Pictures of You [M. C.]

7

(Song for this chapter: "More Than Gravity" by: Colin & Caroline)

"I'm coming to get you at 7:30. That gives you almost four hours to get ready," Calum voice chimes through my phone. He dropped me off at my house fifteen minutes ago and decided he had to call talk to me about the party like we didn't discuss it the whole way home. Apparently he's very excited that I'm getting out of the house tonight. I think my parents are also happy that I'm actually doing something on a Friday night instead of staying in my room.

"Okay, Calum. Look, I've got to go. I'll see you later." Before Calum can say anything else, I hang up my phone and turn around as Mom comes into the kitchen. She has a lost look in her eyes and her features are blank.

"Mom? Are you okay?"

"What? Um, yeah, I'm fine. Are you okay?" She sits down at the kitchen table and tries to look busy by going through the mail that I brought in earlier.

"Uh...yes. I'm good," I reply still confused.

"That's great honey." Shrugging off her mood, I run upstairs and begin to raid my closet for something decent to wear to the party.

What are you supposed to wear to parties? A dress? Jeans and a nice shirt? After a few minutes of hopeless consideration, I decide to pick out an outfit later and take a nap instead. I sprawl out across my blanket and stare at the ceiling. Within a few minutes, I drift off into sleep, my thoughts consumes with tonight.

My phone rings, waking me from my dreamless sleep. I rub my eyes tiredly, then pick up my phone and answer it.

"Hello?" my voice cracks with sleep.

"I figured you fell asleep." Michael's voice rings from the other end. I pull the phone away from my ear to check the caller I.D. just in case my mind is playing tricks on me. The number I see is one unknown to me.

"How did you get my number?" I ask, much more awake now.

"That's not important. I have a question." I wait in silence for him to ask what ever it is he intends to. "Are you still going tonight?"

"I thought we went over this at school; yes, I'm going." I say a little irritated.

"Okay, okay. Just making sure. Bye." And just like that, he's gone. What a strange boy.

I check the time on my phone and see that I only have an hour before Calum is going to be here. With that in mind, I roll out of bed and make my way into the bathroom. I wash my face then add a light layer of foundation then powder. I then apply some eye shadow and finish off with mascara. Feeling a little extra excited, I decide to curl my hair. This takes me a good twenty minutes because of how thick and long my hair is. Once done and satisfied with the outcome, I go back to my room to chose an outfit. I pull out random articles of clothing and a couple minutes later, I manage to put something together. The end result is a pair of black skinny jeans, with a white shirt and a black leather jacket over it. I then slide on a pair of black boots to complete the look.

"Riley! Calum is here!" my father calls from down stairs. I take one final look in the mirror then make my way down the stairs to where both Calum and my dad are waiting.

Dad has been home since the dinner with Michael and his mom but I can tell that he's going to leave soon. My mom pretends that he's not here half the time and he does the same. He usually stays up late doing what only God knows and then sleeps in the next morning. Actually, this is the first time I've really seen him all week.