C3 Chapter 3 Worse than it was

"Do you think that you're stronger than me, huh? Then let's—" Lazaro hadn't finished saying his words when Linley interrupted.

"Can you just stop fighting? We're not here to fight!" she exclaimed.

Callisto thought that the second day of their vacation in the town of Isabela would be better than the first one, but what happened is definitely worse than what it was. He ran away from home, and now he wondered if his parents were searching for him. And it seems that he brought himself to a fight.

Fortunately, a friend of Linley isn't as bad as what Callisto thought. It was just a little explanation, although they didn't really need to explain anything to make Lazaro believe that not all strangers were untrustworthy.

"Okay, you win. You don't really need to ask my permission if you want this boy to stay in your house. Your parents left you to me, and if he lost your trust, you must not blame me that I failed to warn you," Lazaro reminded.

Afterward, the three began walking on the road, but not long as Lazaro told them that he would be going somewhere. A few moments later, Linley told Callisto that they were already at the front of their house.

"Sorry, this is just our house," Linley apologized.

"No, you don't need to say that. Because I had bothered you, I must be the one to apologize. But I really need somewhere to stay," Callisto replied.

"Okay, but I still want to say sorry for my friend. I thought you didn't mind him. You know, Lazaro was just protecting me, but the truth is that he just didn't want my parents to scold him."

"So, let's get inside?" Linley opened the door and stepped inside their house. "Actually, you're lucky that my parents are not here these weeks. You know, they are always busy at work, especially when summer arrives."

"Are you sure that you'll let me let the night pass by here?"

"Why? Don't you want to?" Linley asked.

"Of course I want. What I mean is that if you really trust me."

"I don't trust strangers, but I trust you."

"Well, thanks for trusting me, and I'll not throw that away."

"Come on, don't be shy. Do you want anything? Coffee? Water?"

"Water would be great. I haven't drunk since I left home."

As Callisto sat down on the couch, Linley disappeared into their kitchen and came back with two bottles of distilled water. She threw one to Callisto, who also caught it, and sat down beside him.

"So, do you have a plan to go back?" Linley asked.

"Perhaps when it becomes cooler, but summer seems too long."

"Summer is long, but still, winter won't refuse to come," Linley advised.

"By the way, you told me that Stalin was a friend of yours. Why won't we go to their house?" Callisto asked. "That girl was interesting," he mumbled.

"No problem. I can lead you to their house. But there is one thing you need to know: that Stalin's mother isn't so good as you thought."

"Stalin's mother?"

"Yup, her father died... He was killed after being accused of stealing."

"That's tragic, and perhaps your friend needs commiseration."

"You've told me that you want to visit Stalin. So what are we waiting for?" Linley walked towards the door, and so did Callisto. "Let's go!"

While walking on the road towards Stalin's house. Callisto met three people he hadn't expected to meet. It was his family who were looking for him, and now they found him, but it seemed that Callisto didn't want to go home.

"Son, we've been searching for you. Where have you been? Don't you want to go home? Have you eaten your breakfast? How about lunch?" Dorothy asked in a continuous and worried manner.

There were many questions that swirled around Dorothy's head, and they all told us that she was worried about her son, but she couldn't express them all through words, but through her embrace.

"Don't be an overacting mom. I'm just fine, and look, I have a new friend," Callisto replied, which made her mother let go of him and stepped backward.

"Oh! Who's this beautiful girl, huh?" Dorothy asked.

"She's Linley. Linley, they are family." Callisto went towards Ruth. "And this is my younger sister Ruth, who's so cute." He cheerfully introduced them to each other.

"Nice to meet you, auntie, uncle, and Ruth." Linley smiled.

"Are you my brother's girlfriend?" Ruth asked.

Sebastian and Dorothy snickered and simultaneously said that, "She's just your brother's friend, baby girl."

"But brother Callisto already has a friend," Ruth complained.

"Okay, okay, if you want her to be your brother's girlfriend, then fine."

Hearing those words, a pink tinge grew on Linley's face, but Callisto was really lulled because their topic was absolutely not in his vocabulary. He suddenly carried his sister, which made her laugh.

