𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐓 𝐂𝐔𝐋𝐓⁰²ʰᵉᵐᵐⁱⁿᵍˢ

ㅤㅤㅤ viii ──that's cool baby

asari

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I always called mildewed walls my home ever since I learnt that words could formed tales - not that I was conscious of the making of the lies, because I genuinely believed that what made a home were the walls, no matter how molded, and the roof overhead that was used against me every time I dared piss off one of my parents.

"I put a roof over your head -" An occasion called to me. I was eight. "As long you live under my roof -" Another occasion tapped my shoulder and smiled with its coarse yellow teeth. I was sixteen.

When I learnt that home was an empty word, that's when I ran.

Of all the things a home shouldn't be, the house I lived for the whole of my life challenged it.

LA could he home from the looks of it. It was dusty, hot, and expensive, but the people I'd met made it all bearable.

"How long 'til he gets here?" Calum groaned, shading his face from the sun with his hand. "I didn't just iron a fresh button-up just so I can stand in the sun for twenty minutes,"

I rolled my eyes and looked back at Mike's text on my phone. It had only been 10 minutes since we got out. "He should be here any minute now. And I told you, Cal. Literally nobody would care if you came dressed like a homeless person," I gave him a squint and watched him look away with a feigned offended look.

"It's about the presentation, Asari," He said, saying with thick sarcasm. "Unlike you, all dolled up in sweatpants and a t-shirt that, by the way, has a ketchup stain on your lower boob,"

I gasped, looking down and pulling my shirt to, in fact, spot a slight red stain.

"By fast fashion, I didn't think they meant fast food as well," Calum sassed, smirking mischievously at me as he flexed his well-ironed attire.

I was in a hurry, thinking that Mike would show up in time, so I didn't have much time to fully glam up and inspect what I wore since I had come home earlier from work.

Calum, having had the entire day to prepare both physically and mentally, had ironed out multiple dress pants and button ups, shining some old loafers he hadn't worn in a year, and looking as though he was to attend a formal business meeting.

I stomped my foot lightly. "Damn you. I'm going back up,"

"Wait, wait, wait, no," He grabbed my arm and stopped me before I could run back up. "I don't wanna stay here alone,"

I looked up to see the worried look on his face, my heart fawning over how genuine he seemed.

He was still worried of being found and I understood that this wasn't an easy thing to get over.

I patted his hand and he let go, giving him a smile that I hoped would comfort him at the very slightest. "You have to. I'll be back ten minutes, tops. I need you to stay here just in case Mike arrives when I'm not here. We need him to know he's at the right place,"

He gulped, nodding, understanding the reason though worried of a separate situation.

"Okay?" I clarified, rubbing his arm gently as he loosened up and pouted.

"Yeah, okay," He backed away as I made my way to the stairs, watching him put his guards up as he stood, more tense than he usually would be.

I raced up the creaking stairs, taking out the keys and finding our door, heaving out heavy breaths by the time I arrived back in the apartment.