Social Casualty

*Calum*
2010
Sydney, Australia

“That’s disgusting, Reign!” I exclaim. I sit on my sister’s bed as she talks to me. I’ve always wondered if she liked Luke.
“He’s just so handsome, Calum,” Reign says, smiling as her eyes glaze over. “You wouldn’t get it.”
“You’re right. I don’t get it. I don’t because you are fourteen and he’s fifteen. He. Is. Too. Old. For. You.” There is no way that I’m going to let Reign date him.
“Calum!” she says, yelling. “I am in year eight. I’m old enough to make my own decisions. Besides, he is only a year older than me.” Sure. That’s what they all say.
“Yeah, and I’m in year ten. I know what he’ll do. He will break your heart, Reign,” I say, looking at her seriously.
“He’s different, Cal. I can feel it. He’s not going to hurt me,” Reign looks at me, with a heartbreaking face.
“Rainbow. I…just…just let me talk to him at least.” Please agree. She doesn’t know how hard this is for me. At all.
“Cal, he won’t leave me alone. He’s always talking to me. How am I supposed to ignore him? Luke is all popular, I mean, why does he talk to me? Why not other girls?” she asks, panicking. She must be worried.
“I am going to talk to him. Don’t worry. I’ll just ask him if he likes you. When he talks to you don’t answer him. He likes you because you are perfect, Reign,” I say. She rolls her eyes. She doesn’t get it. She really is.
Reign thinks that she isn’t pretty. Everyone thinks she is gorgeous. She thinks that she has ugly outfits. I hear all the girls saying that they want her outfits. Reign pushes everyone away. Everyone except me. She doesn’t accept herself and I’m going to find out why.
“Seriously, Cal?” Reign’s phone rings and she answers.
“What, Addy?” Reign says. Her best friend, Adelaide. This is gonna take awhile. I don’t know what to do about her and Luke. I got into a fight with him about her. I don’t get why he follows her around and he thinks that it’s okay. It’s not. I just don’t want her to get hurt. I know she thinks that he is different, but still. I stand up and walk to the door. Reign doesn’t even glance at me. She’s already busy talking to Adelaide. Too much drama. I walk out of the door to my bedroom.
I sit at my computer on Facebook. I scroll through my feed and reply to a comment. My phone beeps with a message from Michael.
Michael: Hey, can u come over?
Me: Yeah, why?
Michael: I want to talk to you about something.
Me: I’ll be there in a couple minutes.
“Reign!” I yell. I hear shuffling and she steps in my room, with her phone to her ear. She glares at me.
“What?”
“I’m going over to Michael’s house. Ask Addy if you can go to her house,” I say. My parents won’t care.
“Hey, Addy. Can I come over? Cal is going to Michael’s house,” Reign waits for a response.
“Okay, yeah. Yeah, I’ll tell Cal. Okay, bye,” Reign says and hangs up her phone.
“What did she say?” I ask.
“Her brother, Ashton, is there but I can come. Ashton is going to pick me up. Why are you going to Mikey’s house?” She looks at me curiously.
“I actually don’t know. He wants to talk to me,” I admit.
“I’m gonna go wait for Ashton and Addy to pick me up,” Reign says, leaving my room. I walk to my door and see her enter her room.
I go downstairs and wait for them to come.
“What are you wearing?’ I ask when Reign comes down the stairs. She wears my MMXII beanie, ripped skinny jeans, and one of my Green Day shirts.
“Addy’s brother is hot,” she says, looking at me like nothing is wrong.
“You’re not wearing that, Reign.”
“Does it bother you that I’m wearing your beanie and your Green Day shirt?” Reign says, smirking.
“No, it doesn’t. Just…please don’t wear that,” I say.
“Why?”
“Reign, just because he is “hot” doesn’t mean anything. He could be a total jerk and if he sees you like that, he’ll think that he can take advantage of you,” I say. It’s happened to her before.
“Well, I’m wearing it.”
“Fine, get your heart broken.” I really don’t get why I care so much.
“I will,” she says, grinning. She looks out the window. “They’re here, Cal.”
“I want to come out there for a minute,” I say. She frowns but doesn’t say anything. She runs out the door.
“Addy!” she yells. She runs to her best friend and hugs her. I walk to the driver’s door to talk to Ashton.
“Hey,” he says, giving me a smile.
“Hi. Ashton, right?”
“Yeah. Calum?”
“Yep. Wait. How do you know my name?”
“Adelaide talks about you all the time, Calum. She thinks you’re so hot. Whatever.” I smile when he says that.
“Are you serious?”
“Yeah. By the way, I like your shirt,” he says, nodding at my Nirvana shirt.
“Thanks. You listen to older bands?”
“Yeah, I love them.”
“Do you play any instruments?” I ask, curious.
“I play drums. I’ve never been in a band though.” Ashton glances at Adelaide and Reign.
“That’s cool. I play bass guitar,” I say.
“Ashton!” Adelaide shouts.
“Yes?” he turns his head.
“Let’s go! I want to go back home to show Reign my new shoes!”
“Guess we’re leaving. See you around?” Ashton says, turning back to me.
“Yeah,” I say, hesitantly. Reign walks around the car and kisses me on the cheek.
“Bye, Cal Pal. I’ll text you later. Love you,” she says, climbing into the car.
“Bye, Rainbow,” I say, calling Reign by her nickname. “Love you. I’ll call when I’m on my way to get you.”
She nods and I wave as Ashton pulls out of the driveway.
I walk in the house. I text Michael and tell him that I’m on my way.

Notes

Hey guys! First chapter of Social Casualty. Hope you enjoy!
-Emily x