Toxic Lips [l.h]

f o r t y o n e

Calum smiles at me as he buckles in his seatbelt. "Hi Alaska."

I swallow the lump in my throat. Calum was the one who broke into my apartment. How can I still look at him as my friend?

"What...what are you doing here?" I ask. What if Drew sent him to monitor me? Oh, god. My nerves just skyrocketed.

"I'm going to a conference in Perth," he says. "Well, I play soccer quite well, and this organisation invited me to feature in some presentation."

He doesn't seem like he's lying, but then again, everyone associated with Drew seems to be a good liar. Luke, too. I nod and force a smile.

"Alaska, I know what you're thinking," he sighs.

"What am I thinking?"

"Come on, don't act like that. I was there when Drew caught you listening, remember?"

"Oh, right," I say, blushing with embarasment.

"I'm not going to say anything to Drew," he says. "In fact, Drew doesn't even know I'm on this flight. He thinks I'm ill."

I furrow my eyebrows, readying a reply when Calum beats me to it.

"Buckle up, we're lifting off," he tells me as the pilot's voice comes through the loudspeaker.

I comply and Calum pulls a magazine out of his seat pocket, leaning back in his seat. We don't speak anymore as the plane takes off and coasts steadily among the clouds.

I'm still on edge as I open my song book, clicking open my red pen and beginning to write. Seeing as though I am currently on a plane, I feel as though it is only fitting to write about someone leaving.

'For a while we pretended that we never had to end it,

But we knew we'd have to say goodbye.

You were crying at the airport when they finally closed the plane door,

I could barely hold it all inside.

Torn in two,

And I know I shouldn't tell you but I just can't stop thinking of

You, wherever you are.

You, wherever you are.

Every night I almost call you, just to say it always will be

You, wherever you are.

I feel Calum's eyes on me, and I try to ignore him.

"You don''t have to ignore me," he says and I flush.

"I"m not ignoring you," I say, not looking up from my work.

"I think you are."

I put my pen down. "What do you want me to say to you, Calum? 'Thanks for breaking into my apartment, much obliged!'"

Calum looks taken aback. "You think I went through your apartment?"

"I heard you say it," I snap. "I'm not an idiot."

To my surprise, Calum laughs.

"What's so funny?" I ask.

"I didn't break into your apartment," he says, chuckling and shaking his head.

"But--"

"I only reported on it," he says. "Jack and Courtney were the ones who broke in." He says, and begins to lean towards me. "I shouldn't be telling you this," he says. "But Drew's organisation--Blackwater Enterprises-- is much bigger than you think. The people you saw in that room are merely his closest executive."