Another chapter already because I'm so dead

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(Serena)

Calem held me in his arms as I cried and cried. I wasn't really sure why I was crying at that point. All I had to do was tell Ash how I felt and that was it, but also, his words really annoyed me and it was clear he didn't like Calem, which annoyed me even more. 

"I'm such an emotional mess," I said quietly, snuggling up against his shoulder. 

"It's okay to be emotional," Calem wiped the tears away and he hugged me tighter. "Whatever is happening, I'm sure it will be okay."

"I don't even know anymore," I instantly replied, feeling like that was the most truthful response. I didn't know what I was feeling in that moment, I just want to stay in the position I was in forever. 

"That's okay," his voice became a soft whisper and he pushed my hair from my face, wiping a few more stray tears with a finger. "You look much better now."

I didn't say anything more, burying my face into his neck. I kept it there, not moving at all, my whole body still. Calem willingly sat in the silence as I stayed there, against him. Everything felt hot in that moment so I drew my head back, looking at Calem. 

"Thank you," I said to him, smiling back finally. 

"There's that smile," he grinned like an idiot. "It's no problem, Serena. I really care about you so of course, I am going to make sure you are okay."

I acted on instinct and moved closer to Calem, kissing him lightly on the cheek. He seemed stunned, but he kept on hugging me tightly. There was another moment of silence as he just looked back at me, before smiling again. 

"What was that for?" he asked me.

"Just repaying you for making me feel better," I said quietly, snuggling against his shoulder again. 

"You didn't have to do anything," he laughed a little and that made me smile a bit more. "Just take it easy."

"I will don't worry," I yawned into my hand and the exhaustion from my mind racing and the crying sent me into a deep sleep. 

As hours passed, thoughts swirled in my head. I could see Ash and in the future, I wasn't there with him. Calem was there with me all the time, making sure I was ok. My thoughts crisscrossed constantly between Ash and Calem. Is this what love was? Because it's so confusing. I never realised that I could feel something so easily about someone else. This strange feeling that was consuming me made the future look very troubling.

I eventually woke up and I could still feel Calem's arms around me and my head was against his chest. Upon realising this, I quickly jolted back and got up onto my feet, half-panicking. It felt nice that he had just stayed there the whole time I was asleep. 

"What time is it?" I asked groggily, rubbing my eyes. It was late when I fell asleep and the rain was still going strong, lashing against the windows. 

"It's 2 am," Calem replied bluntly. He didn't look bothered about that fact at all. "I should walk you home before your parents worry too much."

"Thanks, Calem, but I can work home on my own," I smiled at him, putting my coat on. Everything felt a mess in my head and I just wanted to have some alone time. 

"Are you sure?" he tilted his head, searching for an answer in my face. He seemed hopeful that he could walk me home, I could see it clearly.

"I'm sure. Thanks a lot for...making me feel better," I chose my words carefully, picking my bag up and avoiding complete eye contact with him in that moment. 

"Anytime, Serena," Calem got up from his bed and opened the door. "I'll see you out at the very least."

I said nothing more in that moment and quietly left the room, tip-toeing to the door. Calem lived in a bungalow, which had its perks at this time of night as there were no stairs in the house. 

Calem opened up the door and then he took a step back, looking outside to the rain and complete darkness. Sure, the dark made me feel scared but I wasn't going to be bothered by it, so I just stood outside and turned around to face Calem one last time.

"Thanks again," I smiled and tried to show I really was grateful. 

"Like I said, anytime," Calem scratched the back of his head and looked away for a second. "I'll always be here if you need something."

"Yes," I decided that was all I could say, my head beginning to throb. I just wanted to go home and sleep some more. 

"Well, goodnight Serena," he nodded his head and held onto the door handle tightly. Calem looked almost hopeless like he wanted me to stay. Was that just me imagining he wanted me to stay? I wasn't sure, but the curiosity plagued my brain. 

"Goodnight Calem," I smiled one last time and turned around, heading out of his garden and all the way home.

(Drew)

I pulled back my sleeve and checked the time on my watch. 

"Two AM, huh?" I sighed deeply, cracking my knuckles. They were still hurting, the tightly wrapped bandages covering my hands and half of my fingers. It looked pretty cool...like fingerless glove-bandages. "I've been suspended anyway...already." 

I peeked up from under the shelter and felt the rain wash over my face, like a waterfall crashing down against the rocks below. My mind cast away from the current showers and moved to something more important that I couldn't shake away. 

"May...." I sighed to myself, pulling my hood up to cover my face completely. When I went in to save her, I didn't realise how much I actually wanted to protect her. The feelings I got were so strange. I'm not that kind of person, to feel like that. I remember that day a year ago...

I was so cold hearted. 

It was some time in the summer. We were such a closely knit group that I never really thought about anyone else. However, there was another girl at the time I spoke to a whole lot. Her name...I don't even remember that. I'll just call her 'that girl' for now.

That girl was always talking with me, smiling, laughing. She was great and I enjoyed the time I spent with her. Sometimes we went and got food or sat together at lunch and my friends would hassle me about it. However, I never felt infatuated. It was just a friendly thing to me, but I never realised how badly I would react to her.

"I love you," were the words that made me freeze in that moment. I had to blink at her and take in the super serious, blushing mess that was waiting for me to say something.

"I don't love you," was what I replied with, stunning her completely. "You're just my friend."

