day twenty-five - rebound

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| CALUM'S POV |

It was raining today. Like everything wasn't already gloomy enough.

You could always tell when it was raining. Usually, there was some sort of sunlight that crept through the (tiny) windows, and when it rained there was none, and everything just seemed more. . . depressing.

I wasn't in the mood to do anything. I hardly wanted to move out of bed, let alone go to therapy and everything else. Yet I managed to pull myself out from under the covers, stumbling around awkwardly for a couple seconds before regaining balance and pulling a t-shirt and jeans from the drawer.

Jimmy was already up. He was always up before I was. I figured it was because he was one of those nerds that always woke up early to watch cartoons or something, so naturally his body was just used to getting up early.

"Morning," he said. I had realized that the past couple days when he said 'morning' that it didn't include the 'good' in front of it like it used to.

"Morning," I replied back, not really sure what else to say.

Not long after, we walked to breakfast in a uncomfortable silence. I trailed behind him, not wanting to even step foot into the cafeteria. And it was all because of yesterday; it made me want to puke. I don't know why but I'm still fucking screwed over and I can't seem to find a way to fix it all without someone (Michael) barging in.

Jimmy sauntered over to our usual table. I really didn't want to sit there, it would just make the atmostphere even more uncomfortable than it already was. I felt like everyone hated me, including myself.

So I got breakfast, (which happened to be one of the frozen waffles you put in the toaster) and sat down at an empty table. I didn't make eye contact with anyone, I just sat there and moped and ate.

Soon enough, a doctor came over to ask me why I wasn't at the "usual" table. I said because I didn't want to sit at that table. So he asked why, and at this point I was getting pissed off because I wanted to sit at this table and I also wanted to be alone. I told him that there were some issues and I wanted to be alone, and then he asked me if I wanted to talk about these issues and I said no. And them he told me I could always talk to him about these problems if i needed to. He left after that.

I didn't like being in the lunch room, because I could hear all the kids talking from next to me. Of course, this led me to look that way, and the sight didn't surprise me at all, really.

Michael and Vicky were holding hands, because apparently that was their thing now. I knew it was just a friendly thing (supposedly) but everytime I saw them with their hands intertwined it was like a punch to the gut. It also made me want to punch Michael in the gut, or maybe the face (again.)

It was weird, because yesterday he was telling me that he wasn't going to "love her" because she was fragile or something like that, but I can see the way he looks at her, I'm not blind. Maybe I'm not blind, but Michael will be soon if he keeps looking at her that way.

I mean, I know we're not even a. . .thing, and Vicky's currently pissed off at me, or maybe just even upset. And I wanted to apoligize, but I just couldn't find the right way to do it. I was gonna sing to her, but Michael fucking messed it up because that was what he loved to do, apparently.

I didn't realize how long I was lost in train of thought, and I also didn't realize someone had sat down next to me.

"Hi," someone said, and I turn to my right to see no one other but Kat.

"Hey," I replied, not really sure why she was at the cafeteria, or why she was sitting next to me out of anyone. I mean, I knew that her and Michael were going through some issues, so to say. Steph liked to keep everyone updated on that kind of stuff.

"I was bored and I escaped my doctors to come up here," Kat said, in her normal voice, like she was reading my mind. I just nodded in response, not knowing what else to say to her.

"Are you. . .okay?" Katherine asked, like she was concerned. I guess I wasn't acting like my normal self.

"I'm in a fucking mental hospital, do you think I'm okay?" I scoffed, trying to be funny but coming off as more of an asshole than I planned.

"Wow, okay," Kat said, putting her hands up in the air in mock surrender, obviously taken aback by my actions.

"Sorry," I mumbled, looking at my paper plate that sat on the table.

"It's okay," Kat said, "I guess."

We sat in silence for a couple minutes, and it was extremely awkward. I had never really liked the girl (I thought she was strange before she revealed that she was just a normal person, and then I thought she was really weird after that, and Vicky always yelled at me for that. "God, Calum, give the girl a chance!") and she had never really liked me.

"I think I'm going insane," She said finally, running a hand through her pink hair.

I was going to say something along the lines of 'You're already insane, look at yourself' before I stopped myself and reevaluated my reply. "Why?"

"Uh, pretty sure Michael and Vicky are holding hands."

I laughed. "Yeah."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"That's all you have to say to this? 'Yeah?'"

"Yeah," I said, shrugging my shoulders.

"Jesus, what happened to the Calum I knew?" Kat asked.

"Nothing, he's still here."

"No, because the Calum I knew would kill anyone if he found out someone was holding hands with his Vicky."

"My Vicky?" I asked, because she didn't really seem like my Vicky at that point. I wished she was, but no, she seemed more like Michael's Vicky right now.

"Yeah, your Vicky." Kat rolled her eyes.

"What about your Michael? He's holding hands with someone else other than you," I shot back, still feeling like an asshole but kinda liking it.

"And everyone thinks Jimmy is the asshole!"

"Why does everyone keep saying that?"

