The Atham Manor (Slow Updates)

Lost

"I love you."

I had said those three fracking words to him, and what's worse, he said them back. I mean, don't get me wrong. I like him, and maybe I do love him, but like... what do I know about love?

All I got was a very screwed example with a racist guy and a family that sold me. I sighed, curling up.

Do I love Calvin?

Sure. We'll say that. All the internet examples fall in line, and we did a little thing yesterday and it was amazing. And he said it back. So what I was feeling, he was feeling.

Right?

I groaned and stared at the mark on my wrist. Finally. He'd marked me. I was marked by all three Atham brothers. We did a thing. I should've felt happy. But I didn't. That hole was still there, waiting for the moment it could swallow me.

I stood up and finished washing my body and hair, and decided to procrastinate by doing a bunch of mini-twists in my hair. I got dressed in a grey turtleneck, black jeans, and sleek ankle boots before leaving the bathroom. All of the brothers were lounging lazily somewhere.

"Hey, Cal..." I stood awkwardly by the door as his head popped up in acknowledgement, "Can we talk?"

Calvin rolled into a sitting position, running a hand through his perfect hair. "Yeah, sure."

Warren, who was laying upside down halfway on the bed, raised an eyebrow. "I didn't hear my name?"

I slung a black satchel over my body without even sparing him a glance. "Cuz I didn't say it."

He watched me carefully before going back to his phone. "Okay."

Calvin got off the other side of the bed and followed me as I walked out of the hotel. I felt his cold fingers intertwine with mine and I gave him a forced smile. I didn't feel much better, but it was a start.

"We're heading back in an hour," Calvin reminded me softly when we got out of the hotel. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Let's get coffee." I responded and swung our joined hands.

He grimaced, "Coffee?"

"How about milkshakes?"

"Now you're talking the language of the gods," Calvin stuffed his hand, and my hand, into his pocket and we continued to walk to Carl's Junior a few streets down.

The overhead bell signaled our arrival and he nodded me to a booth. "Which flavor do you want?"

"Oreo." I let go of his hand and sat down, placing my hands under my thighs. I laid my head onto the cool table, but then picked my face up when I thought of the possible germ levels. (its corona time~)

I glanced up and saw Calvin using his charming smile on the cashier. It was a pretty Hispanic girl with false eyelashes and dark blue lipstick.

She was totally flirting.

I shook my head with an amused smile and soon Calvin returned with the two oreo milkshakes. He handed me my straw, already slurping his. "What'd you wanna talk about?"

"Well," I played with my straw, giving him an awkward look. "I wanted to talk to you about like... us."

"What about us?" His lips twitched into a smile.

"Well, yesterday you were being very honest with me," I recalled, staring at the table. "You said you didn't think I felt the same for you as I felt for Warren and Henry."

"That was before... the 'I love you's and the-" He swallowed, sucking down some of his milkshake.

I did the same, avoiding his gaze before slamming my hands on the booth table. Both him and the two guys jumped across the restaurant jumped. I shot them an apologetic look before scooching up closer to the table staring straight at the blonde.