I threw her feelings back in her face. Said so many bad things I can't repeat.

She cried.

She ran.

She disappeared. 

I never saw her again.

Do I regret what I said? Not at all.

I didn't want to pity her to try and make her feel good while still rejecting her. I'm an honest person, regardless of the situation and so I basically ruined her life because of that. Well, I didn't really feel anything once she had gone, which shows how cold hearted I am. I just carried on like everything was fine. 

But now, what do I feel? I don't even know and it hurts my brain.

"Hey," I heard a voice call to my left and I already knew what was coming.

I turned on my heel without saying anything and used my palm to catch the fist the person that had said 'Hey' was throwing at me. I instantly kicked him in the knee, causing him to collapse under his own weight.

"Stupid," I sighed, tilting my head while looking at him. "You're Alain's big friend, huh?"

"I have a name!" the big guy squealed like a fool.

"I don't think you're worth the name you have," I sighed again and then let go of his fist, taking a step back. "Now leave me alone."

"We will get our revenge on you all!" he called like an idiot. "Miette has already gotten May-"

Before he could even finish his sentence my vision went red and in seconds I had pounced onto the big guy, holding onto his collar tightly.

"Say one more word and I will fucking kill you," the rage inside my head burned and everything else didn't matter in that moment.

"Get off me you psychopath!" he was too big for me to keep hold of and so I was pushed away with ease.

"Psychopath?" I asked myself as the guy ran away. "Me?"

The word echoed in my head and I thought about it for a moment, shrugging.

"Nonsense..." 

So Alain's friends and girlfriend are after us all now. We were going to be so focused on the investigation that handling the goons would be tricky. 

"It's a good thing I have been suspended already," I laughed at myself and cracked my knuckles again. 

"Hey, kid," someone else called out this time and I turned to look across the road. "It's late, what is a kid like you doing outside?"

"Just chillin'" I replied instantly. 

"Don't you kids have school or whatever?" the man shoved a cigarette into his mouth and lit it, taking a drag before letting hang between his lips.

"I was suspended," I shrugged, sitting on the bench in the shelter. "Nothing else to do besides get some fresh air."

"Is that right?" the main decided it was okay to sit next to me. "What did you get suspended for?"

"I hospitalised an upperclassman," I kept on answering instantly. 

"No beating around the bush with you kid, I like it," the man grinned and slipped a card in my face. "You should consider giving this number a call sometime."

"Why?" I tilted my head at the man, one fist already curling into a ball just in case. 

"Just do it, you'll see," was all he said next, walking away. 

"That was strange," I watched the man get up and leave, stuffing his card in my back pocket. "Time to hit the hay I guess."

Two strange occurrences and a lot of conflicted thoughts...

Just how any night out should end. Definitely. 

(Serena)

On my way home, I looked across Ash's street and saw his bedroom light was on. I turned away after seeing this and decided to keep going towards my own house. Now wasn't the time to be talking to him. 

I think.

I really wasn't sure about anything at all. Everything seemed so random. All I knew was that I needed some time to get myself together and only then will I know what I want to do next. Having school in the middle of these thoughts surely wasn't going to help me...

(Ash) 

I stared at my wall and just thought. Thought about life and how everything seemed so dull for the time being. It wasn't exactly the brightest looking future and even the weather implied that notion.

I opened up my phone and looked at Serena's number. However, I instantly put my phone down on the side and decided to keep staring at the wall. Now wasn't the time to be talking to her.

I think.

I really wasn't sure about anything at all. Everything seemed so random. All I knew was that I needed some time to get myself together and only then will I know what I want to do next. Having school in the middle of these thoughts surely wasn't going to help me...

I fell asleep as this thought swirled around in my head, wanting the morning to come faster.

(May)

It had been a couple of hours since I had woken up from blacking out, the pain in my face still continuing to distract me from sleeping. I tossed and turned so many times, finding it hard to even keep still.

I thought about Drew. How he had saved me and I wondered if everything was going to be ok. I was quite unaware how similar he could be to me and also how much he truly cared. Suddenly, a warm feeling rose into my body and my stomach felt funny. 

"This is how it all starts..." I thought back to the past, knowing Drew was the kind of person to be really blunt and that scared me instantly, putting me off the thoughts and feelings in my body and head. "What do I do?"

Feeling conflicted about something was the worst feeling in the world. On one side, your brain tells you to do this thing and then you think 'but if I do that, then won't this and this happen?' which makes the other side want you to do a completely different thing but again, the same thoughts creep into your head and then the constant conflict between everything in your body becomes too much. For me, I get frustrated if I feel conflicted and usually lash out at something.

Anything.

I really needed a Miette to punch in the face multiple times. 

Anything to make the conflict stop.

"Just try and sleep you, idiot," I slapped myself in the face and snuggled into my pillows. 

(Drew)

I took out the card from my back pocket and looked at it properly, studying the number. What did this man want from me? Was it going to help? I thought back to his actions. He seemed to like my fire and physicality. Perhaps it was an illegal thing I could secretly investigate? Or...

Maybe he knew who I was or what was going on and could be a useful asset to work with...

I pulled out my phone and decided to make the call. 

"Hello?" I spoke into the phone and waited for the return greeting. "One of your guys gave me a card so I am inquiring about what it is for."

Time to find out some more answers.