fifteen ; l.h.

her

noelle invited calum to her house so they could speak privately.

it was weird meeting him in person. he was much taller and puppy-like. he didn't at all look like the type to bully someone with michael, but who was she to judge?

when the pair reached her front door, he stopped her before she could unlock it.

"aren't your parents going to be mad with you bringing some random boy home?" he asked worriedly.

she smiled lightly and shook her head, "don't worry, they're out with my brother. i think."

calum paled slightly and she held back a chuckle as she swung open the door and led him into the - empty - apartment.

the pair sat on the couch together and simply stared, wondering where to begin.

"so," she said. "why are you here calum? you have to be far from home."

"i overheard luke talking to his friend ashton," he admitted. "they were talking about what happened with his family in brooklyn and you and this place. i just had to let you know that he was okay. he loves you."

so luke was in brooklyn. his hometown, she assumed. the place where all his pain resided.

"wait, what happened to his family?" she inquired.

when calum's mouth glued shut, she knew what he was going to say before he said it.

"i'm sorry, i can't tell you. it's not my place."

slightly irritated, noelle laughed bitterly. "if that's all you had to say, why come here physically? a phone call would've sufficed."

"i just..." he sucked in a breath. "i can't take back the pain michael and i caused him. i can't make him unfeel that, but i thought that at least i'd help him regain the tiny bit of happiness he does have. you."

noelle smiled at the naive boy in front of her. he had good intentions, yes, however he didn't quite get why luke did the things he did.

calum was a good guy. an amazing guy that was willing to do seemingly everything to earn forgiveness for his wrongdoings. noelle had to respect him for that. he'd gone all the way from brooklyn just to tell her about luke so she could stop worrying.

if she were being honest, she would say that calum reminded her - if even a little bit - of the person she once was. noelle found herself memorizing every aspect of him just in case she needed a reminder of the girl who had once seen the world as a rainbow instead of a black and white film.

calum was bright and he was willing to do whatever it took to make people happy.

it'd been far too long since noelle had been that way.

"thank you," she grabbed his hand softly. "for everything. it means so much to me."

he squeezed her tiny hand in response. "luke deserves someone like you in his life. to make him realize what a great person he is. i'm just sorry i wasn't there to support him in the first place."

"he'll forgive you," noelle assured him. "he will. that's what he does. it's what he's doing back at brooklyn. he's forgiving himself and everyone around him."

then they sat in silence, relishing in the comfort of the two joined hands and lives that had both been touched by the same person.

the boy who was once happy.

the boy who once felt the sweet taste of freedom.

the boy who had that all taken away from him.