For Centuries: Book 2 Of The Godling Series (Sequel To Killing Garmin)

Chapter 4

It's night and I'm heading back to the apartment building where I live. I didn't find Cal so I decided to just go and train. Once I arrive at the apartments, Cal's car is in the parking lot and Cal is just walking through the doors.

I get out of my car and hurry to catch up with him. He glances at me then looks back ahead.

"You okay?" I ask.

"Yeah," Cal responds. "Why wouldn't I be?"

I shrug my shoulders then start walking up the stairs.

"You just seem..." I trail off, thinking of the right words. "You seem angry."

"Eh," Cal says, shrugging his shoulders. "I'm always angry these days."

We get to the fourth floor where our apartments are and I turn to look up at Cal.

"Um," he says. "Goodnight."

He turns away from me towards his room. I put a hand on his arm and turn him back to face me.

"Cal," I say. "I need you to know that I'm here for you."

"I know," Cal replies.

"So you can talk to me," I say. "You know that, right?"

Cal nods.

"I just..." he trails off. "I..."

He gives up on talking.

"Goodnight," he says.

"Night," I reply.

I walk into my apartment and change my clothes. I then fall onto my bed and stare at the ceiling. Twenty minutes probably passes before I close my eyes. Almost at once, a knock comes on my door so I open them again. I get up and open the door to see Cal standing there.

"Is something wrong?" I ask.

"No," he replies.

"Then why are you here?" I ask him.

"I just wanna say sorry about how I've been acting lately," he sighs. "And by lately, I mean the past year. It's been weird not to have my powers and I've never wanted them more than now."

"They'll come back soon," I reassure him.

"What if they don't?" Cal says just above a whisper.

He looks down the hall, averting his gaze from mine. I put a hand on his cheek to make him look back at me.

"Then we'll figure something out," I reply. "There's always a way."

"No there's not," he says. "There never is."

"Are you okay?" I ask Cal.

"I'm fine," he replies.

"Nobody who says that they're fine are actually fine," I state.

Cal lets out a long breath.

"It's killing me," he says. "It's killing me to not have my powers. It's killing me to be free. To be free of Garmin but still not. I'm always drawn to evil. It's killing me that I have this stupid tattoo on my wrist. It's killing me that I'm still not trusted by people. It's killing me that Tristan is here. It's killing me that he's so much better than me and that he cares for you. It's killing me that I love you. So. Much."

I suck in a small breath then put my hand behind Cal's neck. I push his head down towards me and press my lips against his. Oh, yeah. I forgot to mention that he and I have a relationship. We stand there kissing until we have to breathe. Cal's breathing quickens as he pushes me through the door and closes it behind himself.

I run my hand down his arm but stop when I feel something. I pull my lips away from Cal's and push up his sleeve. All along his arm under his elbow are cuts that look like they've been made by a knife. I look back up at Cal. He sighs.

"It happens when you keep something in for too long," he says.

"What have you been keeping in?" I ask.

"Everything," he replies, looking at the floor. "As I said. It's killing me."

Cal pushes down his sleeve then turns away from me.

"Cal..." I trail off.

He stops and looks at me sideways.

"Yeah?" he asks.

"You should've told me," I murmur.

"I didn't want you to worry," Cal replies.

"Of course I'm gonna worry about you," I say. "I..."

"It's okay if you can't say it," Cal mutters. "Not much others can."

At that, he walks out of my apartment and into his.

"Cal," I say a little louder. "Wait!"

This is pointless. I sigh then close my door. I fall onto my bed, my face in my pillow. Cal and I were actually having a good moment. We barely have any of those anymore. And then I found the cuts and it was over. Ugh. I wish everything could be better. I wish that none of that bad stuff happened to Cal. I wish monster's didn't exist. Wishful thinking, isn't it?

*****

Hey guys. Thanks for reading this far. Sorry this chapter is so short. The rest will be longer, I promise.

So, isn't Cal such a depressing character? I didn't want him to be like this.