ᴅɪᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀɴsᴡᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʜᴏɴᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀsᴛ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ ᴄᴀʟʟᴇᴅ? ᴅɪᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪsᴛᴇɴ ᴛᴏ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʜᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ᴛᴏ sᴀʏ? ʜᴏᴡ ʜᴇ sᴀɪᴅ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴀʟʟ ʏᴏᴜʀ ғᴀᴜʟᴛ?

ᵈᵒⁿ’ᵗ ˡⁱˢᵗᵉⁿ. ʰᵉ’ˢ ˡʸⁱⁿᵍ. ᵈᵒ ᵃˢ ʸᵒᵘ ʷᵉʳᵉ ᵗᵃᵘᵍʰᵗ. ⁱᵍⁿᵒʳᵉ, ⁱᵍⁿᵒʳᵉ, ⁱᵍⁿᵒʳᵉ.

𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚜𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚏𝚊𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚊𝚛. 𝙷𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚠𝚎 𝚖𝚎𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎?

ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ᴄᴀʟʟ ᴜᴘᴏɴ ɢᴏᴅ, ʜᴇ’s ɴᴏᴛ ʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀɴʏᴍᴏʀᴇ.

ⁱᵍⁿᵒʳᵉ, ⁱᵍⁿᵒʳᵉ, ⁱᵍⁿᵒʳᵉ.

𝙸𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚑𝚘𝚗𝚎?

𝘿𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙞𝙨 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚

ØⱧ, ⱠØØ₭ ⱧØ₩ ɎØɄ’VɆ ₲ⱤØ₩₦.

𝙶𝚘 𝚊𝚠𝚊𝚢. 𝙻𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚖𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚎.

Ø₣ ₵ØɄⱤ₴Ɇ ɎØɄ’Đ ⱤɄ₦ ₳₩₳Ɏ, ł ₴ⱧØɄⱠĐ’VɆ ₭₦Ø₩₦.

ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴀʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏɪɴɢ? ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʜᴀᴘᴘᴇɴᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴄᴏᴜʀᴀɢᴇ ʏᴏᴜ’ᴠᴇ sʜᴏᴡɴ?

ⁱᵍⁿᵒʳᵉ, ⁱᵍⁿᵒʳᵉ, ⁱᵍⁿᵒʳᵉ.

𝘿𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙤𝙧

₲₳₮ⱧɆⱤ ɎØɄⱤ ₮Ⱨł₦₲₴. ł’VɆ ₲Ø₮ ‘₮łⱠ ₣ØɄⱤ.

𝙽𝚘- 𝙸𝚝’𝚜 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚖𝚢 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎.

ɆӾ₳₵₮ⱠɎ. ɎØɄ’ⱤɆ ⱤɄ₦₦ł₦₲ Ø₦ ₥ł₦Ɇ.

ᴀʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ɪɴ ᴅᴇɴɪᴀʟ? ᴛʜᴀᴛ’s ғɪɴᴇ. ᴊᴜsᴛ ʜᴜʀʀʏ ᴜᴘ, ᴡᴇ’ᴠᴇ ᴀʟʀᴇᴀᴅʏ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴛᴏᴏ ᴋɪɴᴅ.

ᵒᵏᵃʸ, ˢᵉʳⁱᵒᵘˢˡʸ, ᵉⁿᵒᵘᵍʰ ʷⁱᵗʰ ᵗʰᵉ ʳʰʸᵐᵉˢ.

𝙸𝚝’𝚜 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚑 𝙸 𝚏𝚎𝚊𝚛. 𝙸𝚝’𝚜 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝙶𝚘𝚍. 𝙸 𝚏𝚎𝚊𝚛 𝚖𝚢𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏, 𝙸 𝚏𝚎𝚊𝚛 𝚖𝚢 𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚝𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚍𝚘𝚘𝚖 𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚋𝚢 𝚖𝚢 𝚘𝚠𝚗 𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚜, 𝚖𝚢 𝚏𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝙸’𝚟𝚎 𝚠𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚗 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚜, 𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚞𝚕𝚘𝚞𝚜𝚕𝚢 𝚎𝚝𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚢 𝚜𝚔𝚒𝚗-

ʸᵒᵘ ᶠᵉᵃʳ, ʸᵒᵘ ᶠᵉᵃʳ-

ᴡʜᴀᴛ’s ᴡɪᴛʜɪɴ.

