January 9
Calum woke up back at his house, but his head really hurt.
He had drank too much alcohol.
This was unusual for Calum.
He never really drank alcohol.
It was just that yesterday was the best he had felt in a while, and that was help from the alcohol. Therefore, he drank a lot.
Calum was so hungover. He could barely remember anything from last night.
He remembered feeling great. And drinking a lot. And then getting home and throwing up in the bathroom.
He doesn't know how he managed to climb into bed, or how he got home, or anything that happened during the party after Ashton declared that this was one of the best parties of the year.
Calum groaned, flipping over on his stomach and burying his head in the pillow.
He knew his parents weren't home, because they were at work.
He really needed help, and he really wanted to talk to someone.
Calum didn't know why, but he just did. So he tried his hardest to reach his phone.
After ten minutes of stretching horrifically to reach his phone, he shielded his eyes from the bright light and found Michael's contact.
Michael picked up his phone. "Hello? Calum?"
Calum mumbled something unrecognizable.
"Dude, are you totally like, shit-faced? You were pissed drunk last night."
Calum groaned. "I don't-"
He was cut off by chatter in the background.
"Sorry Calum, Ashton is over doing homework with us."
"What homework?"
"Physics. See ya man."
Michael hung up and Calum felt devastated. He already felt horrible. Couldn't Michael realize that Calum had been replaced with Ashton and that Calum felt bad about that?
Calum pushed it out of his head. Michael could work with Ashton, I mean, Calum didn't even take physics, so he obviously wouldn't be invited.
Calum dialed Luke's number instead. Luke never picked up, and then it went to voicemail.
Whatever.
Calum groaned again, clutching his stomach.
He felt horrible. He had a headache, and could feel the blood pumping. And now his stomach wasn't cooperating?
His headache was horrible, and then after a while, it'd be okay. Then it'd come back up again. Same with his stomach. Did he eat something rotten last night?
Calum was desperate for someone. He knew Winnie would be too busy. He knew his parents were busy and at work.
So he called the only other person he knew.
Ella.
Ella picked up almost immediately. "Oh, uh, Calum?"
"Yeah," Calum tried as hard as he could to say the word.
"Are you okay? You sound kind of.."
"I feel like I got run over by a truck, and I just want someone to come over. Can you?" Calum managed to say after a moment of silence, after his headache toned down a bit.
The line felt like it was dead since neither of them spoke a word.
Calum was currently in pain, since his headache had come back, and was waiting for Ella to answer.
"Um, sure. Yeah, okay. Where you do live?"
Calum gave her the address, and thanked her. He then told her there was a key in the bush near the front door. He hung before he could even say good-bye.
Five minutes later, Ella was in Calum's room.
"Calum! Oh, my gosh. Are you okay? What happened?"
"I got pissed drunk last night." Calum muttered.
Ella frowned. "Drinking alcohol, especially enough to get you drunk, is unhealthy."
Calum groaned, flipping over onto his back. "I know, I don't even usually drink."
"Then why did you last night?"
Calum shrugged.
"Just because you felt like it? Really? That isn't what someone who 'doesn't usually drink' says." Ella pushed.
Calum sighed, his headache toning down again. "I felt really lonely this past week or so, and for the first time, I wasn't excluded last night. So I downed a shot. And another. And another. The more I had, the better and more confident I felt. It was different than what I felt before."
"You cracked in a little over a week?" Ella sounded disappointed.
"You don't get it, probably. Every day is like hell for me. Because my so called friends keep shoving Ashton in my face, and I don't even think they realize it!" Calum exclaimed.
His stomachache had gone away, but his head was still feeling horrible.
"Then why don't you tell them how you feel?"
"That sounds stupid. I'm like, nearly twenty. Why would I do that?"
"Age doesn't matter in context of friendship." Ella rolled her eyes, as if what Calum said was stupid.
"Look, you're acting all annoyed and like I'm stupid. If you hate me, then you shouldn't have come. I'm sorry I called. But I've just been feeling kicked around and like a third wheel, and you aren't helping a single bit." Calum clicked his tongue, feeling furious.
Ella sighed, sitting down next to him. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. It's just that what you're hiding and doing is just hurting yourself. Stop getting pissed drunk. Stop avoiding telling Luke and Michael how you really feel. I actually, completely understand."
"You do? Hmm, really?" Calum rolled his eyes.
"Doing what I did to you, isn't helping yourself either." Ella crossed her arms.
Calum rested his head on her shoulder, and she didn't seem to mind.
"I'll be fine without Luke and Michael."
"Really? Because you're drinking over them, complaining about them, and you called me over to talk to you about them. So they seem like a big deal. But why wouldn't they be? You three have been friends for a few years right?"
"More than just a few." Calum corrected.
"Exactly! So what are you doing moping around?"
Calum sighed, rubbing his temples gently. "I don't need them anymore."
"And when did you make up this crazy decision? Well, I mean, I get if they continue their behavior after you tell them, but right now, that doesn't seem necessary."
"I'll have Winnie." Calum said, suddenly feeling proud.
Ella sighed. "Well, I gave you proper advice. You can take it or leave it."
Calum watched her go.
He'll be fine. Right?
**
thanks for reading!
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ps. are your legs tired? cuz you've been running through my mind all day
eek its hard not finding a reaLLY bad one like they're all really bad but u know
byee x
