Never Alone [Calvin]

[Aphrodite Lynn Ehmrandt]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=width,500,bTable][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][STYLE=color: #0f0f0f; font-family: impact; font-size: 100px; font-weight: lighter;text-align: center;border-bottom: 10px solid #0f0f0f; line-height: 80px;letter-spacing: 19px;]TO SLEEP[/style][STYLE=text-align: justify; padding: 10px 10px 10px 10px; border-top: 1px dotted #0f0f0f; border-bottom: 1px dotted #0f0f0f;font-size: 10px; color: #141414]There was something terribly wrong with the picture Aphrodite was in at the moment. For one, of all the things she should have been doing, showing up on Calvin’s doorstep wasn’t one of them. She didn’t know what she had been thinking when she agreed to go over to his house, and she wished she had thought twice before deciding, though it was a bit too late for regrets now. Being the type who always kept her word, she inevitably showed up in a timely manner, questioning if he really wanted her to come over or if he had simply been joking. It seemed her mind was always spinning with insecurities and doubts as to what her friends felt about her, but she couldn’t help herself. If strangers had been able to hate her to the extent of wanting to bully her in the past, then friends who knew her every flaw were even more likely to realise that she wasn’t worth their time. Secondly, was she really supposed to be heading over to the houses of guys who weren’t her boyfriend? Though since Gavin died, she wasn’t sure whether he was a boyfriend or an ex-boyfriend. Though she wished otherwise, it wasn’t as if she could date an intangible being, and thankfully they had never broken up, though that only complicated everything. So maybe it was safer to simply refer to him as the only boy she would ever love. While that may have solved one matter, she still didn’t have an answer for her question. She and Calvin were definitely nothing more than close friends, but she couldn’t help to wonder if Gavin would have minded that she was close to another guy nowadays. Jealousy had never been much of an issue during the course of their relationship because she had been completely and utterly dependent on solely him, but now she was a tad bit more social and actually had a handful of friends. Alas, she would never have any answers to her questions, and she tried not to think about that lest she ruin spending time with dear friend. Thirdly, Aphy wanted to know why she was trying to bring down her own mood with negative thoughts when she should have been looking forward to the day. It was rare for her to choose a friend over playing music for the day, but it wasn’t as if she could have requested to be left alone without sounding ungrateful and rude. While she was extremely thankful to Calvin for befriending her, she still thrived best in isolation. Being around another human being meant that she had to be careful and keep up appearances that she was alright when she wasn’t, and sometimes it was difficult to keep a smile plastered to her face when she felt like crying instead. Nevertheless, she couldn’t afford to act weak all the time because when personalities were polar opposites the way theirs were, the fear of being looked upon as a downer or a raincloud that ruined moods only increased. It was alright if she was depressed, but she wanted him to keep smiling forever. He had always been everything she wasn’t: friendly, outgoing, social, lovable, and best of all, he hadn’t been showered with unwanted attention. She knew that he acted out once in a while to get people to look at him, but she gladly would have been an ignored middle child any day over being the pitiful girl that everyone looked at and felt sorry for. Frowning a bit, the petite musician scolded herself for being unappreciative of what she had. If she voiced these thoughts, she surely would have been thought of as despicable and difficult to please. Setting aside her pessimism for another day, she reminded herself that she couldn’t afford to be gloomy right now. Wallowing in misery could be done when she was alone later, but right now, she had to smile and be enjoyable company. Taking a deep breath, Aphrodite tried to calm her nerves and clear her mind before pressing a small, white button. A chime muted by the door resonated through the interior of the house, and she waited patiently, hoping that Calvin would be the one to answer. [/style][STYLE=-webkit-transform: rotate(-180deg);-o-transform:rotate(180deg); -moz-transform: rotate(-180deg);color: #0f0f0f; font-family: arial narrow; font-size: 50px; font-weight: lighter;text-align: center;border-bottom: 8px solid #0f0f0f; line-height: 35px;]PERCHANCE TO DREAM[/style]

[atrb=height,150][STYLE=padding-left: 5px;-webkit-transform: rotate(90deg); -moz-transform: rotate(90deg);-o-transform:rotate(90deg);float: right;margin-top: 0px;margin-right: 0px;font-family: arial; font-size: 12px;letter-spacing: -1px;width: 150px;color: #141414]NOTES: I hope this post is okay! c: TAGGED: Calvin WORD COUNT: 708[/style][STYLE=width: 100px; height: 100px; border: 3px solid #0f0f0f;-webkit-border-radius: 100px;-moz-border-radius: 100px;border-radius: 100px;background-image: url(http://i589.photobucket.com/albums/ss334/Midori-chii/kertipahk.jpg);float: right;margin-top: -35px; margin-right: 0px;color: #141414][/style] [STYLE=font-family: arial narrow; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;]template by pianissimo of BTN[/style]

[Calvin Elias McHale]

