The Social Outcast

Chapter Fourteen

One Week Later:

I got to school, seeing my locker unpleasantly decorated with words written all over it. Every negative word you could think of was written on it.

Ugly, loser, freak, weirdo, worthless, useless, fat, and far too many others to count.

Why couldn't someone treat me like I wasn't a chew toy for a dog? Why couldn't someone treat me like I actually mattered? What did I ever do to them?

Why was I such a disappointment to everybody, including my parents?

All I've wanted to do since I was little, was to make them proud of me. All I ever did since then, was show them what a disappointment I was.

Flashback of five year-old me:

"Look mommy, I ate all of my vegetables. Are you proud of me?"

"No, you'll just keep getting fatter if you keep eating so much. You're not getting any food, tomorrow. You're such a disappointment," She yelled, slapping me.

I just wanted someone to encourage me and to be proud.

Was that selfish of me?

Did I seem heartless?

"You're so selfish. You should be thankful for what you have. Some people have worse situations. You're not the center of the universe," The little voice in the back of my mind said to me.

That night, I stood in my bathroom, not being able to look at myself in the mirror.

The amount of self worth I was feeling, was at a low point. I couldn't breathe. Even I was disappointed in myself. I took a long shower, hoping the water would drown the sounds of my sobs.

What did I do?

****************************

Calum's POV

Something was going on with Hallie. That was the fact that I'd already established, but I needed to figure out what.

What was going on?

What was she going through?

How could I help?

No matter how many times I tried to guess what was going on, I knew there was something missing. I just needed to relax, and let her tell me on her own time.

Would she ever tell me though?

My head hurt from all of the thoughts swimming in my head. I was laying in my bed at 3am. I was going to regret this when I had to go to work the next day, but my mind wouldn't turn off.

I heard someone walking in the hallway along with a sniffle. I got up, wondering what was happening. Hallie was standing there, tears running down her face.

"Hallie," I said softly, not wanting to wake the boys.

She just shook her head, crying harder. She walked into my embrace, letting me hug her. Hallie didn't look like she wanted to talk, so I just let her cry out.

We went into my room where she started crying harder and louder. I just held her, comforting her in any way that I could. I whispered comforting things in her ears.

This is the lowest and vulnerable point I'd ever seen her in, and the sight was heartbreaking.

Let's just face it, even though it'd only been a month of knowing her, I loved her like she was my daughter.

It hurt my heart when she was upset, like it would any parent.

Her tears soaked my shirt, but I didn't care.

For some reason, this was one of the worst pains I've ever felt.

"It hurts," She sobbed into my chest.

"What baby?" I asked.

"My heart." Tears pooled into my eyes as rage filled my heart. I wanted to know who or what made her feel this way, and make them pay.

"Calum, I can't find Ha-" Ashton said, stopping himself when he saw Hallie crying. I motioned for him to go, silently telling him that it probably wasn't the best idea.

She cried for hours, and I was hoping she'd stop soon, knowing that she was going to get dehydrated quickly. I got Michael to bring a glass of water for her.

Now, we were just sitting in silence, still in the same position.

"I got mascara on your shirt," She sniffled, making me laugh.

"It's okay, baby, I didn't even know you wore mascara," I said.

"I'll buy you a new one," She said.

"No, sweetheart, if you do that, I'll end up grabbing the mascara and rubbing it against the new one," We both laughed.

Man, what would life be like if she wasn't here.

I couldn't even remember life before she got here.

GOOD MORNING SUNSHINE!

JUST THE DAILY UPDATE FOR Y'ALL. MY UPDATING SCHEDULE IS GOING TO BE EVERY DAY, OR EVERY OTHER DAY, SO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR NEW UPDATES.

THIS WAS A PRETTY SAD CHAPTER FOR ME TO WRITE. THESE CHARACTERS ARE MY BABIES, GUYS, IT HURTS ME WHEN THEY'RE UPSET. WELL, 5SOS ARE ACTUAL PEOPLE, THOUGH.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS CONVERSATION, LOL.

DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHEN MICHAEL AND CRYSTAL ARE GETTING MARRIED, OR ARE THEY ALREADY MARRIED? I HAVEN'T BEEN KEEPING UP.

XOXO, L.