Secret // Calum Hood

28

Calum

I was bummed that Elena didn’t jump at the chance to stay with me and my family.  Because that’s what she needs right now, a family who actually takes care of her.  She can’t stay with her mother, who drinks all the time and never pays attention, and who is downright abusive.  I shuddered as I remembered the day I saw the bruises on Elena’s face.  I wanted so desperately to call child services, but she begged me not to.  Sometimes I think that Elena is my greatest weakness.  I should take charge, tell her she needs to better her life, and that won’t work by her staying in that forsaken house.  

I don’t want her to stay at my house forever.  I surely don’t want my mom to adopt her all of the sudden.  The selfish part of me says that because if Elena was adopted into our family, her and I could never be together.

I’ve never wanted to be with someone as much as I want to be with Elena, and that scares me.  I have to stop myself every day from kissing her, telling her how I feel.  Every time we hold hands, or hug, I just want to hold her tight and never let go.  I’ve never felt like this before.  Sometimes I get mad because all of the drama in her life is what’s in the way of us being together.  But I have to stop myself from thinking that, because it’s not her fault.  I would rather her be happy and healthy than to be with me and never solve any of her problems.

But it’s getting harder, being with her.

“Hey, I’m kind of lost, can you help me?” someone behind me asked.  I turned around and saw the devilish smile of Nathan.

“Fuck off,” I said, and walked away.  He caught up to me and started walking beside me.

“You know, I appreciate you taking care of Elena until I could come back for her.  She really is something-”

I suddenly shoved him against a locker and had my hands pinned against his shoulders, keeping him there.  I couldn’t take it anymore.  He hurt Elena, and I can’t stand him.  I used all of my strength to keep him there.  He was really strong, after all.  I know that by now, everyone was staring, but I was too angry to care.

“Stay away from her!  Don’t you ever touch her!” I shouted, letting the rage consume me.

“Calum let go!” Elena said behind me.  She pulled my arms back and before I knew it, Nathan was standing upright, fixing his shirt collar.  I breathed heavily, glaring at him, pretending I was beating his ass to a pulp.

He stepped closer to me, so that only I could hear what he was about to say.

“You don’t have to worry about me touching her, mate.  I already did,” he grinned and I went for him again, but Elena yelled at me to stop.  She held me back and turned me to her, cupping my face in her hands.  I was still in a rage over Nathan.  How can he live with himself?!

“Calum, Calum, look at me!  Stop.  You’re better than that.  Violence isn’t going to fix what he did,” she whispered, looking at me with her worried brown eyes.  I looked at her, and all the anger seemed to slip away.  

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, feeling terrible.