[atrb=cellpadding,20,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=rules,none,true][atrb=style,background:#333;width:338px;text-align:center;border:#1a1a1a 5px solid;font-family:helvetica;][STYLE=border:2px solid #494949;width:100px;padding:3px;background:#efefef;display:inline-block;margin:0 2px 4px 0;][/style][STYLE=border:2px solid #494949;width:100px;padding:3px;background:#efefef;display:inline-block;margin:0 2px 4px;][/style][STYLE=border:2px solid #494949;width:100px;padding:3px;background:#efefef;display:inline-block;margin:0 0 4px 2px;][/style][STYLE=border:2px solid #494949;background:#efefef;padding:10px;font-size:9px;text-align:justify;color:#4c4c4c;max-height:200px;overflow:auto;]Calvin sighed angrily as he threw himself onto his bed, pulling his pillow near and curling his body around it in an effort to calm down. He had woken up on the wrong side of bed this morning, or it was more like, his brother had woken up on the wrong side of bed and was pushing all of his angry vibes onto Calvin. After a screaming match in the kitchen that his brother had started by "accidentally" spilling his fucking hot coffee on top of Calvin's shirtless shoulder. His skin was almost burned if it hadn't been for Calvin's quick reaction to get under the sink, either way, the skin on his shoulder now hurt and was looking pinkish. Damn, now he had to go look for some of that burn cream his mom hid somewhere in the kitchen if he didn't want it to get worse. He groaned as he stood up and slowly made his way down from his room and into the kitchen. Two years ago, Calvin had convinced his mom to let him live in the attic and along with Alex had remodeled the whole thing, it was now the coolest room in the house, not that anyone that lived there would know that. Part of the deal he had made with his mom, now titled:"living in the attic", was that he did the cleaning up there because his mom did NOT want to take the vacuum up there and stuff. His room wasn't the cleanliest but it was clean enough, Calvin took a broom up there and the vacuum as often as he could; normally every Saturday morning after breakfast. He rummaged through the cupboards in his kitchen, growling and cursing his brother under his breath when his clumsy movements made the hard wood rub against his wounded shoulder . Of course, the earlier fight had gotten him in trouble with his mom and he was now desperately further away from asking his mom if he could go on vacation like Cassie had invited him to. He didn't know if she was telling the truth about going on vacation but if she was, he wanted to be included in that plan. It sucked that his mom was mad at him because even though he'd usually just disappear and she wouldn't care, he needed money... He was short on cash and needed a job... Soon. He knew he had been stupid not to look for a job before vacation had started like his seven year old genius sister had pointed out enough times during the summer but he hadn't thought it'd be this hard to find a job now that the time was here. Finally finding the burn ointment at the end of that cabinet, the one that no one opened, he stood up and winced as his back cracked. He really needed to be more active. Even so, his nights were spent outside wandering, in the occassional party and rage. He would come home in the wee hours of the morning, climbing that step ladder he'd positioned outside his bedroom window and falling asleep, not waking until most of his family had left the house. He cocked his head when he heard the doorbell ring, wondering who it could be. Then he remembered he'd invited Aphy over a while ago and it was probably her. Not thinking about the fact that he was shirtless and still in his pajama bottoms he went to open the door. "Hey there Aphy, I was beginning to wonder if you'd stood me up." He flashed her a wide smile to show that he was joking before stepping aside to let her come in. "My room's where the attic should be, don't worry... It's not scary, I think you'll like it actually." He wrapped his hand around her small wrist and tugged at it gently, walking backwards and smiling softly at her. "Come on, before my family gets back." He whispered this to her loudly, knowing that the house was empty except for the two of them. He winked before turning around and going up the stairs, expecting her to follow in that shy and quiet way of hers, when he reached the small pull-out ladder that led to his room, he turned to her with a charming smile and bowed. "After you m'lady." He pulled himself in there afterwards and plopped down on the bed as soon as he reached it. "So, I was thinking we could take a nap and then go to the music store or wherever you want to go, how does that sound? I hope it's ok but I really need my nap right now, I didn't sleep well at all last night." He propped himself up on his shoulders to look at her pretty face. "Don't be a stranger girl, come and lay down on my magnificent bed... But before you do that, I have a favor to ask of you?" He stood up and put the ointment in her hands. "I really need some help rubbing that on my shoulder and back, the pinkish parts of it! My stupid brother spilled his motherfucking coffee on me and it hurts like a bitch." Not giving her a chance to refuse he turned around and sank down to his knees, hoping that that way she would reach his burnt parts better. He stretched his neck out to the side, closed his eyes and waited.[/style][STYLE=border:2px solid #494949;background:#efefef;padding:3px;font-size:9px;text-align:center;color:#4c4c4c;margin-top:4px;]words 909 wowza tags aphy/nova bb credit table by greyson of btn notes omg calvin forcing aphy to put on his ointment and wow i did not expect to add so much O.O[/style]

