✓ | PHOTOGRAPHER ( CALEB MCLAUGHLIN )

xxiv. thank you, spider-man

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR.
[ xxiv. thank you, spider-man ]
/ IRL /

CALEB TWIRLED HIS earbud cord in his hand around his finger as he continued to stare deeply at his phone screen, completely blocking off the world. He continued to scroll through, falling deeper in love as he did. What he was looking at didn't shock anyway, but yet, sympathized with him. Caleb sat there with his eyes glued onto the screen looking at old pictures and videos of him and Parker together.

There was a video of Caleb banging on Parker's driver-side window, yelling at her playfully. She had promised him she would let him drive, but locked the car door, refusing to let him inside. "Parker!" He yelled in a laughter, whining slightly.

"No, you coward!" Parker shouted back with a wide smile on her face. Caleb rapidly banged on the window, having the girl let out a small scream. "You're gonna break my window!" She swung the door open, giggling. "You're not coming-" Before she could finish her sentence, Caleb sat on her lap forcefully.

"Bet!" Caleb shouted in a loud laugh. The video ended right then and there, already bringing Caleb tears in his eyes. He bit the inside of his cheek and kept looking through his photo album. His heart skipped a beat as Parker face showed up in his camera roll, seeing she had gotten on his phone and he didn't know it.

He furrowed his eyebrows and clicked on one of the photos, seeing this was taken from the Calpurnia concert he surprised her at. His heart softened and clicked on a video taken that day. It was a video of Parker singing along to 'City Boy', raising her hand up and jumping up and down. She smiled and moved the phone to where it showed Caleb, who had his arm wrapped around her shoulders comfortingly. He raised his eyebrows and grinned, taking his eyes off the phone to look at the girl.

"I'm legit about to have a panic attack," Parker mouthed nervously, still grinning. Caleb's face changed to concern.

"You wanna go outside?" He asked over the music. She shook her head, anxiously chuckling.

"I'll be okay, I have you after-all." They in fact did have to leave and step outside, which was okay in his book because it just meant alone time with her.

Caleb's heart sank as the video stopped, having the urge to watch it over again, but refrained. He let out a shaky sigh and scrolled down, just wanting to delete everything. He then saw a video that caught his eye among the pictures. A video of Parker driving and Caleb sitting in the front seat, playing on Parker's phone. He clicked on it, not having memory of this moment. Once he did, however, all the memory of the moment came rushing back to him.

"Why do you think people sleep on you?" Parker asked as she kept her eyes directly on the road. Caleb, in the video, shrugged as he stared down at the girl's phone.

"Because I'm black." He looked over at her, who didn't have much of a reaction.

"Which is complete bullshit," she sighed as she turned the steering wheel, pursing her lips together. "Does it ever get to you?" Parker looked over at him, who was staring at her.

"Sometimes it does," he confessed softly, "I mean, imagine putting so much effort into something and you're basically one of the main workers on it, and get no credit from it whatsoever."

"And you out of all people shouldn't be treated like that," she explained to him sincerely, making him smile in the video and during the time he was watching it. "Just remember, someone notices your work; I notice your work and I'm proud of you for everything you accomplished." Caleb looked over at her with a smile on his face, grinning from ear to ear.

"Thank you, Spider-Man," he stated genuinely, "I really appreciate that." Parker winked at him and started to burst out with laughter. "And I'll always be proud of you in everything you do." She let out a loud 'awww' and her face became red. The video ended, leaving Caleb breathless and filled with emotion.

All he wanted to do was cry. All he wanted to do was to see Parker again and ask her "why?". All the wanted to do is just hug her and reassure her everything will be okay, that they both will be okay. All he wanted to do was remember how to live without Parker ever being in his life . . .

which is exactly what he is planning on doing.

He wiped his glossy eyes without hesitation and started to delete every photo of Parker in his album. He wiped her existence clean within seconds. He felt nothing more than sadness and nothing but. He tilted his head back and just started to cry, wanting to throw his phone against the wall out of rage.

Why was she making him feel this way? Why did she have to ruin everything? Why did she have to be so amazing that he had to fall in love with her? Why did she have to make such an impact on his life that he can't let go? Why did she have to choose an inanimate object over him? All these questions consumed him at once.

So, he sobbed. Trying to convince himself he had no more feelings for the girl whatsoever. And maybe, if he tried enough, he would be successful. And that was his goal.

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LOL THIS MAKES ME EMO. SUJHDHJEE