The Monster Under the Bed || Kickthestickz

Heartbreak huh?

"C'mon Chris, you need to get out of bed. I know it hurts now, but you're going to get over it." I hear Calum's whispered voice not too far way. He must be leaning against my bed. "I haven't seen you eat in days, you're definitely dehydrated and you've missed two weeks of school. All this moping around is getting ridiculous."

I don't respond.

"Chris, please." Calum begs. "Please, please just get up and take a shower"

I sniff slightly, still not opening my eyes.

"I'll give you five minutes and if you haven't moved in that time I'll bring Ruben up here and he'll sort you out." The door clicks closed quietly behind him and I hear him slide himself down on the opposite side of the wall in the corridor.

Calum doesn't understand. He's never been in a relationship like this in his life. He's only really been with Clara his whole life and even then they've never had hideous problems like this before. Well, he might when Clara finds out about the Halloween party.

It hurts to do anything. And I know that Pj and I weren't even an actual couple but it felt special just the same but now knowing that I've ruined my chances with him just makes everything ten times worse.

Slowly, I peel my eyes open and stare intensely at the blank wall beside my bed. I sigh. I need to get up. Surely it's been about 5 minutes now, Calum will be coming back in with Ruben soon and even though it's been weeks I still don't feel ready to see anyone but Cal. Gradually I swing my legs over the edge of my bed and place my feet on the floor. It seems unnatural now to be moving about, however slowly, compared to weeks I've spent choking, suffocating and drowning within my own thoughts.

As my hands shuffle themselves to twist round the freezing brass handle of the bathroom door I hear Calum stand himself up from outside and enter the room.

"Oh! Chris, I didn't actually expect you to be up. How about you get yourself ready and I'll find you some fresh clothes and a towel, huh?" he smiles gently and leads me further into bathroom, pulling the glass doors around and leaving the room to collect my towel.

Whilst he's gone I stare at myself hard in the mirror. I look awful. My cheeks have sunken in making my face look bony and skeletal. My eyes are bloodshot and rimmed red around the edges from the days of hysterical sobbing and the bags underneath them are dark, massive and horrendous. I look as if I should be dead. No wonder Calum was worried.

As soon as the tanned boy returns into the bathroom he sits himself on the toilet seat and places my folded clothes on top his lap. "Would you like me to leave?" he asks as I shake my head and pull my t-shirt from my body. I've spent way too long alone. I didn't realise how badly I was craving company. I undress quickly and pull my boxer shorts off last. Calum gives me another one of his comforting smiles and reaches into the shower and twists the knob to set the water to the correct temperature. "You alright?" he double checks as I set into the shower and he slides the glass back into place after me. This is why Calum is my best friend; the sleeve of his white school shirt is drenched in water and here I am stark naked and taking my first shower for a fortnight right in front of him and all he does is check that I'm okay.

As soon as the water hits my back I begin to scrub myself. "It's okay," Calum's voice rings out once more and his hazy figure on the other side of the steamy glass shuffles slightly when he talks. "You don't have to rush yourself. Its only 5:30 so dinner won't be ready for another hour yet. I have all the time in the world. No hurry."

I sigh slightly and sit myself down on the shower floor, the hot water cascading over my face, running in my ears and getting into my eyes. Slowly I reach forward and wipe my hand against the condensation of the shower, making a small hole in which I can see Calum's face. For the first time in weeks I sit and smile at my friend. The tanned skin on his face stretches until all of his teeth are showing into a huge grin. And that's it. We sit and silently look at each other until the glass steams up once more.