Something Great

Chapter 10

Trigger Warning: Some content may be triggering; read with caution.

"There's nothing this beautiful in the United States," Ralley stated, surveying the glistening waters of Sydney Harbour against the indigo night sky. She sat down on a cushion, letting her hands continue to grip the cool metal railing.

Calum had rented a boat, captain and all, to take her on a night time cruise around the harbor after their dinner at Cafe Sydney. It was both a romantic and an adventurous gesture-- something Ralley wasn't sure anyone could one-up. She hadn't been out on a boat in ages.

"There's you," Calum countered, resting his head on her shoulder and turning to press his lips to the base of her neck. Ralley shivered, making him grin proudly, but ignored his comment, rolling her eyes at him.

"The perfect blend of sea and city," she added. She inhaled deeply, revelling in the feeling of the silky evening breeze. The urban lights glittered off the water like jewels. She pulled out her phone to capture a photo.

"Hey, what's this?" Calum asked, his index finger tracing the lines of ink that decorated the inside of her ankle. His cheek was pressed to her shoulder.

"Oh," Ralley said, glancing down at the tattoo as if she'd forgotten it was there. "It's just.. It's just a tattoo."

"Looks awfully familiar," Calum joked, entranced by the set of tally marks.

When she didn't reply, Calum told her, "Ashton mentioned that Ava had a tattoo like this, but somehow I've never noticed yours..."

"Yeah..." Ralley trailed off. She didn't show that particular tattoo off as much as her others, but it was her favorite. She was often asked to explain why she has the logo of another band inked on her body. Although she never gave a concrete answer, she knew there were fans out there that understood.

"Why?"

Ralley sighed and leaned back. Calum adjusted himself just enough so her head could rest on his shoulder. He looked down at her with a sort of curiosity, his chin brushing her temple. Ralley was one of those people he could understand after just one conversation, but he still didn't know her. He could predict her reactions to his dumb lines and when she'd randomly burst out in song, but he didn't know how she saw true brokenness whenever she laid eyes on a bottle of tequila or bourbon. Or why she was addicted sadness and tragedy. He didn't know-- not yet.

"If you look close enough," she began. Her eyes were closed, and she was getting lost in bloody memories. Her voice shook.

"If you look close enough, you can see a scar. One, thin little line just underneath the fifth mark... Well, maybe you can't anymore, but it used to be there. It's from the only time I was weak enough to cut myself. The only time I was hopeless enough to think it was the strong thing to do."

Two tears escaped her eyes and rolled down her flustered cheeks to be caught by Calum's thumb. His skin was rough and caloused but warm, and it felt good.

"Ralley," he whispered. He pressed his forehead to the crown of her head, trying to hide his own watery eyes in her hair.

"The very next day..." She stopped herself and chuckled a bit. "The very next day I saw this video of one of your performances. It was Lost Boy, I believe. After that, I picked up my guitar for the first time in three months and re-taught myself. About a year later, Ava, Karrie, Liz, and I decided to start a band... I'm sorry if it's creepy or weird, but you guys saved me. If I hadn't seen that video, as trivial a video as it seemed, I wouldn't have laid a hand on that beautiful instrument; To the Stars wouldn't have formed. You were the catalyst."