₴Ø, ɎØɄ’ⱤɆ ₳₣Ɽ₳łĐ, ɆVɆⱤɎØ₦Ɇ ł₴. ɎØɄ ₮Ⱨł₦₭ ł ₵₳ⱤɆ? ł ĐØ₦’₮ ₩₳ł₮ Ø₦ ₣Ɇ₳Ɽ, ₣Ɇ₳Ɽ ₩₳ł₮₴ Ø₦ ₥Ɇ.

ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴏɴ, ᴅʏɪɴɢ ɪsɴ’ᴛ sᴏ ʙᴀᴅ. ʏᴏᴜ’ʟʟ sᴇᴇ.

₵ⱠØ₴Ɇ ɎØɄⱤ ɆɎɆ₴ ₳₦Đ ₵ØɄ₦₮ ₮Ø ₮ⱧⱤɆɆ.

ᵈᵒⁿ’ᵗ ˡⁱˢᵗᵉⁿ! ᵈᵒⁿ’ᵗ ˡⁱˢᵗᵉⁿ! ˢʰᵒᵘᵗ ʸᵒᵘʳ ᵖˡᵉᵃˢ!

𝙸 𝚍𝚘𝚗’𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚍𝚒𝚎. 𝙸’𝚕𝚕 𝚍𝚘 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛, 𝙸’𝚕𝚕 𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚟𝚎!

ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴇ ɪɴ ᴡʜᴀᴛ? ɪɴ ᴡʜᴏ?

𝘿𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙞𝙨 𝙜𝙤𝙣𝙚

ᴛᴏᴏ ʟᴀᴛᴇ, ʏᴏᴜ ʟᴏsᴇ.

ᵒʳ ʷⁱⁿ.

ᴄʜᵒᵒsɆ.

I can save you don’t worry dear. You’ll be alright as soon as I come by. You’ll be okay. Don’t worry becuse I’m right beside you always. I’m always there for you.

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You will regret that! Don’t make me remind you again! You will regret that! You won’t make it! You can’t do it! You are useless! Don’t forget that!

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You should just give up. There is no hope. You can’t do this. You never succeed. You should give up before it’s too late. Just stop now.

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.

Hhhhhhhhhhh

(Warning: this thing is kinda weird and just a thingy I’ve been stressing over.)

I lay down my head, tuck myself beneath my snuggly warm comforter, and close my eyes. My body is clean and lotioned with lush Japanese cherry blossom; making me smell like, or what one would say, a grandmother. My thick hair tucked into a bonnet. Now all that’s left is for me to sleep.

---

Whatcha doing, baby? Tryin’ to go to sleep? Aww, It’s funny that you think you can.

What the hell? First off, you are me Why would you call me baby? Second off, shut up before I take some pills.

That’s a lie You’re afraid of pills, and holes And shots And if your crush is asexual

You too! I have to go to sleep Right now! I have a unit test tomorrow.

But… You could stay up all night Thinking of Rayburn and Oswald And their next sweet scene

Tempting, But no.

Yes, you would rather Stare at the ceiling And think of “Honey Bear” If she kissed y—

ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT! Shut it! Fuck OFF!

Wow! Feisty aren’t you?

Stop talking, Your making me uncomfortable Why is your voice that low?

Because you hate deep DEEP voices…. But also high pitched ones. Why can’t you choose?

And why can’t you let me go to sleep?

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I feel a pair of hands tugging the comforter off of my head and tucking it to my chest.

“Goodnight, Hollow,” my mother kisses me on my head. She walks back out of my dark room, turning on the fan.

My wonderful Mummy.

“Night,” I mumble. I squeeze my eyes tighter and try to blank my mind. But what pops up is not sleep, it’s—

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Oh! So you are horny! **I was close enough **

Oh my dear lord.

_Now, _ What would Honey Bear say If she saw what you were thinking?

Shut UP!

You say that an awful lot.

Oh my god OH MY GOD

Oh look It’s getting worse Oh—OH

Wait, wait! Let me see …Hollow! Haha! And you told your mum that you’re straight

I am now! She doesn’t like me back She can’t like me back!

