Start Again (C.T.H.)

Part 2

The questions never left my mind even as the days turned into weeks and my sleep seemed to lessen as every time I closed my eyes, pictures of the scenes in the bank were all that I saw. I never described myself as special or important, I was a college student in a ratty apartment with a half-ass job. But now the anxiety of how wrong I could possibly be was nagging at my mind at all hours. I had to do research. I had to figure out the answers to all my questions because it seemed as if nobody else would give them to me. I wasn't exactly planning on running into more criminals any time soon.

I didn't know what exactly to research or look for since "What does it mean when bank robbers recognize you and run away?" wasn't exactly something you could search on google. I started simple. The day of the "robbery" and any reports made on it. Nothing interesting stuck out to me other than the significantly large amount of crime in my area. It was theorized that every robbery, murder, and other recent attack was connected but I didn't understand how.

A ping on my phone stole my attention and led me to Instagram. I was tagged in a "throwback" picture from high school and I laughed. It was a group photo of me and some friends but the funny part was who was next to me. Calum Hood. My boyfriend at the time and my "true love". The classic cliche of growing old together and "only ever loving you" that tragically fell apart at the end of summer after we graduated and he ghosted me. We never "officially" broke up but it was enough of a sign to me that he didn't want a girlfriend to hold him back while he went to college or wherever he went.

I wasn't expecting much from the picture being posted. It had been years and I had moved on. That's why the notification @calumhood sent you a message was so shocking to me. I hesitated and debated back and forth in my mind if I should answer or even look at his message. I decided it didn't matter what he could possibly say to me so I hit the chat with him and subsequently rolled my eyes.

@calumhood: hey:)

Of course, he was going to act as nothing had ever happened.

@y/n: ...hey

@calumhood: been a while, huh?

@calumhood: that picture feels like so long ago

Seen

What does he expect me to say? To do? I switch off my phone and go back to my laptop. It seems like weird occurrences are just going to become regular now.