you want before we get to work," he mumbled.
I can tell he is somewhat nervous about whatever he wanted me to do.
I was nervous as well.
"No I'm not really hungry right now since I ate lunch at Starbucks already before the meeting time. So what's with all the boxes?" I curiously looked at the cardboard boxes on the floor next to a pink door at the end of the hall, next to Calvin's room.
The word 'Becca' is carved into the door.
Who?
Why didn't I notice this before the last time I was here?
Oh right, because I was in shock as I made my way numbly to his room as Calvin and Erik beat each other to death just downstairs.
"I need you to go and pack everything in the room into the boxes."
"Why?"
"Because she's moving to another state, and she wants to bring everything with her."
"Who is she?"
This "Becca" person?
He looked at the ground and it seems really painful for him to speak.
"She's my older sister."
"Why can't you pack her things?" I asked, confused as I looked at the front of her room, then to the boxes and then back at him.
He had a very sad tone as he sighed loudly.
"I can't."
I wanted to ask more like why did I have to pack her stuff, but I decided not to push it.
I nodded and took one of the cardboard boxes and entered the room.
But I did not expect to see a child's room.
There is a toy train track scattered all over the floor, which looks like it hasn't been touched for a while. The room is pink and covered in paintings. The bed itself is a pink castle-like bed with Disney cartoons on it. Next to it is a box full of toys and such as well. Next to the box of toys was a large medicine cabinet filled with many prescriptions and machines I knew belonged to a hospital.
It made me shiver as I looked around.
It creeps me out being in here. It doesn't feel right, as if I wasn't really meant to see this.
I take another good look around the room, and my mind started to wonder.
How old is his sister and why is she going to another state?
Was it to get her away from Erik?
Was she going to do to another family member before Erik hits her?
Why did Calvin not want to even look in here?
Is that why he needed my help? Because he didn't want to look at the stuff in this room?
Why is he in so much anguish at the mention of his sister?
Where is she now?
What is Calvin's secrets?
I think he is going through something worse than I am. I slowly started to pack in silence. I hear some movement in the other room besides this one, and I know Calvin is in there.
It is more then three hours later when I was done packing most of her things into the provided boxes. There wasn't much to begin with except for some toys, a couple paintings, and clothes.
I also made sure to pack all the medical things but other than that, I left the machineries alone as there was simply no way to pack such a huge machine into a cardboard box.
But I found something very weird regarding Becca's room.
Her room is like a child's room, but the clothes in her closet could fit me, clothes that someone around my age would wear.
It wasn't children's clothes.
I looked at the room once more and slowly shut it before making my way to Calvin's room once I moved all the boxes in front of Becca's door.
"Calvin?" I knocked on the door before opening it.
He is on the bed with a book in his hands.
I was memorized by him. He looked peaceful for once in God knows how long. He was sitting in his bed absorbed inside the book he was reading and that even got me curious of the book he was reading.
"Done?" he said without looking up.
"Um yeah, but I have a question."
He closed the book finally and got up from his bed.
"I bet you have tons."
"Yeah I do actually," I confessed looking anywhere but at him.
"Tell you what. I'll answer one question only but in return you have to get dinner with me."
I stared at him then blinked a few time at his words.
"As a date?" I squeaked at his sudden boldness.
I don't think I can see him anymore then a friend.
"No as friends. Like I said, in order to become a couple you must first learn to not be afraid of the other person. Plus I want to thank you for doing this."
I ignored the fact that he thought that he can actually become my boyfriend.
As if.
"Oh."
"So what's you question?"
"Your sister's room looks like a kid's room so I thought she was maybe four or five. But...why does she have adult's clothes in her room? There's no children's clothes at all."
"Because...because her mind is still a five year old's even though she's now twenty four. She has internal brain damage, or more like Traumatic Brain Injury, TBI, where her brain cannot process any new information past her age of 5," He looked really torn like he wanted to tell me but at the same time he didn't.
I gasped.
"What? How?"
He looked at me, his eyes now cold and harsh that made my heart stop.
"Because of Erik."
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Reasons to Live: 10. "When things go bad, remember its just a chapter, turn the page, never close the book."