The Boy Left In The Dark -CALUM-

-1-

"Jesse, honey, you need to wake up."

Groaning, I opened my eyes. Here we were in the city of San Francisco, thousands of miles away from my friends, my school, my boyfriend, my home....

But this was for the best, at least that's what my mom and dad had pried into my head for the past three weeks. Had I tried to look on the bright side, yes. Had I found much light in this hell hole, no.

I crawled out of the car, stretching and massaging the sore muscles in my legs and back. A popping noise came from my hip, causing my eyes to widen and a giggle slip from my big brother's lips. "Careful there little girl, don't want to throw out your hip. You're older than you think you are."

My eyes roll to the back of my head and I give him the finger, a shrill of horror coming from mom, "Jesse Grace! I better not see that ever again from you!" She scolded, pointing her little finger at me. "And remember, I'm always watching."

"Liz, please calm down," My dad exhaled, taking the first of many boxes out of the car and walked in into the large townhouse.

Sighing, I walk to the trunk and pull out my duffle bag, throwing it on my shoulder. The second I step into the place that I'm now supposed to call home, I feel goosebumps form on my skin. I don't know if it's the drafty air conditioning or the cobwebs in the upper corners of the house but I felt anything but at home.

"Yike's," Luke commented from behind me, "I didn't know we were moving in with the Adams family."

"Your humor is trash but I appreciate the effort, Robby," I chuckled as I carefully ascended my way to the top.

"That's not my name you b- AHHH!" I peer over my  shoulder and see my 6'4 brother crawling up the stairs with pure terror and panic in his blue orbs. The thin boards of the stairs bent slightly under Luke's weight. He looks up at me, beads of sweat beginning to form on his forehead. "T-this is not fair! You weigh like half of what I do!"

Once again I roll my eyes before walking to the room that currently didn't have any boxes. "Oh grow a pair Robby."

The room didn't meet my expectations. I imagined it to be this beautiful, bright, flower smelling fortress. What I got was no where what I was desired. It was dark and grungy. The chill of the drafty room caused goose bumps rise to my skin like seeds in a strawberry.

I took out my phone as the vibration from my pocket made the skin of my thigh tickle. My eyes wandered to the several text messages from the love of my life. The corners of my mouth rose as they scanned through his many sweet texts.

Babe: I miss you so much.

Babe: No one could ever replace you, baby.

Babe: I wish you were here next to me....

Babe: Its almost as if Missy knows you're gone. You know how much she loves you. She doesn't even look at me nearly the same way.

Babe: Take care of yourself babe. Do it for us. 

To Babe: I love you. Give Missy a kiss for me.

My  heart ached thinking about the two. The two who ruled my world. The two who I made so many beautiful memories with. The two who made me laugh, cry, and so angry, yet I couldn't ask for better.

The day mom told me I would have to leave them was the day I knew I would never be the same. I could never watch endless Disney movies till the two fell asleep on my lap, or go to the water park and watch them play on the splash pad as I laid out to tan, or even go to a concert of Missy's choice even though no one else cared for it. The things I did to see her smile.. 

"Mom! Can we go to the store? I need to get deodorant!" Luke howled from the banister, which happened to be right next to my room. The volume of his voice made me leap in fright.

As I walked past Luke on my way down the stairs, I shoved him lightly. "Jesse! Do you understand how easily I fall over? Do you understand how far of a fall that is for me?" He cried four octaves higher than usual.

"No Luke. I don't. I'm only 5'0. You should be aware of that. You have to bring it up in nearly every conversation."

He scoffed, showing me the whites of his eyes. "Do you need help unpacking the rest of our room?"

"Please," I sighed heavily, going back out to the car for the rest of my shit.

.

.

.

Here I lay, staring at my ceiling, once again wishing I wasn't here. My room now cluttered with brown boxes filled with my unorganized belongings. The stench of duck tape and wet, lavender paint gave me a headache, yet it didn't bother me as much as my constant flashbacks of home.

Something tickled my cheek which I recognized to be a tear. It wasn't the first tonight and it surely wasn't going to be the last. "I'll love you until the last beat of my heart, Jess," I murmured. It didn't sound the same coming from me. He is the only one that can make me smile, even if the sky is falling down.

I decided to try and get some sleep after discovering it to be 2:17 in the morning. I had to go find a job tomorrow; anything to keep me occupied.

My eyelids slowly fell closed and my breathing began to even out, and that night I swore I heard another voice. But it was too gentle to startle me awake.

"I'll fix you..."