Absolution

3- Always the same

Callie POV

i woke up this morning feeling great. for the first time, in a long time, i feel like things are going to be okay.

school was better than i'd expected, it had only been a day, but i already had friends. my goal for the week was to make at least one girl friend, but im trying to take it one day at a time.

i threw my hair up into a half up half down and put on some light make up. i opted for a white tank top and dark blue shorts, a bit more lowkey.

i went downstairs to get breakfast, opening the cupboard, and grabbing the box of weetabix. i ordered it as soon as we got here, as i couldn't go without.

as i ate, i realised how quiet the house was, realising my dad had already left for work.

he'd often go on 3, 4, 5 day trips. i didn't mind. i enjoyed being alone. i know he's had girlfriends since mum passed, and i've tried to tell him, especially when i was younger, that i would like a step-mum, and i wouldn't feel betrayed if he got remarried. but he would shrug me off

i think deep down it's too painful. he loved my mum too much. i know he didn't want kids. my mum wanted three. so they settled on one. me.

after mum passed, he clearly didn't want anything to do with raising me. i look a lot like her. i can see the pain in his eyes when he looks at me for too long. but it's unfair. i shouldn't be deprived of a parental figure because of my genes.

i slid my shoes on and headed towards the school. i got five minutes into my journey when a car slowed next to me

"callie?" the boy asked. it was ronan, masons friend.

"hey" i smiled back

"get in, i'll take you" he offered

i really wanted to walk. i loved having the time to myself in the morning, but it felt rude to say no, i'd just met him.

i stepped up into his big jeep as he started moving again.

there was a brief silence when i entered the car. like he wanted to see if i would speak first. i didn't.

"how you liking living in a new country?" he asked, clearly trying to make small talk

"it's nice, actually. i think in a few weeks when i'm more settled it'll be better. but the weathers a lot nicer, and the people too" i rambled on

"yeah, youre doing okay" he stated. "feels nice to talk to you without the others around. i'm sorry about them by the way they're just really..."

he seemed to be struggling to find the right word

"sex hungry? horny? excited? aroused?" i listed off

"yep, you got it" he smirked.

"they're really not that bad" i looked out the window. i could handle a little flirting, it was really harmless banter. "it's mostly just isaiah anyway, but he doesn't seem like a bad guy"

"you're probably used to it" he teased

"yeah, yeah. whatever" i replied jokingly.

he pulled up into the car park, and i immediately spotted mason and his friends. i jumped out the car, grabbing my bag.

mason waved me over straight away.

i sighed slightly, walking with ronan towards the others.

"what's good?" isaiah asked ronan, pulling him into a really bro-ey hug that made me cringe.

i stood listening to their conversation awkwardly. i'm never up for a conversation this early. how are they all so fucking energetic.

"brady can you take callie to class, you're with her"