Naomi Valentine
I'm lying in my bed on Sunday. It's probably already past noon, but I'm very unaware of my surroundings. The TV on the opposite wall is playing some movie, but I don't even know which one, or what's happening. My phone has been buzzing on my bedside table for God-knows how long.
Since Luke left this morning, I've been staring up my ceiling, rethinking everything that happened last night. Rethinking my life. I remember Calum on the field, and I remember the panic attack vaguely. I remember the music hall and the song I continued creating. I remember Calum in the music room, and then I remember the bonfire. But nothing beyond that. Whatever happened with Luke, I've got no clue. All I know is that it was very underwhelming like it always was, and I remember doing it twice. Twice the disappointment.
From my spot on the bed, I can perfectly look into Calum's room. So, when I see movement in the room opposite of mine, I sit up. He's walking around his room, almost pacing, even. What's going on there?
Curiously, and a little confused, I get up from my bed and walk up to my window, notepad and pen at the ready. I watch him for a moment. He's in distress, I can tell. He says something, but I can't figure out whether it's a little mumble to himself or if there's someone else in the room.
He turns his head, probably seeing me from the corner of his eyes, and stops pacing. That's my cue to write a message to him.
Everything ok?
I watch him sigh and shake his head. With furrowed eyebrows, I write the next message down. My heart is racing a little, wondering what's going on. Wondering what made him stress out this much. Is it something school related? Maybe something with his family.
Wanna talk about it?
He shakes his head again. That's just about clear. I think about the next thing I want to ask him. I'm not doing anything at all today, maybe he could come over and I could distract him or just be there for him. Maybe that might help.
Wanna come over & watch Atlantis?
Atlantis has always been Calum's favourite Disney movie, while mine was a tie between Pocahontas and The Little Mermaid. We used to fight about which movie we were going to watch on our playdates. It was quite adorable.
I watch the boy write something down on his pad, awaiting his answer.
Yes please. I'll bring some snacks :)
The answer makes me smile a little. I give him a thumbs up and watch him dash off. A smile finds its way on my lips as I see a shadow walk through the kitchen, and then a tall Kiwi boy run out the backdoor. I chuckle when he trips over his football in the backyard, bags of chips chucked underneath his arm. He runs through the gate in his backyard, then jumps across the bush separating our driveways, then goes through our gate.
5, 4, 3, 2 – Our backdoor opens and shuts again, the smile on my face widening.
"Good afternoon, Eloise," I hear him say, a chirpy tone in his voice, "Sup, Nate!"
I count to five again and I hear him run up the stairs.
"Practicing your run?" I ask him when he walks into my bedroom, panting a little. He looks at me, eyes wide, like a deer caught in headlight. "You do know I can always see you from my window, right?" I ask him, laughing a little. I go to grab my Atlantis DVD and put it into the DVD-player before sitting down on my bed.
"Well, I'm sorry I got excited to spend some time with my favourite neighbour," he tells me off, rolling his eyes and sits down next to me on the bed, kicking his shoes off before putting his feet on my bed. Still the most well-mannered boy.
"Then go hang out with Nathan, thought he was your all-time favourite neighbour and Valentine," I tell him, obviously joking. It makes me realize how much I've missed our banter. It used to be like this all the time when we were fifteen.
Calum gives me a glare, which I return with a wide grin. Almost the same wide grin I used to give him when I was teasing him when we were young. Only this one is with a lot more teeth than it was so many years ago. "Now, shush, the movie's going to start," I tell him as I settle myself against one of the many pillows on my bed and against the headboard.
I hear Calum chuckle before plopping the bags of snacks next to me and copying my movements.
Being with Calum again is like a fresh breath of air. I don't have to put on a mask when I'm around him or have a façade around my heart. I can just be me with him, I don't have to be the Naomi Valentine or Luke Hemmings' girlfriend. I can just be me. I can just be Naomi Jaidyn Valentine who loves Disney movies and likes to cuddle. I can just be.
