Misfits - Chapter 4 (Patreon)

As the day nears its end I can feel myself getting more and more restless. Callum said he was going to be here.. He said we were friends. But if there was one thing I could count on for sure in this world, it was myself. I had been let down plenty of times before.

"Ms. Johnson?" I look up in shock, completely caught off guard by the sound of my professors voice calling my name.

"Yes?" He scowls at me and shakes his head in a scolding manner.

"I asked, what is the difference between a psychopath, and a sociopath?" The room is silent as everyone awaits an answer from me. I hold my head down in shame, not being used to not knowing the answer. But the events from this weekend prevented me from doing the reading.

"I don't know, sir." He raises an eyebrow at me and turns to the class.

"I want a four-page essay on the difference between a psychopath and a sociopath on my desk fully typed, Monday." The class lets out a groan.

"You're dismissed."

I quickly gather my things up trying to hurry and get the hell out of here before someone decided to say something to me. The sun is still high in the sky as I walk out to the parking lot where Callum said to meet him.

I slow my pace as my eyes graze the area, but I don't see Callum anywhere. The throngs of students around me are preventing me from finding him. Finally, my gaze lands on him and I feel relief wash over me. He's leaning against the door of his car and he's on the phone. There's a cigarette in between his full lips. I've always hated cigarettes, the smell was nauseating. But as I approached I couldn't help but be mesmerized by the white cloud he blew from between his nice and full lips. He looks irritated with someone as I get closer. His face completely changes when his eyes land on me, his once cold features softening. He throws the cigarette down stomping it out, his eyes never leaving mine.

"Yeah ok consider it handled." He then hangs up the phone looking at me.

It was the strangest thing watching Callum interact with the world. He had such a confident demeanor, and he rarely ever smiled. And when he did, it was the smallest curve of his lips. Almost as if he were mocking you. But it was as if his eyes spoke for him. I always find myself getting lost in those eyes like fire. I couldn't help but wonder what was going on in his mind.

"So are you done for the day?" he asks.

"Yeah." He looks as though he's expecting me to say something else.

"So... what do you want to do?"

"I was just going to go home...," I say. Callum scoffs.

"This early?" I look at him and he's staring at me in disbelief.

"Well, what else am I supposed to do?" I ask, irritation beginning to well up within me. Callum only shrugs as if he doesn't know the answer himself.

"How am I supposed to know? You're young, you have the whole world at your fingertips." I shake my head incredulously.

"You act like you're not just as young as I am." His eyes meet mine and he takes a step forward, getting into my personal space. I find myself getting lost in those amber irises again, unable to look away.

"I've already reached my potential princess." His voice comes out a deep growl as he stares into what feels like my soul.

I take an involuntary step back. Callum made me feel so uneasy just by looking at me.

"Have you eaten today?" he asks. I slowly shake my head.

"Well come on, we'll get you something to eat." He turns away to walk to the passenger side of the car.

"Wait! I-I have to be home," I say. Callum turns to look at me with confusion.

"For what?" I immediately look away, not wanting to meet his gaze when I lied to him. I felt like he could tell when I was lying even if I wasn't looking in his eyes,

"I just have to be there before my father," I say. Technically it wasn't a lie. I did have to be there before he got there.

"Oh. So it's like a curfew thing," Callum says. 

I don't dare look him in the eye so I keep my head trained down, nodding timidly. I hear Callum scoff.

"Ok. What time?" His question immediately catches me off guard and my head shoots up.

"What?" I ask.

"What time do you have to be home?" He's looking at me as if I'm crazy. Damn. I hadn't thought of that.

"Six." I don't know why I chose that time. I was before the sun went down, and that's when my father was at his worst.

"Well then we have plenty of time." He grabs hold of my arm and I frantically jerk away from him.

"Callum, I said no. I just want to go home." He glares me down with a pissed expression. I swallow trying to get rid of the lump I was now feeling in my throat.

"Fine." He walks around to the passenger side opening the door. I slowly walk and slide in the car.

