12 ~ Thomas
Calum grunts as he helps me up, his hands griping under my arms and my feet pressing against the top of the window.
"Thanks" I mumble, slightly embarrassed that I couldn't lift myself up onto the roof.
"No problem." He says softy, seeming out of it. He drags a hand down his face. "I can't believe I brought you up here."
I decide not to take offense to that and I sigh, looking out at the blackened sky.
"Woah..." I breath out. The stars shimmer against the cold darkness of the night and I honestly don't think I've ever seen all the constellations so clearly. It's phenomenal.
"Huh?" He faces me slightly, his eyebrow raised ever so slightly.
"It's just the sky.." I look back. "Yea, that one of the reasons I like this place so much. It's like my little get- away." He shrugs.
I feel warm inside realizing that he brought me into the one place his had to himself.
"Did you know," I lean back, using my arms to prop myself up. " That the closest star to earth, besides the sun, is four light years away? Light travels 186,282 miles per second, so that means that it's so far away that it takes light 4 years to travel to earth, meaning that if we look at the star, we are seeing it from 4 years ago. The star could burn out and we wouldn't even know for the next 4 years." I say, facts I've known pouring out of me like water from a sink.
"4 years huh?" He asks, his eyes flicking from each burning star. "Space is huge."
I hum in agreement. Sometimes, I feel as if I annoy people with my knowledge. Most of the time I keep my thoughts to myself, frightened that I will be judged.
I take in a deep breath, only to be met by a small burn in my nose causing me to cough roughly.
"You-" I choke out. "You smoke?" I ask, my eyes watering from my coughing fit.
He just shrugs once again. "Yea I do. Have for a while. It helps ease the stress." I nod, though I don't understand how something so pernicious could relieve stress. (A/n- Yes I meant pernicious look it up; the adjective not the disease :))
"Right on time." I hear him mutter, glancing the clock on his phone before looking out to the neighborhood.
I follow his eyes to the figure of a person stretching on top of the roof the house by the light post.
Calum's lips twitch slightly before a small smile formed on his lips, his eyes still on the dancer.
"She does it every night." He states, noticing me watching him.
"I know."
He turns to me suddenly, causing my eyes to widen. "What?" He asks, his eyebrows furrowed as his eyes search my face.
I look at him strangely. "Yeah...she told me. I actually met her when she was up on the roof...which is quite dangerous if you ask me." I say slowly, watching the confusion grow on his face.
"Wait you know her?"
I nod slowly, my face scrunched up. "Of course I do. You do too."
His eyebrows raise and eye widen. "I do?"
" you were so persistent on learning her name last week, remember? Does Valerie ring a bell?" I ask perplexed at why he's acting so strange.
I watch as his face drains of all color, he turns back to Valerie, watching her perform a simple arabesque as she lifts her leg elegantly.
He looks back at me before bringing the toxic cigarette to his lips and taking in a deep breath.
I watch him curiously as he closes his eyes, blowing the smoke out in a straight line, causing me to choke a bit.
"I didn't even know she lived in this neighborhood." He whispered, throwing the cigarette down and crushing in under he shoe.
"Well, you haven't really been here a lot lately..." I trail off, not letting my eyes touch him as I look at Valerie. It's been difficult, him being out or locked in his room.It just makes my parents more focused on me and my mistakes, which is the last thing I need right now.
Guilt and Shame bubble in my stomach, feeling bad for wishing things were back to normal, so that Calum got most of the burn from the fire that is our parents. I shouldn't want that, it's my turn to be strong.
I can't be the weak one anymore.
"I'm sorry" Calum says sadly, bringing me back to reality. "You have nothing to be sorry about." I say, watching Valerie stumble a bit, losing balance and dropping from her tip-toes to the heels of her feet.
"I shouldn't leave you alone. Its cowardly." He says, a sigh following his words. Valerie tugs at her hair in frustration, we both watch as she kicks the air and drops down to sit, only able to see her head laying on her knees in the dim streetlight.
"I'm not weak. You don't have to protect me." I say, trying more to convince myself than him. Shes now getting back up, doing a different type of dance now, something close to hip-hop. She seems to move angrily her jumps and drops moving roughy.
"I never said you were. And I don't think you are." He says making me turn to him. His eyes were still watching Valerie, just as mine were moments ago, but his seemed sadder,however there was also a sparkle interest at the same time.
"You don't think I'm weak?" I ask, my voice a octave higher in surprise,
Almost disbelief.
"You're smart Thomas," he pauses, standing up and brushing his hands against his jeans. " You should know that physical aspects don't matter much." He says, before lowering himself into the window.
I look over, to find an empty roof, the dancer is gone. It's just me, the stars and the street light a few houses down.
Physical aspects don't matter much.
Yea, right.
A|N
Hello beautiful readers!
Long wait, I know, but I'm trying here. I've been writing every time I get, not just for y'all, it helps me express myself. I wrote most of this on my birthday; which I loved because writing is so fun for me and I can't write often at the moment, it's was nice. (Plus I have 3 other books
that all make one story so lots of updates)
Feedback/ questions?
I'm going to edit this whole book because I KNOW there are many mistakes, and I'm sorry for that, I hate how I can't spell.
Anyways don't forget to vote if you liked it!
Love y'all! ❤️❤️❤️