Evermoon

Chapter 5

Frankie walked after Callum, trying to catch up with him was pointless, what with his long legs and tall-thin physique, he was more than a few strides ahead. She called his name as he rounded the corner but he still had his headphones on, she stood there as other students milled around in the background. The day stayed true to its start, the bad omen was spreading fast and she was barely surfacing for air, she closed her eyes from the throbbing pressure behind them as the scenery changed and all she could see was Callum and Celeste, huddled to the side talking in whispers.

Frankie admired them, they were so different in personalities yet had an uncanny similarity to them. In comparison to Callum, Celeste reached his shoulders and was more rounded, they shared the same dark coloured hair and had the same mannerisms when frustrated but that's where the similarities ended. Callum kept to himself most of the time or spent time with the girls, preferring to read his comics than define himself by the high school standards, it didn't mean he wasn't popular his social status was already set to popular-adjacent because of who and what his twin is Head Girl - she didn't let her small stature deter her, she was ahead in most of her classes and she was set to attend the most prestigious university on the mainland, although she didn't look like the type... despite all that, Celeste was well and truly respected in this school, adored by all, she didn't know it yet but Frankie did, she was already chosen to give the honoured speech at the graduation ceremony.

Focusing in on their conversation, she waited for the scene to play out.

"Something's wrong I can tell" Celeste whispered.

"I don't want to talk about it." Callum replied, trying to avoid her strong gaze. Celeste always knew when something was wrong, even with her and Rose, she always did wonder if there was something more to Celeste then met the eye. "I was just talking to Frankie earlier, and she mentioned some guy called Lucas" Celeste stared at him. "Yeah and? Who is he?"

"I was gonna ask you the same thing."

"Well she hasn't told me anything about it, so it must not be anything serious."

"Yeah well, you should have seen the look on her face when she mentioned his name" Callum resigned.

Celeste stared at her brother, really truly stared, and something dawned on her, her face changed and it was almost as if she pitied him – Frankie tried to distance herself from this scene, she felt as if she was intruding on something private she didn't quite understand, but choice wasn't an option when it took over, she refocused on Callum and Celeste.

"You've got it bad little brother." Celeste placed a hand on his shoulder, Callum went to reply but no sound was heard, his lips continued to move as Frankie strained to hear the conversation, but the environment was slowly beginning to return back to the hallway she was standing in and back to reality. When she came too she was met with a few worrying faces hovering over her, someone gave her a hand and she took it to stand up while the rest of the group dispersed there was nothing to see, everyone was well aware of how clumsy Frankie was, last years school play began to resurface in her mind as she ran towards their lunch table outside. As she neared the double doors to the exit, she couldn't help but replay what happened between Celeste and Callum. She couldn't understand why they would be discussing who Lucas is, let alone why the mention of his name makes her smile, why wouldn't she smile when she saw Lucas? He was a friend, her constant for years, her person. A niggling thought edged its way at the forefront of her mind, if she was being honest with herself, things have felt a little different lately between them - now the mere mention of his name sent a flock of butterflies to her stomach and mustered memories of their secret walks through Blairs Hollow, his conversations were deep and meaningful unlike what the male teenage population had to offer, he was a great listener and incredibly easy on the eyes, if she did say so herself. She pushed the bar of the double doors and stepped into the warmth of a June summers day, basking in the heat and soaking in its rays before spying Rose and Celeste at their usual outside table, it was unusually sunny for June and this was as close to global warming the little Island got, what with Blairs Hollow's weather always set to cloudy, overcast and the occasional shower. Frankie's mind raced with thoughts and it was getting harder to concentrate now that she opened that can of well... Lucas. The future was changing and she could no longer trust her instincts, doubt weighed heavy on her shoulders, if Callum reacted so strongly at the mention of Lucas's name then what did that mean when she told them her biggest secret?