𝓒𝓲𝓷𝓷𝓪𝓶𝓸𝓷 ⁂- 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐥

046

"The Department."

(go listen to Moon River by Frank Ocean it's so good)

REAL LIFE

WALKER paced back and forth in his room, the quiet hum of the house around him only amplifying the chaos brewing in his mind. It had been days since the last time he felt like himself. Something was off. There was a heaviness in his chest, like a weight he couldn't shake no matter how many times he tried to breathe through it. He had tried to deny it, tried to tell himself it was just a phase, but deep down, he knew. He was off. And it terrified him.

His heart skipped a beat as he stared at the screen, that simple question piercing through the fog of confusion and guilt that had been hanging over him for days. The truth was, Walker had been feeling off lately, like something was missing, like the world around him was moving at a speed he couldn't keep up with. He couldn't pinpoint exactly when it started, but the unease was becoming unbearable. Was it the pressure from his parents? The unspoken expectations? Or was it something else—something more personal?

His thumb hovered over the keyboard. He had been meaning to call Zia. Really, he had. But the words never came. There was always something that needed doing, some obligation, some distraction that pulled him away from the conversation that had been weighing on him for days.

And now, there it was. Her message. She knew something was off too.

"hey walk, there anyway you could come over to mine so we can talk?"

Before he could do anything nonetheless head over to her house his father's voice cut through the stillness of his room.

"Walker! Get downstairs, we need to leave—NOW."

His stomach dropped. He wasn't ready. He wasn't prepared for what was coming next. His dad, already packed, was waiting by the door. There was no time to explain, no time to make sense of anything. Walker's phone slipped from his hand, landing on the bed as he stood up, feeling the weight of the world press down on his chest.

He grabbed his bag, his mind racing. What was he supposed to say to Zia? What could he say? How could he explain this sudden departure, this need to leave without any warning? Would she understand? Or would she feel abandoned? The thought of Zia's face, her eyes searching for answers, made his throat tighten.

But there was no time. No time for explanations, no time for goodbyes. The urgency in his dad's voice told him this wasn't a request. His heart sank, and for a split second, everything around him felt surreal, like he was moving in slow motion. He quickly typed out a brief reply to Zia—one that didn't even begin to explain what was happening. "I can't right now. I'm heading to the airport. I'll explain later." He couldn't even send her a text explaining himself.

The air was thick with uncertainty as he stepped into the hallway. His father was already at the door, his face set in a grim line, like this was just another one of those moments that Walker had no control over. Another decision made for him.

"Let's go," his dad said, already heading toward the car. (Fukkkk u pete 💔💔)

Walker hesitated, the lump in his throat growing heavier. He needed to explain to Zia, but how? He was torn, caught between the duty to his family and the guilt of not facing the person who had been so patient with him. His fingers gripped his phone, ready to send a quick message. He could tell her that it wasn't her fault, that he hadn't meant to distance himself, that he didn't want to hurt her. But then, the sound of his dad's voice again, impatient and firm, snapped him out of his thoughts.