Cold Tears|Calum Hood

Chapter 8

I found myself running in a dark alley like I was avoiding or running away from something, I don't know what, I don't know why. I'm really scared of the situation until I stumbled upon a huge brick wall, indicating that it is a dead end.

"Wait Cal!" A feminine voice yelled from behind. "No way! Back off!" I yelled back and hid behind a dumpster. "Please Cal." This time the feminine voice is more than calmed. I stood up from behind the dumpster and went near to the woman. Meters away, I can't clearly see her face, but a I move closer, her face became more clear. The brown hair, the hazel eyes, the plump lips, the petite body. Yes, it's Monica. But why is she alive? Why am I scared? I don't have the answers. "Tell me what's going on." I told Monica while touching her shoulder. I was surprised when it was intangible, that's why my hand fell down my on hips. She's a ghost. "I need justice for my death Cal." She said, finally letting her tears fall. I know she's been holding back her tears a while ago. "What do you mean?" I said quite surprised. "It wasn't supposed to be me. " She said shaking. "It was just a mistake, it was supposed to be her." She told me still crying. "What are you saying?" I asked her, kinda dozed off. "Calum! Hey Calum!"

I blinked my eyes close and open and woke up in the presence of my sister Mali. It was just a dream. A horrible dream, but what does my dream mean? Does it mean something? "Mom, told me to wake you up, it's 12! Get your butt moving Calum!" She laughed. But I don't care on what she is saying. All I wonder is why Monica visited me in my dreams and what does she mean in the 'it wasn't supposed to be me' thingy. Why? Questions pop up in my mind, one by one, side by side. I actually can't focus now.

I subconsciously walked down the staircase and found my mom doing the kitchen. She has prepared lunch and I didn't even bother to say hi, unlike I always did.

The words in my mind keep on running like a thousand laps. The it-wasnt-supposed-to-be-me thingy in my dream of Monica bothers me. A lot. I clenched my fists in confusion, looking straight in the empty space.

I bounced my legs up and down due to nervousness. Whoof. It's something you don't need to worry about! I told myself, trying to be as optimistic as I can. "You're fine? I presume you're not." I was pulled out of my thoughts when Mali spoke up. She's still staring at me with a big question mark. "Oh. Y-yeah! It's nothing." I smiled back to cover my nervousness. Why am I nervous in the first place?

I need to take a stroll. I 'm sure it's just a meaningless nightmare. I did a quick shower to assure that I don't smell. I didn't make anything to make me smell either. I've done my hair with a bit of hair wax. I put it in a Mohawk style. Quickly, I grabbed my hoodie from the hook that is mounted on the wall. As I slip in, I still feel my joints shake. Idiot Scared Calum.

I bade goodbye to my sister and my mum and went out of our house. I went over to the local park in our community. I fancy street foods. It's less than a kilometer away from our home, a short 5 minute walk maybe. As the cold afternoon breeze touches my skin, goosebumps form. My hoodie wasn't enough. I am a few metres away when I smelled the hotdogs from a hotdog cart. Smells good.

I bought a sandwich there and sat down on a bench. I was about to dig in when I felt someone squeezed my shoulder. "Won't you give me some?" Oh, it's Tina of course. " I am a hungry pig, go buy yourself." I joked and smashed my mustard coated finger to her nose. She stood up with a smile.

After a minute, she came back with a hotdog for her own. "I bought one for mine!" She told me enthusiastically. We finished our sandwiches soon. "Fancying a walk?" She finally broke the comfy silence between us. I nodded and she grabbed my wrist. We walked some streets until eventually reached the local beach. The water splashes on the shore in a relaxing manner.

"Oh. Look at the awesome beach!" She said, tightening the grip more in my wrist. "Yes, it's fabulous." I said with a reassuring smile. "Time? What time is it?" She asked and now her hands are on my hands. Tangling it. It was a bit of an awkward gesture of hers but I did not pull off. It's comfortable though. "5:30" I told her while staring in her eyes. She quickly pulled me further and pulled me down on the sand for a seat. "The sunset! Look at it Calum." She said and surprised me when she placed one arm on my back. "It's beautiful." She told me with a smile. I was surprised again when she leaned on my shoulder. I unconsciously put one of my hands on her hair, rubbing it as I watched the sunset in pure awe.

A short 15-minute of silence went by and the sun faded and was replaced by the moon. The orange sky is now in its rightful navy blue. We haven't shifted our position in that fifteen minutes. "Thanks Calum." She said and pecked on my cheeks. That gesture made my eyes open wide and my lips pout a bit. "What was that for?" I tried to sound as not rude as I can. "Nothing. You just showed me God's best gift." Her eyes looked at me straight as if her eyes were also saying something. Her eyes flickered in awe. "But it's you who brought me here!" I joked. "It's not the sunset Cal. It's.. It's.." Her voice trailed off and the last word wasn't audible. "What was that?" I asked. "Nothing!" She laughed uncomfortably. "Let's go." This time, I was the one who's holding her wrist. In the first two metres of our walk back home, she stiffened. But after that, she pulled back and held my hands, tangling it. We had some chitchat and I didn't notice that we're in front of our house. It's just a few blocks away from us and it's awesome. Not as big as anyone could think, but it really is awesome. "Thanks Calum!" She gave me a quick peck on my cheeks again.

I walked back home and realized that the it-wasnt-supposed-to-be-me thing was now replaced with its-not-the-sunset thingy. I laid back on my bed and for the second time I realized something. I actually forgot Monica for at least sometime. Happiness took over me but at the same time I felt guilty. But still, it's happiness that takes over. I put my eyes closed and pictured Monica smiling. But after, the picture of Tina kissing my cheeks appeared, which made me smile. Shut Calum! You act like a little teenage girl! I told myself.