We're driving in silence, Callums eyes are trained on the road ahead. He doesn't even acknowledge that I'm in the passengers seat. I see the turn we usually take approaching but Callum makes no move to slow down.

"Callum!" I shout as we pass the turn. I look at him in shock mingled with anger.

"Callum, you just passed the turn!" I shout. He finally turns his gaze to me without an ounce of humor.

"I know." I can feel the panic beginning to form within me. He was going to kidnap me. I knew something was off about him, and I ignored my first mind, blinded by someone being kind to me for the first time in my life.

"Calm down princess. I'm just taking you to eat like I promised." My thoughts stop mid-formation when I hear his words. Relief washes over me. I take notice to my surroundings, and realize Callums taking me into the city. like uptown. The buildings are getting taller with each passing mile, and I could see people up close and personal enjoying city life. I could feel jealousy at the sight.

We arrive at a restaurant that's definitely too nice for what I have on. My jacket had holes in it for crying out loud. I watch wide eyed as a woman walks in with her date wearing shoes that looked as though they cost the amount of a semester of college.

"Wait, Callum.. I'm not dressed for somewhere like this.." My voice trails off when our gazes meet.

"Princess, you look beautiful. That's a better reason than being 'dressed' for you to eat somewhere like this." He doesn't wait for a response and gets out of the car walking around to my side.

He opens the door to the place and we step into a restaurant. This was not at all what I was expecting. And I was not dressed for this place at all. Callum at least had on black. I half expected the hostess to turn us away at the door once he laid eyes on us, but his gaze flits to Callums face and his eyes widen in fear.

"Just a moment, sir." 

He scurries away quickly as if he'd seen a ghost. I look at Callum in confusion but he offers me nothing. The man comes back with an expression that I can't read and two menus in his hand.

"If you'll follow me, and Mr. Porter said he has a specially reserved table just for you." Callum nods his head and we follow the man to a dimly lit table in the back of the restaurant away from everyone.

I take a seat and as the host is walking away Callum stops him grabbing the front of his shirt lightly and muttering something to him. The mans face visibly pales and he stares at Callum with wide eyes nodding his head profusely before scurrying off. Callum watches him walk away before taking a seat in front of me.

I'm looking at the menu shocked. Fifty dollars for a 6 ounce steak? What kind of sense did that even begin to make? I didn't know the first thing to order at this place. I felt out of place and tacky in such a nice restaurant. I had never been anywhere like this before in my life.

I lower the menu and jump slightly. Callum's intense gaze is watching me. He has a small smirk on his face.

"You're nervous," he says. I don't know if he's asking me or telling me, but he's right either way. I can't keep his gaze any longer and look away uncomfortably shifting in my seat.

"Why do you do that?" he asks.

"Do what?"

"Look away from me." His face is serious as he says it. I shrug my shoulders.

"I don't know, I just can't keep eye contact with you, you make me kind of uneasy," I say honestly. A small smile flits across his lips as he laughs and leans back in his seat.

"Fair enough."

The waitress arrives and Callum gives her our drink orders. He orders himself any drink that comes in an unopened container, like literally that's what he said. I eye him curiously but don't say anything about it as the waitress takes my drink order as well.

Callum rests his chin on his hand and my eyes wander to the tattoo barely peeking through. When you looked at him lots of tattoos littered his body, stretching all the way up to his neck. It made you wonder what could have happened to this man in this life for him to have so much on his body where there was more ink than visible skin.

"Why are you staring at me?" I ask unable to pretend he wasn't staring at me again. His eyes narrow slightly and he sits up straight snapping his fingers.

"Dental hygienist."

I scoff.

"No."

"Damn!" he growls. I feel a smile tugging at my lips.

"You know what I love?" he says out of nowhere.

"No," I say a little uneasy.

"Your hair. It's so curly. And such a beautiful color." He reaches across the table grabbing my hand in between his hands.

"Like your skin. Such a beautiful shade. Reminds me of chocolate." His thumb absently makes a pattern, causing chills to break out over my skin. His eyes meet mine filled with a deep lust and I can feel myself getting nervous.

