Darkling

16| Run

Chapter 16: Run (Callum's POV)

"You're so strong, Clara. You got through it all on your own." 

"I had my dad." 

"Yeah, but he doesn't know what it was like in that car. Only you do." 

"Mad Hatter," she said through gritted teeth, pushing me. "I don't want to talk about this anymore." 

"Okay, okay, okay," I said quickly before clearing my throat. "Let's talk about something else." 

"Let's talk about you," she said, pulling a smile onto her face. I'll never know how she's able to do that. 

"What do you want to know?" 

She stood up and scanned my room, her eyes settling on my desk. "What's this?" she asked, holding up the rose. 

"A rose," I deadpanned. 

"No shit," she rolled her eyes. "Who gave it to you?" She smelled it, smiling softly before putting it back. 

"Nobody. I plucked it." 

"When? How is it still alive?" 

"Yesterday," I lied, staying rooted to the floor. 

"And... what's this?" she asked, picking up a black journal. She gasped, "Tell me you write a journal and I can read it." 

"This isn't The Vampire Diaries, no. That's a student planner. It has all the important dates, events, stuff like that. You got one too. If you didn't you will soon. It's barely been one week since you joined us," I chuckled. 

"You've watched The Vampire Diaries?" She narrowed her eyes at me. 

"Twice," I nodded. 

She nodded too, "Impressive." 

She strolled around my room some more, stopping at my closet. "Can I check for skeletons?" 

"Go ahead," I laughed. 

She opened my closet, snooped around, and as expected, came up empty-handed. "Nothing? Not even a secret letter or photo, damn it." 

"Who would I get a secret letter from?" 

"Who would you send a secret letter to, is the real question here." 

"I don't have anyone to send a secret letter to, actually." 

She stopped in the middle of my room and looked around some more. "Do you have a matchbox?" she asked. 

"No," I answered, a little confused as to why she was suddenly asking me that. 

"A lighter?" 

"Why? Do you want to smoke something?" 

She rolled her eyes and then walked over, standing in front of me. "You have candles in the bathroom that have been lit and have wax pooled and melted all over the counter. But there was no matchbox or lighter in there. How did you light them?" 

Oh shit. 

"There's a lighter there," I nodded. 

"I didn't see one." 

"It's in the drawer," I laughed. 

"Oh," she chuckled. "I should have thought of that." 

"Hey, do you have any idea when the principal is going to talk to you? You know, about how much you're liking or disliking the place?" I cleared my throat, fishing for answers. It's getting really annoying hiding my powers. I don't like lying to her either.