[Aphrodite Lynn Ehmrandt]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=width,500,bTable][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][STYLE=color: #0f0f0f; font-family: impact; font-size: 100px; font-weight: lighter;text-align: center;border-bottom: 10px solid #0f0f0f; line-height: 80px;letter-spacing: 19px;]TO SLEEP[/style][STYLE=text-align: justify; padding: 10px 10px 10px 10px; border-top: 1px dotted #0f0f0f; border-bottom: 1px dotted #0f0f0f;font-size: 10px; color: #141414]When seconds ticked by and the door remained closed, Aphy began to worry that maybe she had shown up at the wrong time or at the wrong place. A quick glance around reaffirmed that she was at the right house, but maybe they were supposed to meet up elsewhere? Or maybe Calvin got tired of waiting and ditched her? The thought made her frown, but she reminded herself that he wasn’t the type to just run off and leave others hanging. She mentally chided herself for having so little faith in him when he had proven to be extremely trustworthy thus far. When did she become such a doubtful person? Taking another deep breath, she continued to wait. She had to be patient because no one liked girls who rushed and worried about everything. Her waiting came to an end when the door suddenly creaked softly and was swung open, and she was greeted by the sight of Calvin. And he was shirtless. For modesty’s sake, Aphrodite probably should have blushed girlishly and looked away, but the sight just didn’t faze her. Years of cuddling Gavin at the pool during summertime had gotten her somewhat immune to the sight of bare male torsos. But then again, it might have been because she didn’t want react. Reacting meant she noticed, and she wanted to be able to honestly say that the only man in her eyes was Gavin. So maybe he was gone and moving on was the healthy decision, but this particular topic was one of the few that she would remain steadfastly stubborn about. He had been her everything and rightfully so. She was possibly wrong, but she believed it was rare to find a guy who would date a bullied girl and give her support when she was feeling down and defeated. He would wipe away her tears and offer her comfort, and because she knew of no other way to repay him, the only thing she could do was remain faithful forever. When Calvin mentioned being ditched, she nearly began to fret and apologise profusely, but he offered a smile that let her know he was just kidding around, and she replied with a small smile. She had never been very talkative, but luckily he seemed to understand her through her gestures. Words always seemed to fail her because they could easily be twisted or misunderstood, and she no longer wanted to rely on solely them to convey how she thought and felt. There was no denying that they were a necessary part of her life, but the only time she honestly had an interest in using words was when it came hand in hand with music. The petite blonde followed along quietly as her friend tugged gently on her thin wrist, half doubting and half believing what he said. While Aphrodite liked to think that Calvin generally knew how she functioned, the fact that he was so completely different from her always left room for uncertainty. Attics didn’t strike a chord of fear within her heart, but she wasn’t sure that there was anything that would seem particularly appealing. Nowadays only music gave her any sort of thrill or feeling or excitement, but she didn’t want to be disbelieving and sceptical again. A proper friendship was based on trust, and she wanted to be able to confidently say that she fully trusted him. His not-so-quiet whisper about being home alone made her smile again, and she was thankful that his family wouldn’t be around to see her and silently scrutinise her every flaw. To be fair, she didn’t really know his family beyond what he would say, but his brother certainly seemed to be an unpleasant presence that she wanted to avoid running into. She didn’t know for sure that they would take an instant disliking towards her, but she didn’t want to risk it and preferred limiting her acquaintanceship to only him. Guilt began to creep its way into her heart, but she chose to ignore it. Judgmental wasn’t among her characteristics, but interacting with his family meant potentially aggravating them and earning Calvin’s hatred as a result or being banned from seeing him. For the billionth time, she gathered her worries and fears together and stuffed them into a small box to store in the corner of her mind. It was a private hiding place that she liked to keep because she never wanted anyone else to see the ugly thoughts that flit through her mind. The trip to the designated room didn’t seem to take long. It was a mere matter of ascending a staircase and then heading over to a small ladder that could be climbed to reach the attic, and as she pulled herself up the rungs of the ladder, the image of Calvin’s nearly graceful bow remained in her mind as a mental photograph, making a smile linger on her. He certainly had his charming moments, didn’t he? Pulling herself onto her feet and steadying herself, she observed the attic-turned-bedroom’s features. Aphrodite hadn’t exactly expected a pigsty, but it did come as a bit of a surprise that the room was fairly neat and organised with every surface being free of any dust. She began to understand why Calvin said she would probably like his room. It just seemed comfortable and cosy with the added benefit of limitless privacy that she always seemed to lack in her own home. Her parents seemed fear that she might do something drastic behind closed doors and would often pop into her room to check up on her, and while she appreciated the concern, she just wanted to be left to her own devices sometimes. After a few moments of observation, she began to feel a little awkward just standing around, and it seemed as if Calvin had read her mind because he invited her to sit on his supposedly magnificent bed, mentioning plans to nap before they went anywhere. It sounded alright with her, considering she hadn’t gotten much sleep either. Nightmares had a tendency to plague her, and ghosts of her past liked to dance around beneath her eyelids. The sound of a nap suddenly began to sound increasingly appealing, and she walked over on light, dainty steps. As she reached him, he placed a small tube of some sort of ointment in her hands, and she peered at it curiously, but he gave her a quick explanation about hot coffee and mean siblings. When he turned around, she finally noticed that his upper back and shoulder areas were scorched an angry pink that demanded attention. And now that she thought about it, she couldn’t really refuse to help either. He had been hospitable and kind, and what else could she really do now? Twisting the top off the tube, she squeezed some ointment onto her hand and stepped closer, gingerly applying it to the areas of skin that had been burned. It wasn’t particularly difficult work, but she wanted to be careful in order to avoid adding to the pain. Attempting to add a bit to the conversation as she worked, she quietly said, “I’m sorry my fingers are all cold and stuff, but it might help. If I hurt you just tell me, okay? But meanwhile, why don’t you tell me about your summer plans?” [/style][STYLE=-webkit-transform: rotate(-180deg);-o-transform:rotate(180deg); -moz-transform: rotate(-180deg);color: #0f0f0f; font-family: arial narrow; font-size: 50px; font-weight: lighter;text-align: center;border-bottom: 8px solid #0f0f0f; line-height: 35px;]PERCHANCE TO DREAM[/style]