She never said that she Was Asexual, just that she Thought_ she was_

Same difference

I say you kiss her hand! That’s what you wanted to Do before anyway Oh, and hug her too, and—

I get it, I get it But she’d probably just give me her confused smile and try not to disappoint me I don’t want that

But you haven’t tried

I can’t My step-father’s job is too important My mother’s job is too important And my stupid feelings will just get in the way

Ah.

Oh.

Why are you so surprised?! You’re me You already know this!

**I dunno ** **You make us do this **

_Mh-hmm _

Will you let me go to sleep Now?

Sure

Thank you.

The wind speaks first,
whispering secrets through the swaying grass,
I hear it say:
the old stories are not forgotten,
they are carried on the breath of the earth.

A child’s laughter follows,
cutting through the air,
sharp as sunlight on a cold day—
it doesn’t know yet
that joy can be broken,
that voices can splinter like glass.

My grandmother’s voice comes next,
soft, cracked with age and sorrow:
I have lived a hundred years,
she tells me,
and the things I’ve seen
could fill a thousand books
or one small heart, heavy.

An old friend I haven't seen in years—
calls out in my mind,
reminding me of promises,
of summers spent by the sea,
before the salt turned to tears,
before the waves carried us
to different shores.

And then, your voice,
or is it a memory?
Echoing against the hollow of my chest,
it says:
I am still here,
in the quiet spaces between words,
in the pauses of your breath.

All these voices intertwine,
a melody that is at once
haunting and beautiful—
and I realize,
they are not separate
but a part of me,
the chorus of a life
still being sung.

The wind picks up again,
and I hear its final sigh,
as if it knows
it must carry these voices
farther still,
past the horizon,
into the open sky.

Okay I’m good This is fine This happens every time Breathe in Breathe out Simple

_Yeah but guess what? _ _You’re going to read those words _ _Your tongue will betray your eyes _ _Messing up your speech _ _The room is going to judge you _ That’s something to worry about

**Heart drops ** Pounding out of my chest

I don’t care I’m fine I can speak like a normal person

_No but that’s the thing _ _You can’t speak normal _ _Your voice shakes _ _You mispronounce every word _

**Sweat starting to stab me through my skin **

No no no Breathe in Breathe out Simple

_You stumble _ _You fumble _ _You fall until there’s nothing left but a scared little girl _ _Who still can’t speak in front of a group of people _ _You’re pathetic _

**Air caught in my lungs ** **Going too fast ** **Going too slow **

I’ve grown I know I have I’m an adult now I’m not that same scared girl I’m not

_Oh yes _ _Yes you are _ _And secretly _ You know it

**Shaking taking over my touch ** **Taking over my bones **

No I’m fine No matter what you say I know who I am I know what I’m capable of And I can do this

_I highly doubt that _

_Ten minutes later _ See? I did it I knew it wasn’t going to be that bad

_Well done _ _But tell me _ _If you know it’s not that bad _ _How come you let me control you? _ How come you let me take over you in every way possible?

I…

_That’s what i thought _ _See you next week _

𝕐𝕠𝕦’𝕝𝕝 𝕟𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕗𝕚𝕟𝕕 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦’𝕣𝕖 𝕝𝕠𝕠𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕗𝕠𝕣, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥’𝕤 𝕠𝕜𝕒𝕪.

ʜᴏᴡ ᴄᴀɴ ʏᴏᴜ ꜱᴀʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰʟᴀᴍᴇ ꜱᴇᴛꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰɪʀᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ sun ᴘᴜᴛꜱ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴀɪɴ?

ₜᵣy ₐgₐᵢₙ ₐₙₒₜₕₑᵣ dₐy.

𝕐𝕠𝕦’𝕝𝕝 𝕟𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕓𝕖 𝕘𝕠𝕠𝕕 𝕖𝕟𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙, 𝕝𝕖𝕥 𝕘𝕠 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕖, 𝕪𝕠𝕦’𝕣𝕖 𝕓𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕟 𝕒𝕨𝕗𝕦𝕝 𝕨𝕖𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥.

