Hoodwinked | Calum Hood AU

37.

I'm in a taxi with no idea where I'm actually going. Outside, the sky is coming over grey and the trees are swaying gently.

"Your phone is ringing, Miss," the driver tells me. I glare at him. I know my phone is ringing. It's been ringing since before I got in the taxi. Luke's name flashes across the screen. Every so often there's a silent pause and then it starts again.

I finally answer, "What do you want?"

"Stop the taxi."

"What?"

"I'm in my car behind you. Stop the taxi."

"Why?"

"Don't run to Calum. Please stop and let me talk to you."

I hang up the phone and look out the window for another block. Am I going to Calum's? I don't remember telling the driver a destination. "Sorry, can you please pull-over?"

No sooner am I out of the car, I see Luke's car parked on the side of the road too. He steps out, his face painted with agony. For some reason, I find myself running over to him and wrapping my arms around his middle. 

When his arms find their way around me to hug me back, it feels exactly the same as it always has. Warm and safe. The harsh wind is barely noticeable with Luke's body enveloping mine. I breath in, just to see if he's wearing the same cologne. He is.

"What are you going to do now, Luke?" I step out of the hug and see Joss leaning against Luke's car. Her arms are crossed over her chest, her hair blowing wildly in the wind. "The storm isn't far away."

"What storm? What's she talking about?"

The wind roars loudly as Luke talks to me again. I can't hear the words any longer, but I see the desperation in his eyes growing as he realises his words are lost in the gale.

Joss's sharp voice cuts through the air, "There's no more time, Luke. You have to make your decision."

Luke's face reddens as his voice turns into screams. "I can't hear you," I'm yelling, tearing my hair away from my face. My dress is blowing up as well. "Come into the taxi so we can talk." I turn around to point towards the car but it's gone. And when I turn back to Luke, he and Joss are gone as well.

My heart is racing as I sit upright in bed. I look around the room, scanning the window twice to see if the storm has passed. The beginning of morning light is still and calm. It was all just a dream.

I lay back down in bed and pull the covers over my face. Apparently I'm not as good at ignoring Luke as I thought. That's the second time he's haunted my dreams in as many nights. Maybe I should just stop sleeping.

It's only 5:30am. Far too early to be awake especially when I only have another week of sleep-ins to enjoy before school goes back. On the nightstand, Paper Towns sits. I finished it yesterday and found myself strangely satisfied with the ending.

I'd planned to go back to the bookstore and find another book today. I also promised Alfie I'd bake some cookies with him. But the shops aren't open this early and if I start baking at this hour, my Dad will probably question my sanity and then I'll be forced to either lie, or confess about the entire Luke saga and how I've been filling my days with endless distractions so I don't have to think about him.

With that thought, I'm up and out of bed. I dig through my wardrobe to find my forgotten pair of black and grey Nike's. Dad bought them for me a while back, when he'd made me to go to a self-defence class. I told him it was a waste of money to buy a pair of shoes for one class but he was stubborn like that.

I throw on an old grey t-shirt and a pair of black leggings, taking my headphones off the nightstand before I leave my room. In the bathroom I wash my face and pin my new, shorter hair back as much as I can.

Sneaking into the living room as quietly as possible, I sit on the couch and make a playlist of upbeat songs. Then, with my headphones in my ears and the music drowning out every thought I have, I walk out of the house and onto the pavement. And then I start running.

I've never been a runner before. Exercise at anytime isn't my idea of fun, and exercise when the sun is still rising always seemed like torture to me.

But today, with the cool air in my lungs and the music in my ears, it feels rather therapeutic. I can only manage to run two blocks before my lungs start burning. It's like my body's way of mocking me, telling me how unfit I am.

I'm ignoring it, though. I push through the burn and keep running. The song starts and another ends. Whenever I want to give up and walk back home, I tell myself to just push through one more song. And then I do the same when that song ends.

Each pounding foot on the pavement gives me great satisfaction and the more I push through the burn, the more fun this is. I feel weightless - albeit, breathless as well - and kind of on top of the world. I pass other runners, and mothers pushing sleeping baby's in prams. I pass a couple walking their two dogs which makes me decide to bring Pepper along tomorrow morning.

When my playlist finishes, I take a left at the next block and start heading home again. I eventually slow down to a walk, worried that I might actually collapse on the footpath if I don't stop running. Alfie and Dad are still sleeping when I get home so I decide to make bacon and eggs for them for breakfast. I'm bored of pancakes now, we've had them all week.

Way back in the appliance cupboard is an old juicer Mum bought when she still lived with us. It's been sitting in the cupboard neglected for so long that there's actual dust collected along the top. I rinse it out and dry it before feeding oranges through it, figuring the boys will be awake soon anyway.

I'm setting the table when Dad walks into the kitchen, "Is it Father's Day?" he jokes, taking in the jug of fresh juice and the plates full of bacon, scrambled eggs and toast.

"I just wanted to do something nice for you," I smile, leaning in as his puts an arm around me. It's Dad's version of a hug.

Alfie's beside himself with joy when he realises there is fresh orange juice. "We should make fresh juice everyday," he decides. "We could even plant an orange tree!"

My Dad, who loves any opportunity to rally us together for a family project, immediately agrees. "We'll plant a lemon tree too. We always had fruit trees in our backyard when I was growing up." He smiles fondly, and then says that we'll go to the plant nursery as soon as it opens.

I tell them to go along without me but promise to help them in the garden when they get back. I still want to go to the bookstore this morning but before that I do something I've been putting off since Joss's party. I text Calum: Hey, do you want to meet me at that bookstore cafe this morning? 

I'm hoping he's not still sleeping. It's after 8:30 now, but usually I'd still be sleeping at this time. When I get out of the shower, washing away the sweat from this mornings run, there's already two texts back from him.

Calum: Is 9 ok? 

Calum: I've missed you Rubes

Me: See you at 9

Me: I've missed you too