[atrb=height,150][STYLE=padding-left: 5px;-webkit-transform: rotate(90deg); -moz-transform: rotate(90deg);-o-transform:rotate(90deg);float: right;margin-top: 0px;margin-right: 0px;font-family: arial; font-size: 12px;letter-spacing: -1px;width: 150px;color: #141414]NOTES: Luckily she doesn't mind, even though every other girl would feel so awkward. xD TAGGED: Calvin WORD COUNT: 1,225[/style][STYLE=width: 100px; height: 100px; border: 3px solid #0f0f0f;-webkit-border-radius: 100px;-moz-border-radius: 100px;border-radius: 100px;background-image: url(http://i589.photobucket.com/albums/ss334/Midori-chii/kertipahk.jpg);float: right;margin-top: -35px; margin-right: 0px;color: #141414][/style] [STYLE=font-family: arial narrow; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;]template by pianissimo of BTN[/style]

[Calvin Elias McHale]

[atrb=cellpadding,20,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=rules,none,true][atrb=style,background:#333;width:338px;text-align:center;border:#1a1a1a 5px solid;font-family:helvetica;][STYLE=border:2px solid #494949;width:100px;padding:3px;background:#efefef;display:inline-block;margin:0 2px 4px 0;][/style][STYLE=border:2px solid #494949;width:100px;padding:3px;background:#efefef;display:inline-block;margin:0 2px 4px;][/style][STYLE=border:2px solid #494949;width:100px;padding:3px;background:#efefef;display:inline-block;margin:0 0 4px 2px;][/style][STYLE=border:2px solid #494949;background:#efefef;padding:10px;font-size:9px;text-align:justify;color:#4c4c4c;max-height:200px;overflow:auto;]When Aphy's cold fingers came in contact with Calvin's burnt skin, it took everything in him not to moan in appreciation; he had a feeling that the shy girl would not take too kindly to those types of sounds coming from his mouth. Biting down on his lower lip to keep the sound from coming out, he focused his thoughts in cussing his brother out inside his head, keeping in mind that these were not words a lady ought to hear, or even know about. Concentrating on keeping every word or sound he wanted to say inside his mouth, he almost didn't hear the quiet voice asking him about his plans for the summer. He tried to concentrate on something other than the amazing relief he was feeling of having that ointment rubbed on his burnt skin and tried to remember what it was that he had planned for the summer. Immediately, his mood plummeted and the sigh he had tried desperately to keep inside pushed its way through his throat to make itself heard. Usually, summer wasn't as bad as he made it out to be, it might be a bit uneventful but he usually liked it more than not; this summer though, was turning out to be a drag. Alex was always busy working and Calvin himself had nothing to do every day, wasting away the hours by going to the gym or just fooling around town. He really was a sad case. "Well, my summer plans were thrown down the drain this morning after my asshole of a brother threw his coffee down my back." He tried not to wriggle when he felt her hand touch a particularly sensitive spot on his back. "I was going to ask my mom for some money to go on a trip with Cassie. Do you know her? She's really cool. Anyways, I don't know if she's actually going but she had invited me to Mexico for the summer. It all burned out because I don't have any money though and I needed my mom to give me some. Fighting with my brother got me on her wrong side and now I have no hope of getting that fricking money from her." He sighed and stretched his arms up, wincing when the skin rubbed against itself in an uncomfortable way; luckily, the ointment Aphy had just rubbed on his back was helping a lot with the pain so it was just a feeling of mild discomfort now. He turned around to smile at her and nodded in thanks, taking the ointment from her hands and putting it on his bedside table. "Thanks Aphy, you rawk! Anyways, I was really excited about going on a trip with Cassie but, it's all down the drain now." He pushed out his lower lip in an exaggerated pout and widened his eyes in Aphy's face before grinning widely. "Come awn gurl, the bed ain't gonna nap by itself!" He let himself fall onto his bed before shifting to let Aphy lay down by him, he smiled up at her expectantly before closing his eyes and laying back. He hoped she wouldn't feel uncomfortable by the fact that he was a cuddler and liked to hug whatever it was he was sleeping with, usually a pillow but if it was a person it was going to be that person. A soft smile spread on his lips as he heard movement from the girl, not doubting that she was going to lay down with him. He liked to think he understood her pretty well; after all, they were good friends, and knew that even though she might want to ditch him now, she wouldn't do it. It wasn't in her style to let down her friends and Calvin didn't know how to tell her how much he admired that. He supposed that one day, he might get around to telling her how much he appreciated her, how good of a friend she was, how he wished she didn't ever feel uncomfortable with him but how he was ok if she did. He cracked open an eye to look at her, mischief burning in it. "I promise I'll protect you from the dream monsters. Don't be shy, get in the bed now."[/style][STYLE=border:2px solid #494949;background:#efefef;padding:3px;font-size:9px;text-align:center;color:#4c4c4c;margin-top:4px;]words 714 tags aphy/nova bb credit table by greyson of btn notes omg :c i hope it's good[/style]