ʜᴏᴡ ᴄᴀɴ ɪ ʟᴇᴛ ɢᴏ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴍʏ ʜᴀɴᴅꜱ ᴀʀᴇ ꜱᴇᴡɴ ᴛᴏɢᴇᴛʜᴇʀ, ꜰʟᴇꜱʜ ɪɴᴛᴏ ʙᴏɴᴇꜱ, ɪɴᴛᴏ ꜱᴋɪɴ? ᴍʏ ʙᴏᴅʏ ʜᴀꜱ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ʜᴀᴅ ᴀ ʜᴏᴍᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱᴏ ɪ ᴇᴀᴛ ᴍʏꜱᴇʟꜰ ᴏᴜᴛꜱɪᴅᴇ ɪɴ.

ᴳᵉᵗ ᵒᵛᵉʳ ⁱᵗ. ᵀʳʸ ᵃᵍᵃⁱⁿ.

𝕐𝕠𝕦’𝕣𝕖 𝕕𝕚𝕤𝕠𝕓𝕖𝕪𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕝𝕕, 𝕣𝕖𝕓𝕖𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕕𝕒𝕣𝕜. ℕ𝕠𝕓𝕠𝕕𝕪 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕟 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕨𝕤 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕟𝕒𝕞𝕖, 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕜 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕪 𝕔𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕚𝕗 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕓𝕒𝕣𝕜? 𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕓𝕚𝕥𝕖 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕤𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕡 𝕥𝕖𝕖𝕥𝕙, 𝕤𝕟𝕒𝕘𝕘𝕖𝕕 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕤 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕨𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕓𝕠𝕣𝕟 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙.

ɪ’ʟʟ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ɢʀᴏᴡ ᴜᴘ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴ ɪ’ʟʟ ɢʀᴏᴡ ᴏʟᴅ. ɪ’ᴠᴇ ꜱᴇᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ, ꜱᴋɪᴇꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴀɴʏ ɢʀᴏᴜɴᴅꜱ, ᴀɴᴅ ɪ’ᴠᴇ ᴡᴀʟᴋᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ’ᴠᴇ ʜᴇᴀʀᴅ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ ᴛᴏʟᴅ.

ʸᵒᵘ’ʳᵉ ᵗᵒᵒ ᶠᵘˡˡ ᵒᶠ ʸᵒᵘʳˢᵉˡᶠ. ᵀʳʸ ᵃᵍᵃⁱⁿ.

ℍ𝕠𝕨 𝕔𝕒𝕟 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕤𝕒𝕪 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕕𝕠𝕟’𝕥 𝕓𝕖𝕝𝕚𝕖𝕧𝕖 𝕚𝕟 𝔾𝕠𝕕 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕟 𝕣𝕖𝕔𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕥 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪 𝕥𝕚𝕞𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕡𝕣𝕒𝕪𝕖𝕕? ℍ𝕠𝕨 𝕔𝕒𝕟 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕔𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣𝕤𝕖𝕝𝕗 𝕤𝕒𝕟𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕟 𝕓𝕖𝕘 𝕥𝕠 𝕓𝕖 𝕙𝕦𝕣𝕥 𝕥𝕠 𝕗𝕖𝕖𝕝 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕤𝕖𝕣𝕠𝕥𝕠𝕟𝕚𝕔 𝕣𝕦𝕤𝕙 𝕠𝕗 𝕡𝕒𝕚𝕟?

ɪ ᴄᴀɴ’ᴛ ᴅᴇɴʏ ɪᴛ ʙᴜᴛ ᴀᴄᴄᴇᴘᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ ɪꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀꜱᴛ ꜱᴛᴀɢᴇ. ɪ ᴄᴀɴ’ᴛ ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ɢᴏɪɴɢ ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ’ꜱ ɴᴏᴛ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴀɴʏ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴡᴀʏ. ʜᴏʟᴅ ᴏɴ, ɪ ꜰᴇᴇʟ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴡᴇ’ʀᴇ ᴛᴜʀɴɪɴɢ ʙʟᴀᴍᴇ.

Yₒᵤ’ᵣₑ ₐ wₐₛₜₑ ₒf ₒₓygₑₙ ₐₙd ᵢ ₕₒₚₑ yₒᵤ dᵢₑ ᵢₙ ₛₕₐₘₑ.

