"That girl is totally checking you out, dude." Mitchell laughed as his drink sloshed around in his hand.

I turned in the direction he had pointed to see Rachel Turner. I had met her freshman year at orientation and we have always had this playful back and forth, but I knew nothing serious would ever come of it. She was the kiss and tell type and I was not into girls like that.

I took another gulp of my drink and shrugged. I wasn't particularly into hooking up much anyway.

Mitchell groaned loudly as our friends around us laughed at his drunkenness. "You're sooo boring."

"Shut up!" I laughed and pushed him in a joking manner.

A loud noise interrupted our banter and I instantly started bobbing my head to the tune before Mitch finally answered his phone.

"Good evening, sir!" He nodded his head along to whatever was being said to him. "Well that sounds like a great idea. See you soon!"

"See who soon?" I questioned as Mitch shoved his phone back into his pocket.

Without answering me, he turned to look out at the crowded bar. He threw his hands up into the air excitedly and yelled, "Kegger happening at Robbie Hagan's house right now!"

A smile appeared on my face as I followed after the crowd of people who were now leaving the bar. If there was free alcohol, I'd be there.

I rolled over in bed and sighed loudly. Robbie's party. I hadn't even remembered the fact that we had left the bar that night. Robbie had only ever been an acquaintance over the years, but it was like an unspoken agreement that we were friends. Mitchell and him were close though, so of course we had been invited to his party.

My bare feet touched the cold wood floor as I pulled a pair of sweats over my boxers and headed out of my room. It was earlier than when I would normally get up, so as I crept down the steps I could hear as my parents talked in hushed tones.

"He's trying, John, really." My mother sounded irritated. "Can't you see how much harder you're making it for him?"

"I'm not doing anything," My father replied. "He knew better than to go out. He was being stupid."

"Don't say that," My mother talked over him. "He's your son for god's sake!"

"At the moment, I wish he wasn't."

My jaw clenched and my body tensed as he spoke those words. So after all this time I finally knew what my father really thought of me. Once a disappointment, always a disappointment.

As the room fell silent I turned the corner and stepped into the kitchen. I tried to act like I hadn't heard any of their conversation, but I guess my emotions got the best of me. There was a deep frown on my face as I glared over at my father for a brief moment.

"You're up early, Cal." My mother forced a smile.

I nodded not really wanting to talk to either of them.

"Would you like me to make you something?" She asked as she turned toward the fridge.

"No. I'm not hungry," I lied before I turned back around and left the room just as quickly as I had entered.

I took a seat on the couch in the living room and switched on the tv. I zoned out on the cartoons that played across the screen, the only thing on my mind were my fathers hateful words.

"I'll just get an iced coffee, please." Skyler smiled up at the worker as we stood in starbucks later that afternoon.

"And for you, sir?" The guy then turned to me.

"Uuh," I paused and glanced down at Skyler to see her already watching me carefully, which she seemed to do a lot. "I guess I'll have the same."

I paid for the drinks, not even bothering to respond to Skyler's protests. We stood together in silence at the opposite end of the counter, waiting for our orders. I was relieved that no one had given me any dirty looks today, rather people made it seem like I wasn't even there and I liked it much better that way.

"How was your day so far?" Skyler asked as she grabbed both our drinks from the worker and then handed mine to me.

"You sound like Doctor Gram." I chuckled as I took a sip of the overly sweetened drink. She only just waited for my answer.

"It was fine." I decided to leave out the fact that my father undoubtedly hated me.

Skyler stared up at me with a skeptical look, but nodded along anyway. "Well mine was quite eventful. This cute little stray cat came up to my house looking for food last night, but sadly my boyfriend isn't much of a cat person."

My face contorted at the mention of her boyfriend, so much so that my expression caught her attention. Her eyebrows pushed together in confusion as we left the coffee shop and walked toward my car.

"What's with that face?" She asked.

"Nothing." I lied once again while she just sighed and shook her head me.

"Well anyway, I had to take the cat to a shelter this morning. I hope it gets a good home." She climbed into the passenger seat of the car and closed the door behind her. "Do you like cats?"

A lopsided smile appeared on my face as I thought about the fact that I would most definitely choose a dog over a cat any day. "Yeah, cats are pretty cool."

She smiled, happy with the answer I had given her.

"You know it would make a lot more sense if you let me drive you home," I spoke up after we had almost made it to the psychiatric hospital.

"Umm..." I knew she was trying to come up with an excuse, but wasn't quick enough. "I don't know."

"It would save your friend the gas." I kept going, wondering what would happen if she agreed.

I knew her boyfriend would probably be outside waiting and that was exactly what I wanted. I wanted him to understand that I knew what he was doing, even if I didn't come right out and say it.

"I guess that makes sense." I cheered in my head as she finally agreed. It also meant I had more time to spend with her.

"Can I give you my number?" Skyler asked randomly.

I chuckled and nodded my head. "Of course, you didn't have to ask."

Skyler's cheeks were red as she pulled a pen from her purse. She hummed along to the song that played on the radio as she searched for something to write on. When she couldn't find any paper, she decided my forearm would be the next best thing.

My eyes glanced from the road to her as she concentrated on making the numbers legible. "There we go!"