[Aphrodite Lynn Ehmrandt]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=width,500,bTable][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][STYLE=color: #0f0f0f; font-family: impact; font-size: 100px; font-weight: lighter;text-align: center;border-bottom: 10px solid #0f0f0f; line-height: 80px;letter-spacing: 19px;]TO SLEEP[/style][STYLE=text-align: justify; padding: 10px 10px 10px 10px; border-top: 1px dotted #0f0f0f; border-bottom: 1px dotted #0f0f0f;font-size: 10px; color: #141414]Not for the first time, Aphrodite wondered why her handful of friends bothered sticking around. She wasn’t particularly fun to be around. She didn’t drink or party or do drugs, and she rarely took risks because she was naturally the type who liked to act cautious. Her annoyingly stubborn insistence on certain topics was infuriating, and being around a girl who only excelled at music was a complete bore. Yet Calvin was always around, ready to keep her company, and she was afraid to ask why. Asking might make him think and question his decision, and then he would walk right out of her life when he realised she wasn’t worth his time. Being left behind by yet another person she cared about terrified her to no end, and though she would never say so aloud, it was an ever present fear that gnawed away at her heart. Most of the time she tried to metaphorically close her eyes and pretend that her problems didn’t exist because acknowledging them would only tempt her to voice her worries, and that would be a burden to the unlucky listener. Others had enough on their plates without her adding more to their troubles. Refraining from sighing, she focused on the job at hand. If she zoned out, then she might hurt Calvin, and then she would spend the rest of the week wallowing in guilt. The feeling of his taut muscles relaxing under her finger tips broke her concentration and prompted her to see how she was doing thus far. Leaning back slightly, the blonde took a look at her handiwork along her friend’s back. The white burn ointment covered the scorched skin in smooth even layers, and Aphy felt a brief sense of satisfaction. It wasn’t a big deal that she could apply medication for someone, but she found that she was still glad she could complete at least one non-music related task without utterly messing up. For just a fleeting moment, she felt like maybe her existence was actually worth something. A thank-you almost slipped past her lips, but she bit it back and went back to applying the ointment. If she got started now, then she would have to explain everything that went through her mind. There was a mutual contentment in the air at the moment, and she couldn’t ruin that. Mood killers were one of the most despicable types of people around, and she was already hateful enough as she was. Instead of being a downer, she wanted to lend a listening ear. As Calvin narrated the story of how he was injured, she couldn’t help but to feel sorry that he didn’t get along well with his brother. She had always been an only child with parents who couldn’t bear to get angry with her and never knew what it was like to argue with a sibling. The rivalry between Calvin and his brother must have been serious if the older of the two was completely willing to deliberately pour seething hot coffee on the younger. Aphy couldn’t help but to think something was wrong if his parents were taking the elder Mchale’s side, but she didn’t exactly have a right to criticise anyone. She wasn’t exactly a mother, and she would never be one. The only man she ever imagined marrying was Gavin, and now that he was permanently torn out of her life, she was virtually a hermit. The distant dream of raising a family together with him had shattered to pieces the day he left her behind on the earth to explore the unknown afterlife. Pressing her lips together, she continued to listen as he shared his woes about how his vacation plans were ruined. When Calvin inquired as to whether or not she knew a girl by the name of Cassie, she shook her head and then realised that he couldn’t see the gesture when he was facing the opposite direction. It didn’t seem to matter much as he continued onwards with his tale, but her mind has paused for a second to wonder if anyone ever referred to her as cool when she wasn’t around. It was one thing to compliment someone when he or she was around, and it was entirely different to do so when the said person wasn’t physically there. The former was like a necessary formality while the latter was more genuine. Not that any of it really mattered. The chances of her receiving praise felt highly unlikely considering she was a quiet, mousey girl who was never noteworthy, and ‘cool’ just didn’t fit well with the image of the depressed blonde. As Calvin finally finished sharing his failed plans for the summer, she wondered if she should offer some sort of solace. Family vacations must have been hard for a guy who often seemed at odds with his family. Her own parents often suggested trips in hopes that something might spark her interest, and she would reluctantly tag along for their sakes, but maybe bringing along a friend would make everyone a little happier. When he took the ointment out of her hands and gave her a jokingly exaggerated pout, she made her decision. Calvin flopped down on his bed and scooted over, making room for her small figure. It felt almost embarrassing to lie down next to him, but it wasn’t as if she were doing anything wrong. He was being so kind and inviting that rather than thinking twice about everything she did, Aphy simply crawled over and laid down beside him. He was a comforting presence to have around, and she wished she knew how to express her gratitude properly. In the far future, she would let him know that she appreciated the friendship he extended to her. It was common knowledge that she didn’t have many friends because it was hard to socialise when one was as cautious and dismal as she was. She would never be able to understand how he could deal with her, but she was thankful nonetheless. Taking in a deep breath, Aphrodite looked over all the features of Calvin’s face and mentally thanked him for always being there for her. Redirecting her gaze to the eye he had open to peer at her, she softly and unsurely mumbled, “Thank you for protecting me from the dream monsters. And if you really want to go on vacation, you can always come with me. My parents are always planning trips to random places, and they would welcome some company. They always think I have no friends, so they would be psyched to meet you. It’s my treat, so it’s free of charge. You don’t have to come if you don’t want to though.” [/style][STYLE=-webkit-transform: rotate(-180deg);-o-transform:rotate(180deg); -moz-transform: rotate(-180deg);color: #0f0f0f; font-family: arial narrow; font-size: 50px; font-weight: lighter;text-align: center;border-bottom: 8px solid #0f0f0f; line-height: 35px;]PERCHANCE TO DREAM[/style]

