Lost in Reality

Fear and Frustration.

Calvin's POV

I knew my words were harsh, but I doubted my dad could feel hurt in his state. He pretended to be shocked and gasped loudly. 

"Well, I'm here for your mom anyway. Saturday is payday EMILY." He shouted, leaning back in his chair. I grimaced at the sound of his voice. Payday? 

My mom walked out of the kitchen and stared my dad down. She reached into the pocket of her skirt and pulled out a thick check made out to Robert Ergott for $500. 

"Here's half, come back tomorrow for the rest." She said tersely. My mind was spinning. Payday? I thought to myself again. 

He tripped over his heels and stumbled around before finally grabbing the money from my mother's hands. He walked out the door, the words to "Amazing Grace" on his lips. 

I stared at my mom. She was as red as a tomato and she was rubbing her hands together sheepishly. 

"Payday? What is this payday?" I asked her. Almost ready to shout. I heard Paige shuffle out of the kitchen. 

"It's just, he needs the money Calvin. He's trying to rebuild himself, really, I just thought it might a good id----" I didn't let her finish, I was too angry.

"Good what? Good idea?!" I swore loudly at her. Paige grabbed her bag from the table. 

"Calvin." She said to me in a warning tone. I didn't reply, I didn't even glance at her.

"You have a therapist appointment. Are you coming or not?" I didn't wait for her answer. I stormed out of the house and slammed the door behind me. 

Paige's POV

I looked at Emily. I was annoyed at her, for paying her ex-husband so much money, that he was probably using for cigarettes and alcohol. But I was also sorry. I mouthed a quick apology before following Calvin out the door. 

"Calvin, please." I tried to grab the dark green sleeve of his jacket. He didn't even look at me, he flicked away my hand and walked faster. "Calvin, I know you're angry, just plea--" He interrupted my pleas by slamming his car door. I was taken aback by his behavior. I got into the car in silence. 

He rammed his foot on the accelerator before I could even fully close the door. "Calvin!" I yelped as he sped down the road. "Please!" I squirmed in my seat as we reached an intersection. Calvin made no motion of stopping, let alone slowing down. I looked out my window gripping my seat belt tightly. Calvin's eyes were wild and ferocious. 

The truck came out of nowhere. It slammed into our car flinging us off the side of the road. My head was throbbing as we landed on one side. All I could hear was glass shattering and Calvin screaming my name. 

There was a searing pain in my ribs that cut through me like a knife. Hot tears flooded my eyes. I was in too much pain to even cry out. Four ladies were scrambling all around us, they picked my broken body up out of the totaled car. I saw Calvin's body next to mine, he was choking on his breath, blood, sweat and tears streaming down his face as he let go of my hand. 

Lights. Sirens. Flashing. Screaming. Blood. Glass everywhere. I could see Calvin's blurry figure being restrained by two police officers as I was being lifted into the ambulance. 

"PAIGE!! I LOVE YOU!!" Calvin shrieked over the sirens and yells. "I REALLY, TRULY LOVE YOU!! AND I'M SOR---" His scream was cut off by the ambulance doors banging shut. Tears welled up in my eyes. Two men and a lady dressed in EMT uniforms were trying to clean up the blood pouring out of my forehead. 

I wanted Calvin's warm, calloused hands to stroke my hair and wipe my tears. I wanted him to tell me that everything was going to be okay. I wanted to see his kind face, his bright smile. I love you too. I wished he could hear my thoughts. 

I closed my eyes, entering a flashback. 

There was flashing lights everywhere. I saw my mom and dad's face. There was fire, they screamed. I shouted for them to come with me. Why didn't they come out of the burning building with me? They had to stay back, "for a friend" they shrieked. I cried out. They told me to go, they told me to run. "GET OUT OF HERE PAIGE!!" My dad's voice boomed over the roaring fire. 

"GO SWEETIE! WE LOVE YOU!" I heard my mom scream. A firefighter picked me up bridal style and passed me onto someone else. 

"NO!! MY PARENTS!! THEY'RE STILL IN THERE!!" I cried, I sobbed, I wept for them as another firefighter tried to console me. 

"We're doing everything we can." He led me over to Calvin, "You know him?" He asked me, I let out more tears, 

"Yeah, she's my girlfriend." Calvin said, he wrapped me in his arms and hugged me tight. "It's okay, Paige. I got you." He whispered in my ear, as he led me away from the burning building. More tears. More blood. More flashing lights. 

Blackness enveloped my mind as I lost consciousness, a single tear rolling down my cheek. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well, this was a short yet very eventful chapter. 

Now we know how exactly Paige's parents died. 

What's gonna happen to Paige? 

What's gonna happen to Calvin? 

Find out in the next chapter!

See y'all then!