"Thanks." I smiled triumphantly, though I knew nothing more would ever come of us being friends. She was loyal and even though her boyfriend did those horrible things to her, she would never stray.

I then proceeded to recite my number to her and she instantly plugged it into her phone.

"So you'll wait for me, right?" She asked as the same nurse as last week called out my name after a short period of time spent in the waiting room once we had finally made it to the hospital.

"No, I think I'll leave you stranded here instead," I joked and she playfully hit my arm in response.

I smiled down at her and just like most times her cheeks turned the slightest shade of red, which only made my smile grow. She was becoming more comfortable around me.

"See you after," I stated before I turned away.

It was another hour and a half before Skyler's session was over and soon after we were headed back out to my car. My heart pounded in my chest with anticipation, not sure what to expect from this.

"So what did you and the Doc talk about?" Skyler asked in an abnormally shy manner.

I smiled and shook my head. "What did you talk about?"

She tensed at my lighthearted question, because we both knew how serious her sessions must be. It only took her a second to recover and by then we had made it to my car. I took the time to open the door for her and sure enough she was very surprised by my actions. I bet her boyfriend didn't even do something as simple as this for her.

"Thanks," She mumbled as she ducked her head and climbed into the car.

The Kooks played quietly in the background as I tried to keep my eyes on the road. Skyler sat in the passenger seat fidgeting nervously and I couldn't tell if it was because of me driving her home or if it was something else entirely.

"Can I ask you something?" She finally spoke.

"Sure." I shrugged nonchalantly, though on the inside I was bricking it.

"Last week when you asked if that guy had said anything to me..." She paused and looked over at me. I immediately knew she was talking about her brief interaction with Mitchell.

"I lied." She looked guilty. "He did say something after you left."

The traffic light down the block turned red and I stepped on the break to slow the car to a complete stop. I dreaded what she would say next, though the fact that her expression was weary and not scared confused me a little. Had he not told her what I had done?

"Why did he tell me to be careful around you?" She looked more concerned than anything else. But it made sense for her to be worried because she already had enough to be concerned about with the relationship she was in.

Skyler then pointed to the right, signaling that we needed to turn. But I already knew that this was her street and that our conversation was about to end. I couldn't tell her. She'd hate me and then I'd never talk to her again. What would happen to her then? There would be no one left to help her.

"Calum?" She questioned me again as I stopped the car in front of her house.

Skyler wasn't looking anywhere but at me and I think for a moment she forgot where we were, but I didn't. My gaze was on the guy that was walking down from the house.

"Sky-" Before I could even finish saying her full name her boyfriend stood just outside the car. The loud tap on the passenger side window scared Skyler as she whipped around to face him.

She then looked back at me with wide eyes. "Will you meet him?"

There was no way I was going to say no. She got her answer as I unbuckled my seat belt and opened my door. As I got out my eyes met his from over the roof of the car. My jaw clenched as the heavy glare he sent me was still apparent on his face even after Skyler had introduced us.

"Jacob, this is Calum." She was obviously nervous as she stood by and watched the two of us.

I wasn't sure how intimidating I looked since the only thing I really had on him was my height, but I held his stare as confidently as I could. We didn't even bother to shake the others hand and Skyler quickly tried to salvage the extremely tense moment.

"Calum, here, goes to see Doctor Gram as well." She stepped toward him and I cringed as she placed a comforting hand on his arm. My frown only deepened as he shrugged her off. How could she stay with someone so cruel?

"So you're crazy too, huh?" He finally spoke.

To me his voice sounded like nails on a chalkboard and I wanted nothing more than to punch the smug smirk that appeared on his face after a moment. My eyes narrowed at his words, as if he was saying he thought Skyler was crazy, but it was quite the contrary, he should be the one getting help.

"Maybe I am," I answered even though my eyes were now glued to Skyler, waiting to see her reaction.

Instinctively, Jacob wrapped his arm around her and just to show me that she was with him, he pushed his lips to hers roughly. I stood my ground, but it was obvious as Skyler placed her hand on his chest that she was trying to push him away. Her face was bright red once the kiss had ended.

I didn't allow the repulsed feeling I had to show through as Jacob smirked at me once again. Dick.

Without another word to me, he turned and headed back up toward their house. My eyes followed after his retreating body as he rudely called for Skyler to follow him.

"I'm sorry." She looked completely embarrassed.

I finally turned back to her and smiled as sweetly as I could. "It's fine. He is your boyfriend after all." You could hear the distaste in every word I spoke.

Before she could even open her mouth to respond her boyfriend's voice called out from where he stood on the front porch. "Skyler! What did I say?"

I could see her visibly flinch at his words as she turned to me with a sad smile. "Bye, Calum."

"Wait." I grabbed her hand before she could fully turn away.

She looked back at me and then down at our hands for a brief second. "Please call me if you ever need anything. I don't care if it's at 4 o'clock in the morning."

"O-okay." Skyler was surprised by the seriousness of my voice, but she also didn't know that I knew what a monster her boyfriend really was.

With one last squeeze to her hand, I let her walk away toward the house that only caused her pain. The question she had asked me in the car had long been forgotten and I hoped it stayed that way.