[atrb=height,150][STYLE=padding-left: 5px;-webkit-transform: rotate(90deg); -moz-transform: rotate(90deg);-o-transform:rotate(90deg);float: right;margin-top: 0px;margin-right: 0px;font-family: arial; font-size: 12px;letter-spacing: -1px;width: 150px;color: #141414]NOTES: Not my best. :c Sorry for the wait and the quality. TAGGED: Calvin WORD COUNT: 1,123[/style][STYLE=width: 100px; height: 100px; border: 3px solid #0f0f0f;-webkit-border-radius: 100px;-moz-border-radius: 100px;border-radius: 100px;background-image: url(http://i589.photobucket.com/albums/ss334/Midori-chii/kertipahk.jpg);float: right;margin-top: -35px; margin-right: 0px;color: #141414][/style] [STYLE=font-family: arial narrow; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;]template by pianissimo of BTN[/style]

[Calvin Elias McHale]

[atrb=cellpadding,20,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=rules,none,true][atrb=style,background:#333;width:338px;text-align:center;border:#1a1a1a 5px solid;font-family:helvetica;][STYLE=border:2px solid #494949;width:100px;padding:3px;background:#efefef;display:inline-block;margin:0 2px 4px 0;][/style][STYLE=border:2px solid #494949;width:100px;padding:3px;background:#efefef;display:inline-block;margin:0 2px 4px;][/style][STYLE=border:2px solid #494949;width:100px;padding:3px;background:#efefef;display:inline-block;margin:0 0 4px 2px;][/style][STYLE=border:2px solid #494949;background:#efefef;padding:10px;font-size:9px;text-align:justify;color:#4c4c4c;max-height:200px;overflow:auto;]If Calvin had to compare Aphrodite to any animal, he'd probably choose cats because of how similar he thought they were. He'd never actually had a cat, but he'd seen enough on TV and in other people's houses to know that Aphy reminded him of one. The way she was quiet and lonely, regal and beautiful... She really did keep up to her namesake, the Greek Godess of beauty... And maybe cats? Calvin wondered for a second if Aphrodite was the Greek Godess of Cats too, coming to the conclusion that she probably wasn't because he'd never heard anything of Greek people worshipping cats... It had been Egyptians who did that right? Worship cats. But maybe it wasn't because maybe that would mean he could turn to Greek Mythology for a reason to worship Aphy and make her feel loved... Even if it was just because she was like a cat. He chuckled as he felt her crawling to his side and curling up, like he'd seen his aunt's cat do many times before. He put his arm around her and smiled. "Thank you for protecting me from the dream monsters. And if you really want to go on vacation, you can always come with me. My parents are always planning trips to random places, and they would welcome some company. They always think I have no friends, so they would be psyched to meet you. It’s my treat, so it’s free of charge. You don’t have to come if you don’t want to though." Calvin was shocked. There was a reason Calvin was never invited to his parent's vacation plans even though his siblings were. After that time he'd intentionally put the curtains on fire in that five star hotel and then that other time when he'd filled their room with ducks he'd found at a pond and that other time he'd told prostitutes they could use his parent's room to get ready... Well, they didn't like taking him along anymore... And to be quite honest, he liked it better that way. The fact that Aphy's parents were willing to take along any friend of Aphy's, much more him, caused something unknown to stir in his stomach. It felt a bit like envy, like he wished his parents would love him as much as Aphy's parents loved her just because of who she was... Something he understood really, Aphy was the perfect daughter in a way that any parents with kids like Calvin wished they could have. Quiet, talented, beautiful. Calvin looked at her, looking so adorable curled up at his side and sighed, a smile taking over his face. "Oh really? Your parents wouldn't mind taking along a punk kid who only gets in trouble as long as he's your friend? I'm game! I promise I'll behave... I probably have to meet your parents first though... Most don't tend to want to take me on vacation with them after they meet me." He chuckled to himself, knowing that if they did end up letting him tag along Aphy would have the most fun and exciting vacation she'd ever had. "We should probably sleep for a while." He yawned. "Then we can go to the music store or something, we'll have fun I promise." He curled up to her, hoping it wouldn't freak the hell out of her to have their bodies in such close proximity. He wasn't doing it in a perverted way anyway, and he knew she probably realized. If he was trying to be perverted, he'd probably have pretended to fall asleep and put his hand on her boob already. Not that he'd ever done that... Had he? No, he was pretty sure he hadn't... Damn, he'd have to try that soon. "Sweet dreams Aphy, if you need to just wake me up. Promise you'll do it?" Calvin's voice was hoarse and low and he spoke slowly, like he always did when he was sleepy. "Sleep little kitten." He fell asleep quickly enough, dreaming about guitars and cats, dreaming about Cassie and Aphy and Alex and himself. His breathing was deap and calm and unconsciously, his arms tightened where they were draped across Aphy's waist, effectively pinning her to his side and making it impossible for her to leave without waking Calvin up. If he had been awake, he'd be wondering how Aphy was feeling and if she didn't like being there, so close to his body. He'd probably hope she didn't mind, they were close friends after all! And they trusted each other! At least, Calvin trusted Aphy and he hoped she trusted him too because if she ever needed him... He'd be there.[/style][STYLE=border:2px solid #494949;background:#efefef;padding:3px;font-size:9px;text-align:center;color:#4c4c4c;margin-top:4px;]words 779 tags aphy/nova bb credit table by greyson of btn notes omg hahaha stop rambling calvin[/style]