"I bet you taste just as sweet as chocolate huh princess." He winks my way pulling that damn piercing in between his lips, and my heart bursts into overdrive.

"Are you guys ready to order?" I literally jump out of my seat, the waitresses sudden arrival catching me completely off guard. I jerk my hand from Callum's grasp and look away in embarrassment. Callum laughs at me leaning back in his chair.

Eventually I give the waitress my order. But I'm the only one. Callum doesn't even offer her so much as a side glance even though she's excessively putting her hands all over him. His eyes are still trained on me. Callum didn't want anything, and this time I decide to speak my mind about it.

"What was that all about?" I ask. He watches me with confusion.

"What was what all about?"

"You forced me to come to this restaurant and yet, you don't want anything?"

"I don't trust the wait staff," he says simply.

"Yet you'd let me eat it here..?" I ask in confusion. He laughs in genuine amusement.

"I don't think they'd risk their reputation." I'm still confused.

"Doing..?" He looks as though he's said too much and just shrugs it off.

"Nothing princess. You have nothing to worry about." He gives me a smile and I just look at him, trying to figure him out. He was a closed book. The rest of the evening continues just like that. We talk a little and Callums gaze never leaves mine. My food finally reaches the table and even then his gaze focuses on me. The waitress puts her hand on his shoulder, excessively touching him and jutting her body out.

"You sure there's nothing I can get for you sweety?" 

For the first time, Callums gaze leaves mine and his whole demeanor is cold and distant. He looks scary as he fixes his gaze on the waitress.

"You can get your fucking hands off of me. And never touch me again," he growls out. Her eyes widen and she steps back in shock before scurrying away. Callum looks back at me and I can't help but stare at him in shock.

"What?" he asks. I only shrug not wanting to bring up anything about what just happened in that exchange.

While he watches me he brings his hand up to his face and the tattoo on it catches my eye. He must have noticed the direction of my gaze because he gives me a sexy smile and opens his hand putting it on his face. The mouth of a skeleton is on his hand making it line up with the features on his face. He raises his eyebrows at me and sends a wink my way and I can't help but laugh. He was strange indeed.

"So how does a girl have enough money to go to college, but not have a phone," he asks his tone is genuine.

"I don't have enough. I worked hard in high school and graduated with honors, earning me a full paid academic scholarship." Callum stares at me incredulously.

"So I've got a brainiac on my hands," he says teasingly. I roll my eyes.

"I wouldn't say brainiac. I just study hard and the grades come immediately after." I say. Callum shrugs.

"Nah. I tried the whole studying thing, didn't work out so well for me." This catches my attention. Callum was being open with me for the first time.

"So you go to college?" I ask. He laughs as if it's the most ridiculous thing he's ever heard.

"No." Great. So I had a dropout on my hands. Then I think again. How the hell could a dropout afford something like this?

"What exactly do you do, Callum?" A devious smirk cross his face.

"Deal with people." I didn't really understand what all that entailed, but I didn't get to dig too deep into it

"How are you enjoying your food?" he asks.

"It's good." Actually it was more than good. It was fantastic. I hadn't eaten all day, not having the time to due to trying to avoid waking my father. Not only that, but I've never had anything so.. fancy before either. I When I look up from my plate Callum is still gazing at me with a lazy smile on his face.

"Callum, can you-"

"Cal."

"Excuse me?" I'm caught off guard by his interruption.

"My friends call me Cal," he says. I laugh aloud ignoring him.

"Can you stop staring at me.."

"Why?" He looks utterly confused as to why I would ask such a thing.

"Because..." I trail off. In truth it was because he was freaking me out. But I didn't want to say that.

"You are stunning. Do you know that?" His voice brings me out of my thoughts. He has a faint smile on his face, his eyes are narrowed while he looks at me. I don't know how to respond.

"I don't think you do.. You walk with your head down. You don't talk much. No confidence in you when you should have all the confidence in the world. You are very beautiful princess."

"Why do you keep calling me that?" 

My voice comes out a small whisper. He leans forward on the table and as a smile blooms on his face as he captures that piercing in between his teeth.

