Chapter 28: Chapter 28

"What did you just say?" Calvin breathes out, his eyes full of confusion and conflict. I can see him battling with himself, his decision almost unbearable for him to handle. I reach up hastily and wipe away a fallen tear.

"Don't make me repeat myself." I say quietly, my eyes falling to the floor. I can't believe I've admitted my deep feelings to him, my lips feel alien to spilling such raw truth.

"Why should I believe you? You've been lying to me this whole time Hunter!" Calvin protests desperately, his eyebrows creased together in desperation.

"It's the truth, put the gun down." I tell him, my voice low. I look up at him from under my lashes, struggling to hold eye contact when I know I'm the reason for the pain held inside them. Calvin lets out a frustrated yell, his face crumpling up with mixed emotions.

"You don't know what I'm capable of!" Calvin screams at me, pointing the gun at me violently. I breathe in sharply, my back pressing against the wall. I watch as his eyes glaze over, the green in them covered with a layer of tears.

"You're not going to shoot me Calvin." I say softly, reaching out for the gun with my hand. My actions are slow as I try to move without freaking him out. He lets out another frustrated yell, blinking back tears as they begin to fall down his cheeks. I've never seen him look so broken and defeated.

"You think I can't do this, huh? You're just like my father! You don't think I'm capable of killing someone?" Calvin yells, his voice cracking. His words echo around the room and I pause, unable to tear my eyes off him. Tears roll down his cheeks one after the other and for the first time since I met him, I see a vulnerable boy trapped inside his eyes.

"You're a good person Calvin." I whisper, my heart breaking from seeing him so torn apart. The waver in his voice and the shaking of his body reminds me that he doesn't want to live in this kind of world. Full of lies and deceit.

"If I'm a good person, why aren't I ever good enough?" Calvin says shakily, his jaw trembling as he struggles to compose himself. I open my mouth to respond, shaking my head at him because his words aren't true.

"I've never been good enough for my mother, not violent enough for my father and now I'm not good enough for you either. Everyone lies to me, what am I doing wrong?" Calvin wails, his tone of voice lowering until he sounds defeated. I'm stunned in silence as I watch him break down in front of me, years of him feeling neglected finally tumbling down on him at once. It breaks my heart knowing I'm the reason he's losing his mind.

"Calvin, please." I beg him, tears beginning to fill my own eyes. He inhales sharply before gritting his teeth, his sharp jaw firmly fixed in place. For a second, he regains composure before doing something I never would have imagined in my wildest dreams . . .

He turns the gun on himself.

My eyes widen at the image in front of me and I scream, lunging at him whilst he backs up. It only causes him to press the gun further into his throat, his hands shaking uncontrollably. I've seen one too many blood baths in my time, watched as people I've connected with have died instantly. The empty feeling knowing you'll never see them smile or laugh again never leaves you.

"Calvin, NO!" I cry out, my voice bouncing and echoing off the walls. My heart falls to the pit of my stomach as I watch his hands tighten around the trigger, inches away from firing the gun.

"Stay away!" Calvin cries at me, falling backwards with his hands tightly on the gun. I freeze on the spot, tears rolling down my cheeks as I shake my head at him.

"I'm sorry!" I cry out, reaching inside my pocket. "I'm so sorry I made you feel like this.”

I apologise over and over again, unable to forgive myself for bringing him to this point.

"I'll never be good enough because you're right Hunter. I'm not a bad person, I can't survive in my father's world. I'll constantly let him down and I don't want to carry on." Calvin whispers, squeezing his eyes shut tightly.

"I can help you, let me help you get out of this mess Calvin. Please." I plead with him, my hands fumbling with something inside my pocket.

"You're not going to press the trigger." I tell him firmly, reaching up with my free hand to wipe away the tears rolling down my cheeks.

"What makes you so certain?" Calvin replies shakily, his breathing growing heavy. I finally pull out the bullets in my pocket and let them fall to the floor one by one. Calvin freezes and his eyes follow the bullets as they roll away from us into a corner. Silence fills the air and it feels like my chest is ready to explode from the strain. I take a step forward, my hand outstretched for his —

"Because the gun wasn't loaded." I whisper.

His eyes travel across the floor until they finally reach mine and I recoil from how emotionless they are. I'll never forgive myself for bringing him to the point where he felt like he needed to end it all but I also know I'm not the sole reason.

"Let me help you . . . take my hand." I urge him, motioning for him to come closer. Minutes pass which feel like hours and he continues to stare at me, not saying a word. Those green eyes stare straight through to my soul and I know I need to help him if it's the last thing I do.

"He'll kill me." Calvin finally whispers, his shoulders slumping in defeat. He stands almost as if he's in a trance, unaware of the mess unfolding around him.

"I won't let him." I respond instantly, taking another small step towards him. I feel like I'm approaching a wild animal, scared to move too fast incase I frighten him and he runs.

"Take my hand Calvin." I repeat, my voice falling to a hushed whisper. He never breaks eye contact with me but for a brief second, his gaze falls to my outstretched hand. I hold my breath as I wait for his response and I know this is make or break for us. I don't know how I'll continue to live in a world without a smile from the one and only, Calvin Black. The thought of him rejecting me causes my stomach to twist with nausea.

After what seems like forever, he stretches out his arm and I feel his warm hand slide into mine. I release the breath I'm holding as I pull him into me, wrapping my arms around his frame tightly. He embraces me just as fiercely, his other hand reaching up to disappear inside my hair. Despite falling apart his grip is as strong as ever and I fall into him, closing my eyes as I breathe in his warm scent.

We stand clutching each other for a while, bruises forming on our skin whilst the tears dry on our cheeks. I squeeze my eyes shut, unable to believe the rollercoaster of emotions we've both been on in the past half hour. Calvin suddenly pulls away, his hand still tangled in the strands of my wild hair.

"Hunter," he murmurs quietly, looking down at me with beautiful green eyes. I automatically feel my stomach tighten at the sound of my name coming from him. He leans forward, resting his forehead against mine as he searches my eyes.

"I promise I'll fix everything." I tell him, my fingers clutching onto the belt loops of his jeans.

He bites his lower lip, his eyes filling with uncertainty and fear before he eventually nods.

I don't have time to say another word because he pushes me backwards, guiding me with one strong hand on my hip until I reach a wall. A small gasp escapes from my mouth as I'm pressed up against the wall, Calvin's body falling into me.

"You're still bleeding." Calvin mutters darkly, his chest rising and falling heavily. His eyes grow hooded with lust as he looks at me, gaze flickering from my eyes to my lips.

"So are you, sweetheart." I mimic him from before, my words strained as I press myself further into him. A low sigh escapes his lips and he takes hold of my chin before kissing me with a passion I've never felt before. I gasp inside his mouth as he forces my lips apart with his tongue, his hands roaming my body as he keeps me pinned to the wall with his own. I arch my body into him, kissing him back just as fiercely as one arm automatically loops around his neck. His scent fills me, ravelling around me as our lips grow impatient with just kisses. I breathe in sharply as we pull back, leaning my head back to give him access to my neck.

The electricity I feel is unexplainable, I've never felt something so addicting.

"Calvin," I whisper, loving the feel of his lips on my neck. He lets out another sigh, pushing his body further into mine.

"I could listen to you say my name forever." He whispers down my ear before planting a fierce kiss on the exposed skin. Goosebumps erupt over my body, making me forget about everything around me. All I'm focused on is being in this moment with Calvin. The sound of the door smashing open into the wall finally pulls me into my senses and Calvin jumps back off me, both of us blinking back to reality.

"Well, well, well. I wasn't expecting to see that.”