To Build A Home || c.h

Chapter 15

Calum's POV:

Four days later and I feel like s.hit. I desperately need a cigarette, I don't sleep well, I'm hungry all the time, my throat is dry and I cough all the time, and on top of all of that, I get annoyed way easier than usual. I didn't even know that was possible. Quitting smoking is harder than I thought.

I wonder if Alaska is feeling as bad as I am. I also wonder why I'm even thinking about Alaska. Is this as hard for her as it is for me? I swear the only reason I haven't given up yet is because I'm too lazy to go and buy some cigarettes. If my aunt didn't live so goddamned far away from the store, I would be standing outside with a cigarette between my lips right now.

The worst part is that quitting isn't my biggest problem at the moment. My biggest problem is that I have to go to school tomorrow. School. I haven't been to school for so long, and now I have to go back to a whole new school. A Norwegian school not to mention. They obviously have an own class for foreigners where they teach some regular subjects at the same time as they teach them Norwegian, but I don't really get why I have to go there. It's not like I'll need Norwegian or something, I'm not staying here for too long. My aunt says it is because it's the only school around here for people my age, but she seemed a bit suspicious when she said it. I chose right then and there to ignore it, though, I probably just imagined it.

She also said that Ashton, Luke, Alaska and Michael goes there, and she thought it would be easier for me if I knew someone at my school, even though they won't be in my classes. They all know Norwegian, so they have regular classes.

The loud noise of my stomach rumbling cuts off my thoughts abruptly. Oh come on, I just ate! I sigh loudly as I get up and walk over to the kitchen. I take a glass of water first, since my throat is dry as f.uck, before I open up the fridge, probably for the tenth time today. My eyes scan over everything, but I don't find anything that catches my attention. My stomach rumbles again, as if it's telling me to just pick something, and I just decide to eat an apple. Better than nothing.

Right as I take my first bite, the doorbell goes off. I grunt in annoyance as I walk towards the door and open it.

"Alaska?" I ask with furrowed brows. What is she doing here?

"Calum, I can't do this, it's killing me! I need a f.ucking cigarette!" she says quickly while pulling at the roots of her dark hair with her hand.

"I'm going insane, I barely sleep, my throat is all sore from the coughing, I'm constantly hungry..." she rambles and I just look at her while eating my apple. Her dark brown hair is a mess and she's not wearing any makeup. She has dark rings under her eyes from the lack of sleep, but I know that I have that too, so I'm not judging.

"Uhm, do you want an apple?" I ask her after a couple of seconds in silence. Wow, good job Calum, ask her if she wants and apple! If she wasn't standing right in front of me I would facepalm myself.

"Yeah..." she sighs and nods while running her hand over her face. She coughs and covers her mouth before saying something inaudible under her breath. It might have been in Norwegian. I'm about to ask her what she said when I remember that: Hey, I don't care! 

"God, I'm so tired," she mutters as I walk into the kitchen. I hear her shut the door, indicating that she probably came in. Or she left, whatever, but she probably came in. I grab another apple and toss it over to her as I walk towards her again. Yep, she came in. She fails to catch the apple, so it falls to the ground, and I can't help but chuckle lightly. She just stands there for a couple of seconds looking down at the apple without any expression.

"A warning would have been great, you know," she finally says as she picks it up.

"Sorry," I chuckle as she examines the apple. She rubs it against her sweater in an attempt to clean it before shrugging her shoulders and taking a bite. I laugh quietly as I shake my head and walk past her into the living room. I sit down on the couch, and only seconds later, she's seated beside me.

So, what happens now? Are we supposed to talk or something? Because I'm not really a talkative person. I've gotten used to just listening the last five months, and now it feels weird to have long conversations with people.

"So, school tomorrow, are you ready?" she asks me right as I take a bite of my apple. I just shake my head while chewing. I don't think I'll ever be ready either.

"Same, but I can imagine that it's way more stressful to you since your starting at a whole new school and all," she says.

"And the fact that I haven't been to school for over five months doesn't make it any better," I add. She quickly turns her head, making her natural wavy hair bounce around, and looks at me with wide eyes.

"Five months?" she asks, rather loudly, followed by a small coughing fit.

"Woah, calm down," I say and raise my hands as if I'm surrendering.

"And yes, I haven't been to school for five months," I say and take another bite.

"That is a very long time, damn! You're probably so stressed out right now!" she says and I send her a glare.

"Thanks for the support," I say sarcastically.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. I'm sure you'll be fine!" she laughs. Yeah right. I am 110% sure I won't be fine.

"My mom told me you're going to go to my school, so at least you'll know someone," she says in an attempt to make things better, but it doesn't work. My problem is not that I don't want to go to a new school, my problem is that I don't want to go to school at all, but then again, who does? School is where dreams and hopes go to die, after all, and I don't think this school is going to be an exception. 

So guys, finally a new update!

How do you think school is going to be for Calum?

What do you think about the chapter? 

Feel free to point it out if I have any mistakes so I can fix them!

So this chapter is dedicated to my new collab account that I have with four other awesome girls, and we're going to post our book soon, so feel free to follow the account so you don't miss it! 

ily guys