Stay With Me

Eyes the Colour of a Forest

Eyes the Colour of a Forest

Later that day, I sat on my bed, watching a movie on my laptop: A Walk To Remember. I had crusty tear tracks on my cheeks, and my eyes were swimming. I had been like this since about half way through the movie - no, the whole movie. I had seen it so many times, and now I just sobbed all the way through it. 

My face was pink and my eyes puffy. My sleeves were pulled down over my hands to be used as emergency tissues, and I had a dozen empty chocolate wrappers littered around me on the bed.

As the credits came rolling in, I closed the laptop and went out onto the balcony. It was still lit up: blue, purple and green. I leaned on the railings, looking down at the road below. Trying to get the tears under control, I fisted up my hands and held them to my eyes, like I could have blocked the tears in. The sleeves stretched onto my hands quickly became damp and tears squeezed out. 

I sunk down to the floor of the balcony, leaning on the railings. Parts of the sphere-shaped fairy lights dug into my back uncomfortably, but I didn't move.

For several minutes, I stayed in the awkward position until I heard Pompeii, my ringtone, blasting from somewhere in my room. I scrambled to my feet and shuffled around my bedroom, sniffling, until I located my mobile in my underwear drawer.

"What were you doing in there?" I scolded the inanimate object, as I slid my finger across the screen to answer. 

"Hello?"

"Finn!" I squealed. "Why didn't you call me earlier?"

I heard him grunt. "Talk quieter, it's four in the morning here. Jeez."

Walking back to the balcony, I leaned on the rail, feeling the breeze on my tear-encrusted face. It was soothing. 

"Sorry. Why didn't you call me earlier? Are you okay? You feel okay, don't you-"

"No, I'm fine, I just forgot, sorry."

I hiccuped. "And why are you calling me if it's so late?" 

I heard him sigh. He's being grumpy. "I just finished a history essay." 

"Makes sense."

I glanced over to the balcony where I had seen the fat man sleeping a week ago. I wanted our conversation to be private. 

"It sounds like you've been crying. Did you watch that movie again?"

"Maybe." I admitted. 

He knew me well. I often watched or read things that resulted in me crying, and raiding the kitchen for chocolate or whipped cream.

"Makes sense." He said. "Look, I'll call you later, I'm really tired."

"Okay - wait,why are you awake if it's four in the morning?" I wiped my nose - again, not very hygienically, on my sleeve. 

"History essay. I just finished it."

"Ah, makes sense." I mimicked him teasingly. He sighed. "Do you want to talk to Mum?"

"No, sorry."

"Don't worry, I get it. She's a pain in the ass, sometimes. I love you."

"Love you, too. And stop watching weepy movies. I won't be there to buy you chocolate any more. Got it?"

I laughed, sadly. "I know. I'll be broke by the end of the month. Bye."

I tossed my mobile to my bed. It fell off and hit the floor, screen first.

"Eh." I said to myself. "One day I'll do it."

I heard movement to my left.

"Talking to yourself is a sign of a serious mental disorder, you know."

My head snapped towards the voice. Caleb. He had changed into pyjamas since he had got home.

I stammered, trying to think of a rude reply. "Well... nobody likes you."

It might be true. I didn't see him talk to anyone for the whole day today.

He smirked. "Well, that was a lame comeback."

"So was that!" I said childishly.

He shrugged, and leant on the railing of his own balcony, like I was. "Whatever. Who was that, on the phone?"

I said nothing, wiping my face again, hoping he hadn't noticed the tear tracks. it would be embarrassing to explain.

"Best friend?" He guessed, his tone annoyed that I was ignoring him.

I stayed silent - except for sniffles.

He sounded even more irritated with me when he guessed again: "Boyfriend?"

"Ew, no. Brother." I turned to look at him, frowning. "How long have you been standing there, Caleb?"

He stared at me for a while. Minutes passed, but I didn't repeat myself in case he became angry and went back inside without saying anything. I noticed that his eyes were hazel, rather than brown, like I had thought in the car. Dark green in the centre, with gold flecks. A dark ring around the edge. Eyes the colour of a forest. 

"Since you were in your room shouting and crying hysterically. There's evidence on your face, you can't deny it." He smirked, seeing me blushing.

"It was a movie." I mumbled. "Shut up."

We looked at each other: me glaring, Caleb smirking, until I sighed and looked away. "Are you taking me to school again tomorrow?"

"Yeah, but I'm not waiting again if you get another detention."

The detention had been a hour long, and I had hated every minute. She had given me a French dictionary, and a sheet of paper. I had to write the answer to her question - which I found out via dictionary that she had been saying simply: Tell us something about you. 

In that hour, I wrote: I moved here from England. I live in an apartment. I hate cats.  I want a puppy.  I learnt German in my old school. 

The French teacher wasn't impressed.  

"Sorry about that." I pushed the door open. "See you tomorrow."

After locking the door behind me, I quickly changed into a baggy top and got under my blue bed covers. I lay down on my side and pushed my head into the pillow, softening it. I stared sleepily at the soft lights on my balcony, and brought my hands together, and held them under my neck. I pulled my knees up to my chest and closed my eyes.

Smiling in the dark, I thought about our conversation. As we had both leant on the rails of the balconies and stared out to the busy city lights below us, he had seemed relaxed and comfortable around me. Friendly, even. Teasing, but definitely friendly. 

Completely different from in the car this morning.

Maybe he was having a bad day? 

Maybe he won't ignore me tomorrow?

Maybe Caleb isn't so bad after all?

~~~

A/N

I guess this was kind of just a filler chapter. The next one will have a bit more going on.

Has anyone seen A Walk To Remember?? I love it.

Comment! Tell me what you think.

Vote, Comment, recommend??

~R