Turn Away | c.h

Chapter 14 - Still Here

Sorry for a very boring chappy💔
Love you all !!

I lazily drew patterns on my hand, keeping my head down as the teacher continued to pick on people who didn't know the answer to his question. I'd avoided being that person all class, and thankfully I hadn't been picked. And with five minutes of this class left, I knew I had dodged a bullet.

I let out a quiet sigh, dropping the pen down on to the desk. No pattern i'd drawn seemed to calm my nerves down whatsoever. I was so restless since last night, and the fact Calum decided not to show up at school today just made me even more fidgety. I needed to see him and I needed him to just hold me for a while. After having the worst night terrors is ever had in my life, I was forced to deal with it on my own like usual. I just wished I woke up to a certain brown eyed boy beside me, who'd hold me the second he noticed how distressed I was.

Instead I woke to an empty bed and was forced to calm myself down.

The bell rang through the school, causing me to let out a sigh of relief. I packed my things up, holding them in my arms as I stood and quickly made my way out of the classroom.

I pushed the door open, walking out of the room and in to the halls. I began to make my way to my locker, glancing around at all the exhausted-looking faces, in hope to see the one faces I longed to see all day. But I knew he wasn't here, deep down. He wasn't in homeroom.

That was when I felt a hand on my shoulder, causing me to turn around. I was met with a familiar face, causing me to cringe directly in his face.

"Hey, Stella. Remember me?"

I awkwardly laughed, nodding as he smiled back, hand running down my arm.

"Yeah- hey, Chet."

"How are you doing?" He asked, smiling as I began walking again. He followed beside me. I softly shrugged.

"Yeah, I'm fine. What about you?"

"I'm great. Have you given tonight any thought?"

I sifted through my memory, in hopes to remover what he was talking about. But I couldn't remember for the life of me. Had he invited me out?

"What's on tonight?" I asked.

"Marcus' party?" He chuckled. "You coming? You said you'd give it some thought."

"Oh-" I said, feeling my cheeks flush. Of course, the party. How could I forget.

"I can't make it, sorry. Grounded." I shrugged, thanking the lord I had an excuse to escape the awkwardness of my terrible lying abilities. He nodded, placing his hand on the small of my back.

"It's okay. Can we raincheck?" He asked, raising his eyebrows. I stopped completely in my tracks, feeling the air get caught in my throat. What?

"Wait- what?"

"I mean- do you want to get something to eat with me some time? Say, on Wednesday? I'll pick you up."

"No- no, sorry I can't." I said, feeling a sudden boost of confidence. Chet wanted to spend time with me..? I would've began frothing at the thought and now the situation has finally arrived... I felt bad.

"You sure? I'll pay. It's on me." He grinned. I shook my head.

"No. I'm actually seeing someone."

He jerked his head back, letting out a snort. He didn't believe me?

"And who might that be?"

"Calum." I said, holding my books to my chest and wrapping my arms around myself. Chet chuckled, raising his eyebrows at my statement.

"Calum Hood? The new freak?"

"He's not a freak." I said, feeling a frown begin to etch on to my lips. He shook his head, taking a step away from me and slipping his hands into his pockets.

"Whatever, kiddo."

"Don't call me that." I said, rolling my eyes at the name. Kiddo. Who did he think I was? I wasn't five, I was seventeen.

"Well- when you and Calum break it off, let me know. I'll Facebook you my number, babe."

"Can you just call me Stella?" I laughed, fed up with being in his presence. Chet nodded, a smirk on his lips.

"Sure, Stella."

"Thank you." I sighed, turning away from his to begin to walk away. But he grabbed my wrist.

"Just so you know, I've heard bad shit about that guy. Just keep your wits about him, Stella. Be careful, he's a dangerous one."

"He's far from dangerous." I snapped, pulling away from him. Chet stared at me,watching as i walked away from him without another word said. I pushed past everyone, trying to escape from the tension between us.

The second I got to my locker, I shoved my books inside and grabbed my phone and headphones. I locked it shut and began to walk over to the bleachers. I plugged in my headphones to my phone, shoving the buds in my ears in hopes to calm down with some music. It drowned out all the loud, busy people around me.

When I arrived to my private, empty spot, I fell down on to bench, letting out an exhausted sigh. Today had already been so draining, and I was barely halfway through. I just hoped it would fly by quickly; I couldn't stand being here any longer. I'd contemplated calling dad to pick me up, but I wasn't in the mood to talk to him. I'd rather spend a day in this shithole then call my own father and have a conversation with him.

It never used to be like that. Dad and I used to be so close, we were inseparable and now I don't want anything to do with him. He puts Katy before me now, and honestly I couldn't care less. He can do whatever he wants but he shouldn't expect a high level of respect back from me. If he won't treat me like a mature 17 year old and will continue to treat me like a child, then I'll do the same.

••

I laid in my bed, staring up at the glow in the dark stars stuck on my roof. The darkness around me make them shin a hell of a lot brighter, making me feel somewhat secure. My body was fidgety. I was especially agitated tonight.

Because every small sound had my body twitching in hope that Calum would be standing outside my window, looking up at me with that beautiful smile of his, telling me to get changed and come down. But no matter how many times I got up to check outside, Calum did not appear.

It's as if he'd disappeared from my life and it had only been a day since I last saw him. All I had been craving today was him and he didn't even show himself.

I'd never been so emotionally invested in one person before. Calum had taken having feelings to a new level. Within the past two weeks, Calum somehow gained control of my thoughts and became the pinnacle of all my actions. I quickly gained an attachment to him, and now he's gone -this is our first day apart- I don't even know what to do with myself. I feel on edge and unsafe. I needed him beside me, reassuring me that I was safe in his arms and that he'd never let danger touch me.

Venerable is what I felt.

Is grown so emotionally attached to him, that spending one day apart had literally become one of the most traumatising experiences I'd endured. Where was he? God, what if he didn't feel the same. That thought always crossed my mind. What if I was too emotionally invested in Calum and he, wasn't enough. The thought terrified me, that I could Literally mean nothing to the one person that means so much to me.