"So, will you go home with us?" Sebastian asked.

Callisto looked at Linley and remembered that they were going to Stalin's house. The choices brought him between the devil and the deep blue sea. He knows that someone always has a choice, but sometimes it's just difficult to choose.

He said, "Sorry dad, but I have somewhere to go right now."

"No, you don't need to say that, son. You can go back home later, but don't let the dusk fall before going home," Sebastian reminded.

"Thanks dad!" Callisto exclaimed. "And bye." He went away with Linley.

"Our son isn't really that little anymore." Sebastian frowned.

"Children are growing and they're not forever young. The day that they need to build a life by themselves won't refuse to come, but don't worry about Callisto, my love, because we still have this little girl." Dorothy's hands were perched upon Ruth's shoulders who is smiling, although she was sad to hear those words from her parents.

"Don't worry mom and dad. Whatever happens, I won't leave you," Ruth said.

On the other hand, Callisto and Linley eventually arrived at Stalin's house, which is just like any other common house in the town of Isabela. Linley went near and knocked on the door several times, but nobody answered.

A few moments elapsed, the door cried out, and a girl with knotted hair, a round head like a watermelon, and black eyes that sparkled and were still visible within her graded eyeglasses glimpsed through the door.

"Hello," Callisto greeted her.

"Oh! Linley, what are you doing here with this boy?" Stalin asked.

"Callisto wants to see you," Linley replied. "Is your mother here?"

"My mother is at the market. Come, let's get inside while she's not back."

Linley entered the door of her friend's house, but it seemed that Callisto didn't want to enter there; therefore, Linley went back towards him, grabbed his hand, and pulled him inside the house, which is made of polished wood throughout.

"Come, sit here." Stalin offered them seats inside. "Sorry guys, I haven't fixed anything here. Well, do I need to do that just for you? By the way, can you tell me the reason why you want to see me?"

For a while, silence spread throughout the living room. It seemed that they didn't want to tell the exact reason why they wanted to see Stalin, especially that they didn't want her to think that they also believed in other people's words, that she's an insane girl who needs commiseration, but most of all, is attention.

"Do you have a plan to tell me or will you both be just lulled there looking at each other?" Stalin asked. "Is there something between you, huh?"

"I'm sorry Stalin, but honestly, we have realized that you need someone to talk with and now we are here to talk with you. I hope you don't mind if..." Callisto hadn't finished saying his words when Stalin interrupted.

"Who are you to say that? Are you my boyfriend? Of course not, so you don't need someone to talk with and if you don't really have an important reason why you're here now, sitting on the seats I offered, then you must go before I can push you out of here!" Stalin exclaimed.

"You seem to be not considering me as your friend anymore, Stalin." Linley slightly shook her head. "If you want us to go, then you don't need to shout. Just because of that." She stood up. "Let's go, Callisto. Leave that crazy girl behind."

"But." Callisto hesitated, although Linley's blood was boiling.

"If she can't talk with us in a gentle manner, then that's not our business anymore. Let's go if you don't want to be dragged by that insane person!" Linley grabbed Callisto's arm and pulled him out of the house.

Meanwhile, Stalin seems to have collapsed on the floor. She cried out without tears, but then she laughed as if she was tickled by many things, and she cried and laughed again, crying like an infant out of her mother's breasts.

"What's happening to that girl?" Callisto queried.

"Don't mind her," Linley replied. "People were right, she's a psycho."

"No, she's not a psycho. We just don't understand her."

"What? After what she did, you can still say that?"

"Yup, she shouted at us to get out of her house, but it doesn't mean that she doesn't really want to talk with us, and most of all, that house doesn't belong to us."

"But how could she do that if we just wanted to help her?"

"Stop. We have to stop this conversation which is going to lead to a fight. Look, I don't want to contradict what you believed in about what's happening to Stalin, so please don't contradict what I believed in too." Callisto tried to explain, but Linley wouldn't let him as she went away without saying anything.

Callisto scratched his head. This day is even worse, he thought, but he could do nothing except go back to the people who truly understand him. He knew that however he would explain his point of view to Linley, she wouldn't understand it lest they switch their positions.