Cold Hearts in The Rain

Chapter 12

Caleb and I walked together towards my home as silence washed over us. It was a long day. It felt as if so many things happened but in fact, it was only two things. The man followed us, and the argument at the diner.

I looked to Caleb, who had a small smile on his face. He wasn't looking at me, though. He was looking ahead. No one was there. He was just smiling. His colors were bright and vibrant. They swarmed around him and shaped him in a way. It was almost as if they were sculpting him. Like he was their masterpiece.

I looked away when he looked back at me.

"What's on your mind, Feisty?" he asked.

"Nothing," I replied. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me close to him. I would be lying if I said I hated it, but I refused to admit that to myself.

"Liar," he teased.

"Am not!" I protested.

"It's so adorable that you get so defensive!" he said, grinning.

"You're just plain mean."

"Am I, though, Feisty, am I, though?"

"That's what I said, did I not?"

"Ah, so feisty, Feisty!"

"You've said that before."

"Of course, I have. You're feisty. So I have to emphasize your feistiness." I rolled my eyes.

We approached my house and I saw the lights on. My grandparents were home.

I led us inside the house and saw my grandparents sitting on the couch together. Their colors surprised me.

They both had the same rosy color Caleb had at times. But they were holding hands, and my grandma gave my grandpa a peck on the cheek. He wiped a tear from her cheek, and they turned their eyes back to the TV. They hadn't heard us, I assumed.

"Hey, grandma. Hey, grandpa."

"Oh, hey, dear! How was the movie? Oh, why hello Caleb! Back again, I see," my grandma said, doing her best to smile. I could tell she was still hurting, though. How can you even want to smile so quickly after my parents' death? How did I smile for a quick moment and why can't I keep smiling? Why don't I want to do smile? Why don't I want to be happy?

"Hello, Mrs. Grandma and Mr. Grandpa! Hey, Doe, you get it? She called you 'deer'. Get it? Get it?" he asked, nudging me over and over again.

"Oh haha because my name means a female deer," I said, sarcastically.

"Hmph!" Caleb said, narrowing his eyes at me. "Did you really know that? You sounded very hesitant."

"I was being sarcastic," I muttered.

"Nope, you sounded very genuine."

"...you're an idiot that makes no sense," I replied.

"But you love it!"

"Do I, though?"

"'That's what I said, did I not?'. Anyway, how was your guys' day?" I huffed slightly at him mocking me.

"A day of errands and relaxing," my grandpa replied. "It was nice."

"And yours?" my grandma asked.

"That man followed us again and we ended up missing the movie," I blurted out.

"That man found you guys again?" my grandpa asked, anger and worry in his voice. "Where were you guys that he found you?"

I didn't want to tell them it was by the cliff because that was Caleb and I's hangout. But, I mean, it's for our safety...