Skinny • Book 1 In The Reality Series

Calum

My hands shoved deep in my pockets I kept my eyes glued to the cracked and leaf littered sidewalk, trying hard, to seem interested with Annie's nonsensical and nonstop chatter beside me.

"My Mama said maybe we can get a kitty when Michael goes to big people school, what is it called again? Collage? "

"Mmhmm." I muttered.

"Are you going to Collage too?"

"College."

"College."

"Yeah, I guess."

"Me too. I wanna go too."

Glancing over at her, accessorized with plastic jewelry and dressed in the signature tie tied uniform of the other "special kids" that did water aerobics in the shallow end of the lap pool every other Friday, I felt my heart squirm with pity.

"I'll see Luke there." She continued off handedly, causing me to stop dead in my tracks, my gut twisting as if someone had tightened it with a wrench.

"What?" I croaked, several paces behind her.

"I'll see Luke there." She repeated, "Mama said he's at collage...college."

Blinking rapidly and scanning my surroundings for any dandelion fluff to blame the moisture in my eyes on, I cleared my throat, "She told you Lu...he's at college?"

Completely oblivious she nodded.

I didn't know how to respond. I certainly couldn't tell her the truth. She didn't know what death was as far as I knew, and I certainly wasn't about to be the one to break it to her, to shatter the small snow globe of purity which was her basic comprehension and view of the world. But I couldn't let her think she'd see him again, either. Could I?

"I miss him." She rambled on, causing the ice cold dagger piercing my chest to burry itself further in my heart, stopping my breath and burning my throat, "He's my friend, my best friend, do you miss him Calum?"

Unable to speak, I nodded.

"Are you sad?" she questioned, looking up at me, "You look sad, it's okay, don' be sad, we will see Luke when we go to college."

Opening my mouth I tried to say, something, anything, however before I could I was saved by a hurtling sphere nailing me in the back of the head sending me toppling to my hands and knees.

"Four!" someone shouted, after the fact, their voice waving with the laughter they were undoubtedly trying to suppress.

"Are you okay?" Annie demanded worriedly, yanking me to my feet, merely popping my shoulder from its socket.

"I'm fine." I assured her while she stood on tip toe trying to reach my head to pat it.

"Sorry." Someone laughed, coming up behind me.

Bending down and picking up the ball I straightened to find Louis, a captain band, my captain band, circling his arm.

Biting my tongue I tossed the ball to him with a little more force then necessary.

"You good?" he chuckled, tucking it under his arm and flicking his Bieber looking bangs.

Fan-fucking-tastic asshole... is what I wanted to say, but I refrained.

"Yup."

"We have a game." Louis said, jerking his head in the general direction of the soccer field where the rest of the team were watching on, staring at me as if I were some oddity at a freak show.

"I know." I muttered, "I still get like, the emails or whatever."

"So are you still on the team?"

I shrugged.

"Are you going to come back?"

Again, I shrugged.

"What do you have to do to come back, eat or whatever?"

"Something like that."

"Hi." Annie greeted him.

Louis glanced down at her, then back at me.

"Just like go on a pizza binge or something." He laughed, switching which arm he kept the ball under.

"It's not...no." I grumbled.

"Are you still anorexic?"

I don't know are you still stupid

"I have to go." I said gruffly, adjusting my backpack on my shoulder and starting around him.

"Bye." Annie said pleasantly.

Looking down I resumed my trudge to the parking lot, however again stopped dead in my tracks at a loud, retching sound.

My head snapping up, I looked to the field where one of my team mates, a kid I'd known since kindergarten, Jason Spatz, was stood with his soccer ball under his shirt.

Smirking, he looked me dead in the eyes, and doubling over dramatically, theatrically pretended to shove his fingers down his throat and vommit.

Straightening up, he let the ball fall from his shirt to the turf with a dull thump.

"Who am I?" He laughed.

"A bulimic freak!" Someone guessed.

"Ah, close, to what bulimic freak am I referring?" He pressed.

"Calum!" Several guys shouted at once.

"Correct!" Jason laughed, "Laxatives and lettuce wedges for everyone!"

Feeling my eyes burn once again with tears I scanned the laughing faces, the uncomfortable faces, and those of my team mates who were trying to hide their smirks before my eyes finally landed on Michael, who was staring back at me, saying nothing.

Disbelief coursing through my veins I pushed my hair back off of my forehead. And clutching the straps of my backpack fled to my car, their laughter echoing In my ears, pounding in my head and turning my stomach.