[Aphrodite Lynn Ehmrandt]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=width,500,bTable][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][STYLE=color: #0f0f0f; font-family: impact; font-size: 100px; font-weight: lighter;text-align: center;border-bottom: 10px solid #0f0f0f; line-height: 80px;letter-spacing: 19px;]TO SLEEP[/style][STYLE=text-align: justify; padding: 10px 10px 10px 10px; border-top: 1px dotted #0f0f0f; border-bottom: 1px dotted #0f0f0f;font-size: 10px; color: #141414] There were a lot of words to describe what Aphy was, but she always felt that being called a troublemaker was considerably accurate. Everywhere she went, she was always attracting some sort of trouble. At school, she was the perfect target for bullies. At home, her parents were constantly fussing, worrying and wondering what she did when they weren’t around. They always knew about her issues getting along with some of her peers, but Gavin had been a safeguard. He kept her anchored to the world so they never had to worry too much. It was almost funny how strongly they believed that he would always be there to protect her. And then he was gone. But they only realised that her extreme dependency on him had been unhealthy when she was almost gone too. It was an odd concept to accept because they were so used to the idea of Aphy and Gavin and Gavin and Aphy. Nothing else seemed remotely possible. It had been a long time since Aphrodite last brought anyone home to meet her parents. They would have been ecstatic if she introduced them to Calvin no matter how he acted because it would at least be proof that she wasn’t a complete recluse at school. Sometimes she wondered if perhaps they would have been happier if they had a child like him. She knew her parents loved her and she reciprocated the feelings, but it must have gotten extremely tiring to deal with her. She was always full of insecurities and fears that they probably loathed dealing with even though they would never admit it. Whenever they wanted to plan something fun, she was the grey cloud that rained on their good times. They would have been happy with someone who was fun and carefree. Someone who knew how to be cheery and light-hearted. Someone who was Calvin. She almost let it slip that her parents would like him just because he was her polar opposite, but she kept her mouth shut and just nodded along to anything he said. She wouldn’t ruin the day with her moping the way she always did. A silence had settled in the bedroom, broken only by the barely audible sounds of Calvin breathing softly. His arm was tight against her slim waist, and she was afraid to move lest she wake him up. Part of her desperately wanted to squirm out of his grasp because it felt wrong to lie next to him. There was something about being so close to him that felt excessively intimate, and she didn’t like how having his arms around her reminded her of the way Gavin used to hold her when she fell asleep with him. But Calvin was sleeping so soundly that she kept still and snuck occasional glances at his face to remind herself that his relaxed expression was enough reason for her to ignore her discomfort. How could she begin to explain what led her to her current state of being? It seemed like she had been alone for a long time now. Every second, minute, and hour seemed to stretch into an endless sense of isolation since Gavin left her life. Days turned into weeks. Weeks turned into months. Months were now years. She once marked her life using the misery she felt when they were apart and the immeasurable joy that filled her when they were reunited. Calendars and clocks did little to indicate which point she was at in her life if there weren’t any notable memories that were worth keeping a tight grasp on. At the moment, her life was like a vast, blank space with scarce landmarks that told her where she stood. She knew it was unfair of her to think of her friends so poorly, as if they weren’t even comparable to the level of importance Gavin held in her heart. The guilt stemming from how she felt and the fear that she would be misunderstood and hated for her thoughts kept her from even attempting to put her emotions into words. Holding back a sigh, Aphy focused her attention on Calvin. His expression was relaxed, as if he were having pleasant dreams. The notion made her smile. At least someone was content. She wondered what sorts of images were flitting beneath his eyelids and if his mind was permeated with pictures of his loved ones. Closing her eyes, she hoped that his dreams were contagious. She missed the feeling of dreaming in colour, of dreaming as if she were happy instead of painfully depressed. At the same time, she hoped her dreams wouldn’t be reminiscent of what once was. She was perfectly aware of all that she had lost and didn’t need a reminder in her sleep that would have her in tears when she woke up. It would be like throwing salt into an open wound, but she trusted Calvin. He was the type who kept his word, and she knew that he would keep the dream monsters away if he said he would. Giving herself up to exhaustion, she breathed evenly and let the darkness sink in. [/style][STYLE=-webkit-transform: rotate(-180deg);-o-transform:rotate(180deg); -moz-transform: rotate(-180deg);color: #0f0f0f; font-family: arial narrow; font-size: 50px; font-weight: lighter;text-align: center;border-bottom: 8px solid #0f0f0f; line-height: 35px;]PERCHANCE TO DREAM[/style]

