I'M SORRY
*•.

months later

DESTIN CONTINUED SINGING AS THE BUILDING EMPTIED. Her voice had always been able to draw a crowd.

Cal clapped as the song finished. "Full house again Dee," she said with a smile. Destin returned it fully.

"I won't be happy until I get you up here again." Her dark hair was falling below her shoulders as she jumped off the small stage.

"That's a no can do." Calantha linked their arms as they walked to her car.

"Of course not," she under her breath. "Anyway, has the ocean been speaking to you?"

Cal pursed her lips. "If it is, I'm not listening."

"Don't you ever wonder about Atlantis? Arthur?" Her voice was genuinely curious.

"Not by choice," the green eyed woman sighed. "Honestly, sometimes it's better if I pretend neither exist."

Her eyebrows furrowed. "Even Arthur?"

"Especially him." Sometimes it was too hard to even think about what happened between the two.

"Maybe you should live and let go," she suggested, hopping into the passenger seat of Callie's car. "Oh, and forgive. Definitely forgive."

The woman smiled. "Oh you know I'm entirely too stubborn for that."

"Stubborn and generous. Can't forget generous."

Cal hummed in agreement, as they headed to their shared apartment. "Have you spoke with Mera recently?" She asked her cousin.

A small frown immediately replaced the previous smile. "No."

"No?"

"Nope, she kissed me and dipped. No big deal, happens all the time." This time Cal frowned.

"She kissed you?"

Destin made a face at her, her brown skin shining in the moonlight, as Cal turned into the parking lot of the complex. "Umm, don't sound so surprised."

"No, no. It's just, I didn't know you guys had spent that much time together."

"She'd been back to the surface to see me more times than I would like to admit. And since Atlantis has no idea of my existence I've been back to see her more times than I would like to admit."

"Did she say anything about Atlantis?"

Destin shrugged as they headed to the apartment. "Didn't ask. She didn't really want to talk about any of that shit. Things were really hard there, harder than I remember."

"Oh."

"Oh. Would now be a bad time to say that I'm pretty sure I just saw Arthur down the street?"

Calantha gave her an incredulous look. "Lie again."

"Not lying." Her face was completely serious.

Ca grabbed her cousin's hand, pulling her quickly into the apartment and shutting the door. The former peeked through the blinds. No Arthur.

"That's not funny," she said turning to Destin who had yet to start laughing.

"I wasn't joking, like at all."

"You're serious?" She questioned, running a hand through her wavy hair.

A knock sounded at the door. "See," Destin said. "That's probably him. I'll answer—"

"Please don't," she whispered. "Just give me a second." She nodded silently, slowly going into her room.

Another knock came. Cal opened the door, and shut it as soon as her eyes came in contact with a pair of nearly gold ones. That was definitely him.

She threw open the door once more, coming face to face with a disheveled Arthur again. She attempted to slam the door in his face, but he shoved his foot in the crack. Cal immediately backed away.

"I'm sorry," he began, waltzing in after her. She promptly ignored his words, regretting opening the door. She sat down on the couch, staring at the television. "Calantha, please."

Her resolve hadn't wavered. Arthur didn't deserve her forgiveness or attention so she refused to give him either. Cal grabbed the remote, turning the television on and the volume up, though she was hardly paying attention. She did, however, hear
him whisper profanities under his breath.

"Callie, just listen to me," he pleaded. "I got caught up and I forgot—I just forgot."

Calantha couldn't help but let her anger surface. "Forgot? You forgot to call? You forgot to come back? You forgot to check up? You forgot that they're looking for me? No," she forced out through clenched teeth, "you forgot to give a damn about anyone other than yourself."

"Cal, you—"

"No, you know what?" She began, "I've been here for you all this time. All this time, and I'm done. I don't know what you want from me anymore."

"I want you to forgive me," he said quietly. The TV was blaring in the background and she turned it off out of frustration.

"I wanted you to love me," Cal choked out. It was sad, extremely sad, but he already knew how she felt.

He didn't reply at first. "Forgive me." His face was desperate and he was still able to ignore her feelings.

It still didn't matter.

Tears sprung to her green eyes. "How? How can I?"

"Don't cry, I don't want you to cry anymore."

"Then stop making me cry."

"Shit Cal, I'm sorry."

She rubbed at her eyes feeling like that teenager she was years ago. "You aren't sorry. The only reason you're here is because you need something. I know you Arthur."

He sighed. "I am sorry."

Calantha ignored his words much like he did hers. "What do you need?"

He stared at the floor for a moment. "It's Atlantis."

Her brows furrowed suspiciously. "What about it?"

"They want war."

"Honestly that has nothing to do with me." She was done crying. She was done caring.

He didn't comment on the woman's words. "Mera's outside," he said.

"Well you guys are perfect for each other. Tell her Destin and I said hi on your way out," Cal let out opening the door.

"It's definitely not like that," he said comically.

"Don't even try it. You've made it clear that my feelings hardly even matter to you."

"Don't recall ever doing that."

"Bye Arthur."

"Calantha, help me," he pleaded. "I can't do this without you."

She narrowed her eyes, only slivers of her green irises showing. "Do what?"

"Be a king."

-unedited-

well that's the first chapter. kinda bad, but we aren't gonna acknowledge that :) it'll get better ofc, just wait. thanks for reading! don't forget to vote and or comment.

-rewritten on october 17

-syd