Torn

MORGAN'S POINT OF VIEW

"Lillie stop- No, don't draw on that wall," I laugh.

"But I wanna." She makes a rhino face and squats with her fist on her waist.

I laugh, "I know but drawing on paper is better."

"Why?"

"Because then you can pick where you want to put the paper all by yourself."

"I can do that on the wall, too." Why is she so ridiculously smart?

"Yes, but.." I hesitate, "With paper, you can take it places. Like uncle Ashton's house. But if you keep drawing on the walls they can't see it."

She looks around. "I want pretzels."

"Okay," I laugh, "What do you say?"

"Can I please have pretzels." She asks, doing like ten squats in a row. That's her new thing, just squatting constantly.

"Mhm, go sit at the table okay?"

"Okiiie." She runs over to a chair and climbs onto it.

"I'm hooomme." Michael walks in holding a bag of groceries.

"Hey babe." I smile.

"Hey baabe." Lillie grins at Michael and he just dies in laughter.

"Are you eating pretzels without me?" He raises his eyebrows.

"Of course we are." I grin, putting one in my mouth.

"I'm so offended."

"I'm offernded too." Lillie says, crossing her arms.

"Oh really?" I ask.

"Yes."

"How come?" Michael smiles.

"Because I haven't gotten my pretzels yet."

"Oh my god she knows what offended means already." Michael whispers. "I swear, she's a prodigy."

"I'm not a prodigy I'm just not a dumbo." She giggles.

"How do you know what prodigy means?!" Michael laughs.

I laugh, "How was work?"

"Uneventful. Kim just had me sit there and grade papers, like, no no. I'd like to be assisting, that's what assistant teachers dooo."

"Now he's really offended." Lillie laughs.

"So what about you Lillie, are you ready for kindergarten?" Michael asks, leaning onto the counter.

She laughs, "Nope, I've decided I am not going."

"Why not? Kindergarten's awesome. You just play and learn the alphabet." Michael chuckles. "Plus you'll have more friends your age than just Rosie."

"Yeah but I like Rosie. She's nice and pretty and she smells good. Plus I get to see her whenever we see uncle Ashton and aunt Jess." Lillie shrugs, stuffing a pretzel in her mouth.

"Yeeeaahhh, but at kindergarten there are a bunch of other nice, pretty kids who smell good."

"Not like Rosie." Lillie mumbles, trying to find the pretzel she dropped in her chair.

ASHTON'S POINT OF VIEW

"Rosie wait," I yell, grabbing her hand. "Don't just run into traffic sweetheart." I giggle.

"Sorry dad." She smiles.

"Did you just call me dad?" I raise my eyebrows. She nods, beaming. She usually calls me daddy, so her calling me dad is like. Wow. She's actually growing. I don't like it, why can't she just stay tiny forever? "Okay, go get mum and we'll go to Lillie's house, okay?"

"Okay!" She runs up to the front porch and runs Jess out to the car. "Let's go!" She yells, hoping in the car.

"Are we going to Lillie's then?" Jess laughs, looking at me.

"Mhm," I open the car door for her, "Ma' lady."

CALLIE'S POINT OF VIEW

I graduated from art school a week or two ago. I haven't seen Calum in forever, so I figured I'd go see how that little dork is doing. I moved out of Joy's house, and into my own, and Calum is living in a townhouse right now. It's been around two years since we saw each other. We text and everything, but with both of us finishing up college and trying to pay our student loans, we haven't had time to see each other. I knock on his door, taking deep breaths. He might not even recognize me. My hair is it's natural dark brown now, with the bottom layer a shit ton of fading rainbow. My skin isn't as pale anymore, although I do still have the complexion of a vampire. My style changed too. Now I'm wearing a purple crop top, black skinny jeans and converse. I know, for a twenty four year old, you'd think I'd wear something less high school.

Calum opens the door, and I nearly flinch. He looks.... G-Good. Clearly he's been working out, he's definitely not as scrawny as he once was, he has these super hot blonde streaks in his hair, and scattered on his arm are tattoos. On his wrist it says 'Callie' in cursive, and I nearly start crying. Okay so I do start crying when I actually look in his watery eyes. He doesn't say anything to me, he just hugs me, which makes me cry even more. How did I get through two years of not seeing him?! "God I missed you so fucking much." He whispers, and I nod. Not one date, or glance, or flirt, and for the past five years I could never figure out why I wouldn't date anyone of the super nice guys who liked me, and now I remember. Calum. He pulls away, nearly crying himself. "Do you um- Want to come in?"

"Yeah." I smile, and walking in sniffing. Aw, his house is pretty. It's silent for a minute, until we both say:

"Look I really need to tell you something."

"Uhm, you go first," Calum says. I'm about to open my mouth when he stops me, "Wait, sorry, no, I'll go first," I laugh, "I've waited way to long to tell you, and if you tell me you're getting married or some shit I won't be able to tell you and I have to tell you." He pauses, "Callie in five years since that day you left my dorm I haven't been remotely interested in any other girl." My eyes widen. He's going to- "I've known you almost my entire life, and not once have I ever lost interest you in your laugh, and your personality. In the two years we haven't seen each other my mind just keeps racing about what it'll be like if we ever look at each other again. Two years and the only thing going through my head is you, and when you'll come back, because I love you with every inch of my being." I've almost started crying again, when he kneels down and I can't breathe. "And this might be really stupid and cheesy and I don't even know if you feel the same way since it's been so long and you probably-"

"Calum." I laugh, trying not to cry.

"Right, sorry, um, Callie, will you marry m-"

"Yes," I nod, "yes I will." He beams at me, slipping the ring on my finger, and every moment of him telling me when we were kids how awesome my husband or wife is going to be comes to mind. He kisses me, and I slide my tongue in his mouth, as we attempt at walking up the stairs to his room.
---
"YOU'RE GETTING MARRIED WHAT THE FUCK CALLIE GET OFF THE PHONE AND CUDDLE YOUR SOON TO BE HUSBAND OH MY FUCK!" Morgan yells into the phone.

"Okay okay sheesh," I laugh, "You'll tell Jess and Ashton?"

"OF COURSE."

"Alright, and the kids-'

"I already told Lillie." She giggles.

"Okay, bye,"

"Wait- Callie?"

"Yeah?"

"I told you you two were meant to be." She chuckles. I roll my eyes and hang up the phone. I feel my ring in the dark, smiling, when I feel something on the inside. I shine the light of my phone on it and smile as I kiss Calum's cheek, which causes him to groan and roll over to wrap an arm around me. This is everything I've ever wanted, and somehow I finally got what I wanted.

I read the inscription on the ring again and again until I'm about to fall asleep, and slip it back on my finger.

'Together forever, never apart, maybe in distance but never at heart.'

Notes