"Because you deserve the world. And I want to be the one to give it to you."

"Why me though.. you can have any other girl in the world. And judging from your group of friends you hang out with, I'm not your type.."

"My friends are idiots. As for why? I can't even give you a specific reason, princess. All I can tell you is that you're different. Special. And I want you." I look up with wide eyes at his admission.

"I want you sexually, of course. But I want more than just that from you. I want everything you have to offer." His eyes darken.

"I know that may take time, but I'm patient and I'm willing to wait. Until then, I'm just going to enjoy the time we have together."

I open my mouth to respond but my eyes in their wandering land on the clock on the far wall. A gasp escapes my lips.

"Oh my gosh, we have to go!" I almost shout. Full blown panic explodes in my chest and nausea makes itself known when I think of what could happen to me once I walked in that door of the hell I knew as home.

Callum speeds down the road, in understanding of my rush. His eyes are focused on the road.

"Rue. Tell me what's going on with you," he says out of nowhere.

"What?" I'm confused as to where the direction of this conversation is going.

"You're over there having a panic attack. And just before that you were crying. Are you ok?" he asks. Damn his perceptive skills.

"Yes.. I just.. I need to get home," I say a little low. I try and take in deep breaths and calm my breathing, I had forgotten how perceptive Callum was.

"Just let me take you to your house, Rue."

"No!" I shout in a panic. His head immediately turns and he looks at me with a mixture of shock and confusion. Shit. My nerves were literally frazzled right now.

"It's ok, really. Just take me to the usual spot." He narrows his eyes at me in irritation.

"Rue. It's dark. I don't feel comfortable dropping you off in the middle of the night on the side of the road," he says incredulously.

"Callum, if you don't you are going to get me b-" I immediately cut myself off. I was going crazy trying to get him to just do what I said, but his constant arguing with me about it and the fear of what was going to be waiting on me when I got home had me just shouting and not thinking.

"Get you what Rue?" I notice his hand visibly tightening on the steering wheel.

"What were you going to say?" 

I shake my head.

"I'll just get in trouble ok?" he huffs but doesn't push me any further and I am thankful for that.

We finally reach the spot I have Callum drop me off. He puts the car in park.

"Thank you, Callum. I really appreciate, everything you've done for me," I say. 

I'm about to get out of the car when he stops me.

"Wait, Rue. I have some business so I won't be here the next few days." I feel a pinch of disappointment but force myself to keep a straight face.

"I want to be able to talk to you, so I got you something." He reaches over across my legs, pulling open the glove box in the car. He grabs a brand new phone that still has the peel away protector on it, and pulls the charger out with it. My eyes widen and I completely forget about trying to get home. He hands it to me.

"Callum, I can't take this," I somehow manage to mutter. He only shakes his head at me.

"No, take it."

"But Callum, this is a whole phone!" He laughs at me, but I still can't understand how he's willing to give a girl he's known for a couple of weeks a whole phone. I feel his fingers underneath my chin and he drags my gaze to meet his. It was like staring into the embers of a fire.

"I told you. I want you. All of you. My numbers in there. Keep in touch." His eyes flicker to my lips and I feel on fire. I imagine what it would be like to kiss him. He leans forward across the middle of the car, and I think he's going to kiss me on the lips, but as he approaches even slower, I feel the warm press of his lips against my cheek.

He pulls back looking at me with a smirk playing at his features.

"You were in a hurry, remember?" he says winking at me. I blink and manage to snag my surroundings once more and pull myself out of that dreamy haze. I quickly stumble out of the car, stuffing the phone into the bottom of my backpack.

"Until next time, princess!" Callum shouts through the window before pulling off. I make sure he's out of my line of view before I take off sprinting down the road to the dirty apartment I called home.

The music is spilling out of cars, people are drunk everywhere, women are on the corners trying to sell themselves. It was a sad place that I lived in. But each night I came home I used these people as my inspiration. This was not what I wanted. Not where I wanted to be. They motivated me to keep pushing.

