CALUM
Mama Mace blocked me. Either that or she no longer exists on TicToc. It’s my fault. I knew I shouldn’t have liked that video with my main account. I search for the name and username but nothing shows up.I refresh the page.
Same result. People that are not her. More usernames with digits. I close the app and open BC. GC is strictly for girls and I’m not about to pretend to be some girl seeking for help. I need her to know it’s me when she sees the post. What are the odds she will? I guess I’ll have to keep making those posts to find out.
I massage my neck, turn my head to the left, then the right, until I hear a crack. Much better. I’m home alone. Sam invited me to his flat since Lucas was coming over to play games, but I refused. I need answers.
Mum can help.
I banish that thought as fast as it comes. I’m not talking to her. She knew and she didn’t say anythin
Today will be good. I know that because it doesn’t take much to put Mace to sleep. I tilt my head back on the top of the couch and place a hand on Mace’s rocking chair.Footsteps pound against the floor, growing louder as the person approaches me. I keep my eyes closed as Amelia plops down on the couch. She nudges me with a knee but I squeeze my eyes tighter. Maybe she will take the hint and leave me be for today.“There’s a new post from the same guy,” she says. I ignore her. “You should reply, Cathy.”A few days ago, someone by the name of Calum Dissick created an account on BC, that itself is unusual because what are the odds? The same name? His profile picture is a landscape picture but his username is a mix of his first and last name. Nothing to worry or think about. It can’t be him.What caught the staff’s attention was his first post. It was long. The longest post from any of t
Dear Calum Dissick,I’m writing this email to prove to Amelia that you are an asshole. A bloody wanker. I hated you yesterday, I hate you today and I will hate you tomorrow. I’ll hate you everyday. For the love of God, stop writing those letters. I don’t want to talk to you.Please find attached to this email pictures of your son. Unfortunately, we have a kid together. His name is Mace. Amelia named him. I would prefer if you didn’t show up but for the sake of everyone asking that I let you know about your son, I’m doing this. They don’t know you like I do and I know you won’t reply this. It’s over for us, isn’t it? You moved on, sold out stadiums, got popular, got a girlfriend. You’re living your best life and you’re doing that without me. Why should I let you into my life now?We made so many plans and promises. Cal. How could you do that to me, your baby?Tears drop to the keyb
CALUMCathy hasn’t called me. Do I put down my full number? But it might attract the wrong people. I already got a few prank calls.I shove more clothes into my box. A few times, my gaze drifts to the phone on the wrinkled bedsheet. Why won’t it ring? Did she see the post? I dump a shirt in my box without folding it and pick up the phone.The post from that day has garnered tons of insults, comments, and some gifts. What if she saw it and couldn’t be bothered? I type in a shorter version of the message I left. If there was an option to privatise my post, I would, but that lessens the chances of her seeing it. But Lord knows I’m tired of half the comments in the thread telling me to suck it up. I don’t want to suck anything up except she’s the one sucking me up. I miss everything about that girl. She’s my all.Done folding the clothes, I drag my box to the living room. The driver will be here to take us a
Amelia leaves for Wells today, this morning. We talk, but our relationship isn’t the same. I pick up Mace on my way to her room. She can’t resist the little man.I knock once and open without waiting for an invitation. Amelia’s back is to me, her body slouched over the box she shoves clothes into. The material of her tank clings to her skin, highlighting how bony she has become. I clear my throat, and she jerks up. Before turning, she throws on a jacket first.“Hey, Cathy.”“Hey, Amelia Greene.”Her walls are adorned with portraits of us. Mace. Mace and her. Mace and me. Mace, me and her. Ashley and Amelia. I breathe through my lips and cover the gap. Mace squiggles in my arms and I drop him to the floor. He rolls onto his back. I think he will start crawling soon. He has been showing signs. I help him onto his knees and hands.“Come on, Macey. Crawl,” Amelia coos.
CALUMLondon is the same as I remember. Loud, bubbly, with its citizens rushing off like they all have an emergency. We arrived a few hours ago. The boys crashed once they were shown their room, but me, I haven’t been able to sleep a wink. Not even on the flight here.I fluff some pillows, plant my head between two of them and force myself to sleep. My brain is a mess, my mind is a sea of images and memories. Scott hasn’t found the PI yet but he’s working on it. I make an X sign on my chest with my arms. If Cathy was here, what would she say? You need to rest, Cal.Her sweet, soft, seductive voice is a lamp in the darkness inside my head. My eyes shut. The next time they open, grey clouds hover outside my window. I stagger to the window and pull the curtains close. My brain is muddled, and my body feels like jelly. I stub my toe against the box I left on the floor and hop on one foot to the bed. Pain skyrockets through my feet as I settle d
CALUMI wake up with a pounding headache. I peel one eye open and shut it immediately. Who is breaking things inside my head? Blindly reaching for a pillow, I place it over my head and scream into the bed.What the hell?Someone nudges my foot. “Cal? Calum?”I steal a peek at the person. It’s not just one person. There are two of them. Green and hazel eyes peering down at me. They look concerned. Did something bad happen?Hazel eyes stretches a glass of water to me and green eyes hands over the pills. I gulp down the water first, then take the pills.They settle down at the foot of my bed. Sam is the quiet one, nothing surprising but Lucas is a different story. Only now...“Why are you guys acting weird?” I ask.I sneak under the covers and pull it over my chest. The animals in my head hammer away at my skull. It might take a while for the drugs to work. This is why I shou
CALUMA ghost of a smile flies across my lips as soon as those words leaves Lucas. I must have terrified him if he’s this riled up.“I’ll try,” I murmur.They both give my shoulders a squeeze and part for me to exit. I backtrack to my room, grab my wallet and sunglasses. There’s no time for a disguise. I’ll just have to deal with being popular, that’s if anyone will notice me. We are bigger in New York.Mum calls on my way out of Caleb’s house and my finger automatically hits the decline button. How could she? What was the reason? What excuse or explanation can she give that would make this better?My phone rings again. I put it on silent mode and slide it into my pocket. Mum has done her best, it’s time for me to do mine.It takes only seventeen minutes to get a cab that will take me to Cathy’s address. It might have been my accent, but a lot of them have to ask me
Amelia didn’t return on Monday like she planned. I kind of expected it, so when she called a month ago to inform me, I was not surprised. The only issue is having to wait for her return, which might not happen soon. Ashley is home, and they have family trips and outings to plan before she leaves.On the bright side, it means I don’t have to mention Mr Dissick. She doesn’t have to know he was here, that he hugged me and my body recognised him before it dawned on me how much I loathed his existence.Jason and I agreed not to mention it to her. By now, he has figured out who Mace’s dad is, but it’s still my choice to tell Amelia about the encounter. How dare him walk in there like it’s a regular date at a pub and hug me? What does he think I am? A doormat who waited for her stepbrother?I click my tongue and turn on my laptop. I don’t care what his story is, I don’t forgive him. My heart pounds when an image of him fl