ℂ𝕦𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕔𝕣𝕒𝕡, 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕔𝕒𝕟’𝕥 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕟 𝕤𝕒𝕪 𝕪𝕠𝕦’𝕣𝕖 𝕚𝕟 𝕚𝕥 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕒𝕞𝕖!

ᴡᴀʟᴋ ᴏɴ, ʙᴇᴀʀ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ʙᴜʀᴅᴇɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴋɪꜱꜱ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ʙʟᴀᴅᴇ.

ᵂᵃˡᵏ ᵒⁿ, ᶠˡᵃᵘⁿᵗ ʸᵒᵘʳ ᵉʸᵉˢ ᵃⁿᵈ ᵗʷⁱʳˡ ʸᵒᵘʳ ʰᵃⁱʳ.

𝕎𝕒𝕝𝕜 𝕠𝕟, 𝕡𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕟𝕒𝕚𝕝𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕒𝕔𝕥 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕕𝕠𝕟’𝕥 𝕔𝕒𝕣𝕖.

ᴡᴀɪᴛ.

ᵂᵃⁱᵗ.

𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕨𝕖 𝕕𝕠𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖?

ᴡʜᴏ’ꜱ ᴛᴀʟᴋɪɴɢ 𝕟ᴏ ʷ?

Wₕₒ wₐₛ 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕥𝕒𝕝𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ?

[ONE]

I broke her heart, and I meant every crack. She should’ve been smart because it was just a contract.

If I’m foul, why did you love me? You scowl, but you were just a nominee.

We had a deal, and I kept it. I never had feelings to conceal, but I guess yours were legit.

[TWO]

I’m left to pick up the pieces of an organ that was never mine. Through sobs and wheezes, I struggle to resign. __ It was a negotiation, where I thought we both agreed. But, considering the situation, I guess both couldn’t succeed. __ He broke my heart and meant every sprain. I should’ve been smart and considered him vain.

[THREE]

Friends don’t torment the ones they love most. You didn’t know what it all meant? Now, she’s diagnosed.

---

You broke her heart and meant every rupture. You didn’t do your part, now she’s left to build up her structure.

---

I’m ashamed of the fact that I used to be your sidekick. While you polished every crack, I became sick.

---

She and I both.

We became sick of you

[not a poem] IN EDITING

CALLIOPE

“Yeah! It’s all good,” I manage to reply. My heart drums against my ribcage.

If Asher’s going to be there, Boston and I are going to have to work harder to keep the facade running.

“I’ll see you in half an hour, Cal!”

And she hangs up.

In half an hour, I’m standing awkwardly by the popcorn machine. I’m just waiting…

And waiting.

Until… Asher shows up with his date…

“Hey Calliope,” he shouts as he spots me, sending shivers all throughout my body.

Once they reach the popcorn machine, we all glance around awkwardly.

“Claire, this is Heather’s best friend Calliope. You can call her Callie, though,” Asher introduces. I smile and wave at the tall brunette. She’s a lot taller than me for sure, almost Asher or Boston’s height. She must be a year or two older than me…

“And, Callie, this is Claire.”

“Hi! Like Asher said, I’m Callie,” I greet, trying to bury my feelings as I glance at Claire, “where did you say you two met? Sorry, I’m bad at remembering things!” I laugh softly, extending my hand in a friendly gesture.

She takes my hand and returns my smile.

“Nice to meet you, Callie. And, Heather set us up,” Claire explains, “this is our first date.”

My eyes flick back to Asher, who stands a little too close to Claire. I raise an eyebrow suspiciously as I try to read his expression.

Nothing.

I shift my weight to my left foot.

“Asher, you’re being awfully quiet. Are you alright?” I ask, noticing how his hand is balled in a fist.

Claire turns around to look him in the eyes. She places a hand on his chest and starts whispering.

“…should… quit…? …don’t… comfortable…”

What a strange vocabulary.

I probably shouldn’t have listened to that. They whispered for a reason! I scold myself.

I start glaring a hole in the floor.

Pay attention to anything else.

“I’ll be right back,” Asher grumbles, sliding away from his date. He starts walking down the hallway.