[atrb=height,150][STYLE=padding-left: 5px;-webkit-transform: rotate(90deg); -moz-transform: rotate(90deg);-o-transform:rotate(90deg);float: right;margin-top: 0px;margin-right: 0px;font-family: arial; font-size: 12px;letter-spacing: -1px;width: 150px;color: #141414]NOTES: Muse is good for the soul. :3 TAGGED: Calvin WORD COUNT: 858[/style][STYLE=width: 100px; height: 100px; border: 3px solid #0f0f0f;-webkit-border-radius: 100px;-moz-border-radius: 100px;border-radius: 100px;background-image: url(http://i589.photobucket.com/albums/ss334/Midori-chii/kertipahk.jpg);float: right;margin-top: -35px; margin-right: 0px;color: #141414][/style] [STYLE=font-family: arial narrow; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;]template by pianissimo of BTN[/style]

[Calvin Elias McHale]

[atrb=cellpadding,20,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=rules,none,true][atrb=style,background:#333;width:338px;text-align:center;border:#1a1a1a 5px solid;font-family:helvetica;][STYLE=border:2px solid #494949;width:100px;padding:3px;background:#efefef;display:inline-block;margin:0 2px 4px 0;][/style][STYLE=border:2px solid #494949;width:100px;padding:3px;background:#efefef;display:inline-block;margin:0 2px 4px;][/style][STYLE=border:2px solid #494949;width:100px;padding:3px;background:#efefef;display:inline-block;margin:0 0 4px 2px;][/style][STYLE=border:2px solid #494949;background:#efefef;padding:10px;font-size:9px;text-align:justify;color:#4c4c4c;max-height:200px;overflow:auto;]Life in dreams was always better for Calvin. He was happy there. He didn't have parents who were disappointed in his average-ness, or siblings that outshone him even when going to the bathroom, he didn't have to hide away in the attic or stay outside till 3 a.m. every night just to avoid his parents, he didn't have to pretend he didn't want to push his brother off his chair every second or pretend his sister wasn't one of the most shallow people he'd ever met. He didn't have to pretend that he liked his life, because when he was asleep he loved it. He played music in his dreams, he hung out with his friends every second of every day, everyone he cared about was alive and well and happy, and that was really all he wanted in life. His arms tightened around Aphy unconsciously in real life as she made her appearance in his dreams, her beautiful face lit up with a contagious and gorgeous smile that made him smile too. When his eyelids fluttered open, he didn't know how long they'd been asleep. Hours? Days? Months? Years? Time seemed infinite when he was sleeping, one minute feeling like three hours and three hours feeling like one second, he'd never be able to tell how much time he'd been asleep. He turned to look at the beautiful girl in his arms, and felt something swell inside his chest at how peaceful and happy she looked. Not really thinking about it, he leaned in and kissed her cheek softly and then started stroking her hair softly, a low tune escaped his lips as he cuddled her. "Alors tu vois." He started singing a song he loved, it was in french and he didn't really speak it but he'd heard it so many times he knew his pronounciation was flawless. "Comme tout se mêle." He was singing it slower than it went, not wanting to get agitated and wake Aphy up in a bad way, he wanted her first experience napping to be amazing. Slowly, he kept stroking her hair and singing, wanting her to wake up. He felt a sense of calm and peace washing over him, and he realized it'd been a while since he had spent time with someone one on one. The past few months his friends had been in a partying spree that meant no actual intimacy, just a bunch of people getting drunk together while pretending they all knew each other perfectly. Calvin could say that he only knew one of the twenty people he was partying with and "knew" all of the rest, and though he could get to know a lot of them better, it wasn't as if parties and clubs were places for socializing other than flirting and dancing and joking around. He really missed just hanging out with his close friends and talking, those days were the ones he lived for. "Moi je t’aime un peu plus fort." As he sung the last few notes to the song, he remembered having read a translation to the lyrics somewhere and realized he was basically singing to Aphy that he loved her... And while that was true, he wasn't in love with her... Right? He shrugged mentally, realizing he didn't really know how being in love felt. "Hey Aphy, cutie pie. Time to wake up. Unless you don't want to go to the music store anymore?" He whispered against the top of her head, making sure to rock her a bit back and forth. "Come on Aphy, wakey wakey." He pressed his lips to the top of her head once more and inhaled the sweet smell of her shampoo. "You're lovely." He sighed on the top of her head. He rested his cheek on top of her head, letting her wake up on her own time as he continued singing. "Hey, don't write yourself off yet..." He closed his eyes and smiled at their position, all cuddled up on his bed. And she said she didn't want to, ha! "It's only in your head you feel left out." Yawn. "Or looked... down... on..." Three seconds later, he was jerking awake again. He couldn't not keep his promise to Aphy! He slowly pulled his arms away from her and sat up in his bed, rubbing his eyes. "Aphy, wake upppppppppp." [/style][STYLE=border:2px solid #494949;background:#efefef;padding:3px;font-size:9px;text-align:center;color:#4c4c4c;margin-top:4px;]words dunno, like 700 i think tags aphy/nova bb credit table by greyson of btn and songs by Coeur de Pirate and Jimmy Eat World notes this sucks and i'm sorry but i got unused to calcal :c will get better[/style]