Welcome to My World

Chapter 22 Callum's POV {So Fight In The Rain...}

As my footsteps take me farther and farther away from Rayla, I can't help wondering if this was the right choice. I keep thinking of Rayla. My best friend since I was a baby. My protector. My confidant. My sister that I never had. My crush.

My friend. My extended family. And I chose Genelyn over her?

I let her down. But she's been so mean to Genelyn lately. Being secretive, hiding things from me. She let her anger get the better of her. She isn't the girl who moved in across the street when I was 2 anymore. We've changed, and maybe it's for the better.

I finish my trip to Genelyn, and she practically falls into my arms. Ezran comes up to me slowly. He's got Ellis behind him, and the dog. "Callum?" He says softly. "Are you sure you made the right choice?"

"Of course I did." I snap. "You guys are just being mean to Genelyn."

"But there are two sides to the same coin. Every rose has its thorns." Ellis warns me in a quiet tone. "Do you know how she acts when you're not around?"

"Yeah. Of course I do." I say again, but uncertain.

"Then why'd you pick her over Rayla?" Ellis yells.

"Rayla had it coming!" I shout back. "She was jealous, and she let her anger get to her head. She took it out on Genelyn, and now she's paying the price! She shouldn't have taken it out Genelyn just because she couldn't have me!"

Ellis sighs. "Ok. Let's do this my way. Rayla has not joined P.E. since the soccer game. True or false?"

Uncertain, I say true.

"Rayla has good parents who treat her well. True or false?" Ez asks softly.

"True." I say, thinking of Runaan with a chuckle.

"Rayla has bruises on her arms that mysteriously appeared after going to the girls' locker room. True or false?" Ellis continues.

"I don't know where you're going with this!" I yell.

"Well, just so you know, the girl you're holding right now is a big, fat, *****!" Ellis yells back.

Genelyn's eyes start to fill with tears, and I hug her protectively. "See, now look what you did. She's crying. You guys are acting like Rayla. You should all stop being so mean."

Ellis growls. "Well, so you know how Rayla got her bruises?"

I shift uneasily. "No..."

"Why don't you ask your piece of **** that calls herself a ******* *****?!?!" Ellis snaps before whirling around and walking off. Ezran follows her. As they go off, I can hear them talking quietly. "We can't do this. Before we can get them to believe in Xadia, we need to get them to believe in each other."

"And by the way, if you see Rayla, tell her to stop being mean to Genelyn!" I call loudly after them.

"They don't need to tell me anything."

A girl's voice sounds behind me. It has a Scottish accent. I groan and turn around.

Rayla stands behind me, her long white hair tied back in a ponytail.

"Stop being so mean to Genelyn." I tell her.

Rayla raises an eyebrow. "Is that what she's saying about me now?"

I nod.

She continues. "You of all people should know me better, Callum." She says, and that's when I notice Ellis is right. Her arms are bruised, but she doesn't join P.E. What does that mean, then?

"You of all people shouldn't be jealous, then." I retort.

Rayla snorts. "Why would I be jealous of her being the biggest idiot in the world?"

I clench my fists. "You want to fight, then?"

She shifts her feet. "Bring it."

Then we charge at each other with a yell.