He's Real c.h.

Seven: koi

Maely skipped breakfast to take walk with Calum.

There was a little koi pond behind the building and she loved it. She would go as far as stealing money from people to feed the fish. There was a little machine next to it, where you put in a quarter for a handful of food.

Maely kicked a stone and watched it tumble down the sidewalk. She gripped Calum's hand and gently leaned against him.

It was still a bit dark out as they turned a corner.

"Calum," she started. He looked down at her. "Do you love me?"

Calum smiled, leaning down and kissing Maely's forehead.

"Of course I love you, Maels."

She smiled back at him and scratched her arm.

As they neared the koi pond, Maely could make out a dark shape leaning against the building. Maely crinkled her nose a bit; this was supposed to be her and Calum's pond.

No one else.

But there they where, plain as the oncoming day.

"Shit." Maely ticked.

Maely and Calum sat down on the small stone bench and admired the koi.

She couldn't help but wonder about Calum's behavior lately. He hadn't told her to hurt anyone, and he was prompting her to make friends. It puzzled her very much, but she pushed the thought away.

Maely could see the figure was a girl, smoking a cigarette. She twitched at every slight noise.

Maely put a quarter in the machine and turned the knob. She gave some food to Calum, but he dropped it.

The girls head twitched in their direction. Maely giggled and picked up the food.

"You do it, I'll just watch." Calum said.

Maely nodded and knelt down beside the pond. She smiled as the koi began to slap the water, eager for food. Her smile quickly disappeared as the girl glanced at her.

Maely didn't like the vibe she was giving off. She just wanted her to take her blackened lungs and leave.

To Maely's despair, the girl trudged over. She looked much like Carson, but with less tattoos and piercings and wavy blonde hair.

"Let's go, Calum." Maely said, scratching her arm and standing up.

She bumped into the girl and fell back down.

"Sorry." Maely apologized unecissarily.

The girl held out her hand and helped Maely up.

"Sorry, it's just...Carson told me about you." she said simply.

Maely glanced at Calum for guidance. "Excuse me, but we need to leave." he said.

She ignored him. "I'm super sorry to freak you out. It's Maely, right? You're names Maely?" she asked, fixing Maely's hair.

Maely nodded.

She fixed her own hair, then shirt. She obviously had ADHD and OCD.

"Sorry." she said again.

"No, it's ok. You know Carson?" Maely asked.

"Who doesn't? She and Luke. Everyone knows them--well all the druggies," The girl said, holding up her cigarette. She tossed it behind her carelessly. "They're actually really gross. Don't do drugs. Oh yeah, I'm Emma."

Emma fixed Maely's hair again. Maely smiled a little.

Calum stood at Maely's side and she reached for his hand. "Shit. We should probably get to class." Maely said with a tic.

"Oh yeah. I almost forgot. Hey what bell do you have English. Oh wait, you don't have it with me. I would have seen you. D'you mind if I sit with you at lunch?"

Maely could hardly keep up with Emma's thoughts.

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Maely and Calum's ship name is Malum woops.