Double Or Nothing // C.T.H

24 ~ Calum

Thomas' excited voice broke the cold tension. "That was amazing!"

The soft sound of Valerie's caused warmth to fan across my body,watching her head tilt back slightly in laughter as she pulled down her hoodie.

Her hair fell to her shoulders as she pulled out her hair band, I watch as she ran a hand through the black and red strands.

She shrugged while Thomas grabs my arms, helping me back into my room. "I get on my roof all the time, without going through a window."

I glance over to Thomas, our eyes locking. Little did Valerie know, we've watched her dance in the soft gold light of the street lamp many times before.

My eyes fall down to just below Thomas' cheek. The purple and swollen skin making my heart sink in guilt. If we hadn't switched, there's a good chance that it could have been me who had the dark bruise.

It wouldn't have been me to talk to him like that, however. Not that I'd ever admit it, but that seriously impressed me.

"You should clean that up." Valerie says gently, reaching her hand up to run her thumb across it softly.

The warmth I had felt a few moments ago left as I stare at her, jealously knocking at the door, demanding to be let in.

"Yea, I should..." Thomas says, giving me a look before leaving the room. The silence was suffocating, my mind fogged with all of the things that happened to day.

Out if the corner of my eye, I could see Valerie resting against the window frame, her gray eyes on me, however mine were on the stars behind her. I didn't want to look at her.

Uncertainties swim around in my head, I wasn't sure why this girl standing just on the other side of this open window was slowly consuming all of my thoughts.

It was scary, how unprotected I was tonight, my walls were broken. Everything's just been so stressful lately. I would have never thought that I'd even be taking to Thomas or Valerie, let alone pretending to be him or falling asleep and blushing around her.

I've never felt more self loathing in my entire life. I always complained about my life, how I was so miss understood. I was so selfish that I never noticed that I don't have it that bad. Thomas goes through so much, I didn't even know the half of it, and I'm sure I still don't.

I hate how much I've under appreciated Thomas, and Mali if I'm being honest. She's always there to silently clean up my face, gently stitching me back with a small reassuring smile. I could see her as a school nurse one day, her warm eyes soothing small children.

I used to want to change everything.

Change can be good, but from what I've been taught, it is horrible. It throws you into situations you are unprepared for, making you uncomfortable, sometimes even in your own skin.

I close my eyes, the images of today playing on the back of my eyelids. I am so unbelievably tired.

I let the breath I had just taken in swirl in my lungs for a moment before releasing it, opening my eyes to meet pale gray ones.

I could just sit here like this forever, looking at this girl who seemed to have a complete trance over me, just looking at her small nose and thin, yet full all at same time, pink lips. The fiery red that was starting to lose its flare and fade to a subtle, soft red but it still popped brightly against the dark black of the rest of her hair.