“That was strange…” I comment, before noticing a few familiar faces in the crowd. “Ah! They’re here!” I gently reach for Claire’s hand.

“Who?”

“Heather, her boyfriend, and my boyfriend,” I say, my voice rising up a bit on the last words.

Claire gives me a skeptical look, but she decides to follow me anyway.

“Hey, Cal.”

Boston’s the first to notice me.

Of course, he’s also the first to act on it. Boston leans down to place a kiss on my forehead.

Somehow, I feel butterflies all the way to my toes._ I don’t like Boston. It’s an act._

I give him a small smile and ruffle his hair gently. He fixes his hair and smiles in response. Once he’s back to his natural posture, I wave Claire over again.

“Claire, this is my boyfriend, Boston. And, Boston, this is Asher’s girlfriend, Claire,” I announce, watching the introduction.

Boston grins at her.

“Pleased to make your acquaintance, Claire,” Boston exclaims in a gentlemanly manner, tipping his imaginary top hat to the brunette.

“You too?” Claire says with a giggle.

“Hey!” I shout with mock-jealousy, “you don’t tip your hat to me!”

I place a hand on my heart and look up at him with a false grimace.

My “boyfriend” side-eyes me before grabbing my hand and just holding it.

_‘Help!’ _I mouth to Claire, who just continues to giggle.

BOSTON

“Babe,” Callie squeals.

I give her a strange look, before remembering the task at hand.

“I’m not letting go,” I muse, yanking her hand enough to move her forward but not enough to injure her.

I catch a glimpse of a dark-haired guy with ice-blue eyes hauntingly similar to Heather’s.

Ah… there’s Asher.

Who apparently likes to stare daggers at people he’s never met…

I look back down to Calliope. I try to signal her while remaining inconspicuous.

She raises an eyebrow at me.

Wow, that is an attractive look on her.

I lean down, my lips right beside her ear.

“Asher’s right there.”

I notice her breath hitching.

ASHER

What is he doing here? Why is he so close to her?

I approach everyone, specifically Claire, as I keep my eyes on the new boy.

He has made Callie laugh…

How? She never laughed at my jokes…?

My fingers lock back into fists.

And when I catch Calliope’s beautiful green eyes, I see a glimpse of something I know all too well. ——————————

Claire shrieks a little too happily in my ear.

“What is it this time?” I whisper-shout at her, barely paying attention to the movie. She nods at the the screen before nodding at the new guy and Callie.

He’s comforting her.

I look at the screen once more, noticing the argumentative expressions on the actors’ faces.

As soon as she’s out of her seat, I am too.

“Claire, save me some popcorn,” I order in a tone probably over-aggressive.

I just need to talk to Callie.

I follow her out of the theater.

As soon as we’re out, I yell her name.

“Calliope—”

She stops abruptly, her back still to me.

“Asher, what is it?”

_There she goes saying my name again. _

I shift uncomfortably, biting my lip as I try to think of a response.

“Why are you here with him?”

—————————

Hello! Since I just became super busy, I decided to post this already before editing. (Got to keep the readers happy!) I promise I will edit this after I finish my belt test. I have to practice a ton if I want to become a brown belt. Thank you for reading!

[896 words excluding the a/n]

I’ve been very clear But not transparent The plan is working But only on batteries I’m stopping the small boats Ah, the Dunkirk spirit.

Normally I’d say let him finish But I’m enjoying this.

We need change I’ve already got wads We will ringfence the NHS I’m working on ringfencing Dover A strong partnership with our European neighbours A one- off cash deal with Rwanda

This is the point where I still try to say There’s everything to play for.

That must have been terrible for you It was, for most of us. We got the big decisions right Red or white? How many cases? It’s a dangerous world Thank you Louis Armstrong

We’ll be back with more analysis after the break.

I love the world Flowers bright, sky so clear My lungs breathe the nice cool air Smiling at strangers Laughing with friends I hope this day never ends

I hate the world I hate his stupid face And the Sun that makes it humid I hate waking up early And all the chanting torments I hate who I am today Wishing I could change But here I am, lying in bed Wishing the world away

Screw the world Screw the kids who gossip and spread lies Screw parents who don’t understand Screw school and the useless assignments Screw living Screw it all.