I finally reach my building and quietly open the door. I slowly move throughout the house trying to make as little noise as possible. Beer bottles littered the floor along with burnt foil and blunts. I wrinkle my nose in disgust at the smell. I pass my fathers door and hear loud moans coming from the other side which meant he had company.

In the past I would have been glad for that. But my father now has it in his head to show off for the women he brought around. And to him, showing off was beating me up and letting the lucky mistress join in.

I walk quickly to my room and go to close my door when my hand swipes at thin air. My breathing catches in my throat. Oh God. The door. My door. It was gone. I was beginning to panic. I begin feeling the doorframe hoping by some miracle it would just reappear. Tears begin welling up in my eyes.

That was my only hope. My only form of protection and now it was gone.

"I see you noticed the changes." I stiffen immediately and turn slowly to see my father standing in the doorway of his bedroom. The woman he was just screwing was right on his shoulder, a blunt hanging from her lips. She looked trashy as hell.

I always find myself wondering what happened to my father all these years. Looking at him now, he looked nothing like the man that used to love me more than anything. He takes a staggering step forward and I immediately flinch backwards.

"Where the hell have you been?"

"I- I was at the library." He scoffs at me grabbing the blunt from the woman's lips and taking a drag. He walks towards me as he does. I'm literally shaking in fear. I don't know what to do. I can't even lock myself in my room anymore.

My father is standing directly in front of me as he takes another drag. Before I can blink he reaches out grabbing my arm and bringing the bunt down burning my arm. I scream in pain trying to jerk away but he doesn't care or listen.

"Where the hell were you?" he growls at me.

"The library!" I sob. He doesn't like the answer and burns me again. My arm is on fire I frantically look at the woman for help but she's not going to help me. My father throws the blunt on the ground of the apartment stomping it out. He shouts at the woman to come closer to where we were struggling, and the he rears back bringing his fist across my face.

~

Bzzz. Bzzzz. Bzzzz.

My head feels like someone took a hammer to it.

Bzzz. Bzzz. Bzzz.

I crack my eyes open as the vibrating sounds again. What the hell is that?

Bzzz. Bzzz. Bzzz.

I slowly sit up. It's coming from my backpack. Then I remember the phone Callum gave me. I try my hardest to quickly get the phone to silence it, but the searing pain that flashes through my arms and body causes me to hiss in pain.

The buzzing stops. I peak out my door to see my fathers door closed. A sigh of relief escapes me. That meant that he was out for the night. He had that woman help him once again tonight. And when I tried to fight back, things got worse for me because he held me down and let her "teach me a lesson". As soon as I was well enough I had to find that door and put it back. I slowly stand up, ignoring the pain shooting throughout my body. I needed to get to the bathroom and lock the door so I would be safe for the night. I grab my blanket and pillow, and backpack, dragging them across the floor to the bathroom.

I close the door behind me, locking it and turning the light on. The bathroom was filthy. And I didn't want to sleep in here of all places. But I had no choice. I lay my pillow on the floor and my blanket. There was no way I was going to lay in the bathtub. It was filthy. I look at myself in the mirror and a sob escapes my lips. I had bruises around my throat, burns on my arms, and cuts and bruises along my torso. And on my face, there was a bruise beginning to form under my right eye.

Bzzz.

I jump as the sound of that phone goes off again. I turn off the light in the bathroom and lay on the floor on the makeshift palate I created. I shuffle in the dark grabbing the phone out of the bottom of my bag. The screen lights up illuminating the bathroom. It was a nice phone. An HD flat screen was in the palm of my hand. Callum didn't spare any expense did he.

The screen says I have a missed call from.. I smile at the contact name. It read "Your future" Callum obviously entered it. There was also a message from him 6 minutes after the call. The time was 2:45 A.M.. I press the icon and the screen illuminates.

From: Your Future

I was walking when it started raining. The rain was falling so hard, that I had to walk into the nearest shop to keep from taking another shower. And as I watched it fall I realized I was thinking of you. And how it reminds me of you. Because like the rain, I am falling hard. For you. Hope your sleeping well, princess.

-Cal