"Why does everyone keep saying what?" Someone else said, coming from the other side of the table. There was Steph, holding her bowl of cereal in her hands.

"Hi, Steph," I said, ignoring her question.

"Hi," She said quietly, tucking a strand of her ginger hair behind her ear as she sat down.

"What're you doing here?" I asked, confused. Steph was friends with Vicky and Michael, and she had come over here to talk to their. . . exes?

"Uh, yeah. About that." Steph said, seeming unusually awkward and stuttery. She was like this before I got to know her, all shy and quiet.

I quirked an eyebrow, indicating to explain on.

"Okay, I probably shouldn't tell you guys this because I'm gonna get so many death threats and God, okay, but I'm gonna tell you anyway because you deserve to know, I think. Uh, so, yesterday, I was talking to Vicky and she told me some interesting things and I'm going to share them with you right now because yeah, and, um, how do I put this, uh, so, yesterday, VickyandMichaelkindalikekissed."

She said the last part in such a rush I swore I misunderstood her. "What?"

"VickyandMichaelkissed." Steph repeated, just as fast, and a little quiter then before.

"Are you serious?" I said, looking from Kat and then back to Steph.

"As a fucking heart attack."

My mind felt like it was going to explode. So many things were going through my mind, like why did they kiss and who kissed who first and why why why why and God, this is so messed up and does Michael Clifford purposely try to take all the good things in my life away from me?

"B-But, I don't-"

"I know you're wondering, so, yeah, Michael kissed her first." Steph said, looking at the table. I don't know if that was meant to make me feel better but it really didn't. God, that should be me, not Michael!

"Oh," I replied, my voice softer than I intended it to be.

I was trying to figure out why they had kissed. Why Michael even kissed her in the first place. And did she kiss back? I hope not, I really hope not. I was just confused as hell and even more depressed than I ever thought I could be.

Maybe they did it to be each other's rebounds. That was probably it; they were upset from Kat and I, and wanted to feel something again. I wanted to feel something again. . .

I looked at Kat. I couldn't read her expression. She didn't look upset, but she didn't look. . .happy, either. Just kind of a blank expression.

Her eyes met mine and I guess she kind of read my face, and decided on what it was saying without any word leaving my lips.

"I know what you're thinking," Kat said plainly, rolling her eyes.

"Can you read my mind or something?" I countered, rolling my eyes right back at her.

"No, but I can read facial expressions," She said, "and I'm not fucking being your fucking rebound!"

"What the hell?" I said, running a hand through my hair. I heard Steph's muffled laughter from in front of me. "That's not what I was thinking!"

"Yeah, I think it was," Steph rejoined the conversation, still laughing a little under her breath.

"Yeah, and the answer is no," Kat said, readjusting her crown on her head and leaving the table like it was nothing.

Steph and I were alone, and she was still giggling a little and she was trying to hide it.

"I can't believe that's what she thought I was thinking," I said, putting my hand on the table to prop my head up.

"But wasn't that what you were thinking?" Steph questioned, crunching on her cereal. I shook my head, groaning.

"No!"

"Yeah, I think it was." She smirks, laughing again.

"No."

"You're blushing, that's obviously what you were thinking."

"Jesus," I mumbled, now hiding my face in my hands. This was all a big mess.

I don't know why I (sort of) wanted to be in rebound with Kat. I didn't even like her, and she definitley did not like me. But it would be funny, since now Vicky and Michael are a thing, I guess.

"You can use Jimmy as your rebound," Steph suggested, not even being able to hold in her laughter.

I just ignored that, as Steph still let some giggles bubble out of her lips.

"Oh, c'mon, Calum, that was funny, laugh with me," Steph whined, obviously upset that no one had laughed at her joke.

"Ha-ha," I said sarcastically, moving my hands away from my face to roll my eyes at her.

"God, you've been such an ass lately," Steph said.

"So I've been told."

"Hey, Calum," Steph said, with a slight smirk on her face. I hummed in response, rubbing at my temple since I felt a headache coming on.

"You want to be in rebound?"

"I don't know, Steph," I said, wanting to just drop this conversation all together.

"I know someone," She said, her voice almost a whisper.

"Mhm," I said, still not seeing where this was going. "Who?"

She giggled (again.) "Me."

"You?"

"Me."

"Really?" I said, feeling surprised. I never thought Steph would be one to go for something like this.

"Yeah, really," Stephanie rolled her eyes.

"Oh my God, thank you Steph, I-"

"Ha, just kidding," She said, standing up and kneeling down next to me. "I have a boyfriend. And that just proved how desperate you really are." She smirked at me once more before taking her spoon full of milk and flinging it in my face. Then she walked away back to the other table, but not before forgetting to yell "Asshole!" in my direction.

And then I was alone. Alone and sad and had milk in my eyes. And I just really wanted to cry because I really didn't want a rebound, (it took me awhile to realize this) I just wanted my Vicky back.

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so basically calum is an asshat who is deSPERATE to get in rebound with someone to get back at vicky and michael

what the frick frack patty whack are u doing calum