I'm jotting down notes until the bell decided to rang. I packed my things inside my bag pack and I head off the classroom.

"See you tomorrow, Calista!" I heard my best friend, Micaela.

I just lazily waved my hand as a sign that I heard her shouted.

I walked pass through the hallways of our University. I'm studying Creative Writing here at UCLA.

Oh, by the way, the name's Calista. Calista Caden. My best friend is Micaela Obray. She's the one who bid goodbye.

I went inside my Fusion, I locked my doors and played a soft melody music.

I got home and saw my mom, Lana Caden, in front of her computer, "Hey, mom.", I said as I hugged her from the back.

"Oh, hey, Calista! How's school?" She asked.

"Fine." I smiled.

It's a pretty fine day at school earlier. We just wrote a couple of short stories and a few poems. I had fun writing.

I was busy with my thoughts when her phone rang, "Hello?", she answered the call.

"Sir?! Yes, of course. Uh-huh. Yeah, yeah. I got it. No problem, Sir. Bye."

She faced me. "Calista, I was about to go grocery shopping but I have this emergency report that I need to finish ASAP.", she said, and I already know what she's about to tell me.

"Can you go to the grocery store, instead?" I knew it.

She saw me frowned and she smiled, "Don't worry, I'll cook your favorite pasta dish when you get home." She smiled sweetly that I can't say no.

"Alright, hand me the list."

"Thank you!" She kissed me on my cheek.

She handed me the list of the groceries and the money. I head upstairs first and put my bag on my swivel chair inside my room. I put my favorite jacket on and grabbed the key of my Fusion.

"Later, Mom!" I waved my hand.

"Take care, Cal!" She shouted from the inside of our house.

I drove to the nearest, yet shitty grocery store. My mom never shops here because the products weren't good, and it's not as big as the other grocery stores.

The only thing that made me do the grocery shopping in here is because of the few shoppers who goes here. It's not as packed as the others. I like it here, it's peaceful. It's what I want.

I entered the store and if I'm not mistaken, there are at least fifteen shoppers here inside. I smiled, just as I wanted.

I first go to the meat section, then the produce, and now I'm here on the dairies. It's on aisle twelve.

As I'm grabbing the bottles of milk that's listed, I noticed the next aisle. It was a bit messy. The products were everywhere and the liquids were spilled.

I looked up and saw the sign, "Aisle 13".

"Oh? They extended another aisle? This was not here before." I whispered to myself.

I've been here for a couple of times already because whenever my mom asks me to go grocery shopping, I always go here and I never saw this aisle. This must be new.

Who would do such mess? It's impossible that a kid did this or any other customers because this store isn't always full.

It's so quiet that you'll immediately hear if a single bottle was broken.

I finished my grocery shopping and let my thoughts passed.

It was my turn to pay on the counter. I was hesitant to tell this but the mess was too much, it might bother the other customers.

I'm so bothered by the mess so I decided to just tell the clerk about it.

I cleared my throat.

"Excuse me, can you please clean up the mess on aisle 13? It might bother some customers." I smiled, hoping the clerk won't get offended.

He's not offended, though he gave me a puzzled look.

"There's no aisle 13."

"Cal! Let's hide over here!" I heard my friend Madison hissed.

My friends and I are playing hide and seek. I'm still not hiding because I can't think of a good place to hide. My best friend, Micaela, is the one who'll do the seeking.

Madison is hiding under my bed. So overrated. I bet she's the first one who'll gets to find by Micaela.

Chloe hides inside my closet. Another lame idea of a hide out.

My eyes went heavenward. I smirked. I know where to hide. And I'm sure, I'm gonna win this game.

I climbed through my window and opened the thing that was being used whenever my dad goes to my ceiling.

I laughed softly while hiding in my ceiling. I bet Micaela won't find me unless I show myself.

"Ready or not, here I come!" Micaela shouted.

My hunch was right. Micaela found Madison first, then Chloe.

"Where's Cal?" I heard Micaela asked the two, but none of them responded.

After a while, I heard the door closed.

Maybe they left?

I peek through the small hole from the ceiling, there's no one in my room.

I decided to come down in my room. I left my room when I realized that my friends really left me.

I was about to go downstairs when I heard my mom crying, she's in the master's bedroom.

"Cal is already eleven. She'll understand." That's my dad.

"No! No! Please, don't leave! I'll do everything! Just... don't leave us!" My mom pleaded.

The door wasn't locked so I peek through it. There, I saw my mom. She's crying, while she's on her knees, begging my father to stop leaving.

For the first time, my heart was broken.

I can't bear to see my mother like that. She's a soft-hearted, happy go lucky woman. She's all I ever look up to.

I hate my dad for making her cry.

"I can't do this anymore, Lana!" My father growled at my mother.

My mother stopped crying, she faced my dad.

"Don't you love Cal?"

"I love my daughter more than anyone in this world, Lana."

"Don't you love me?" My mother asked.

My dad sighed, "No. I don't love you anymore. And I'm seeing someone else."

Unconsciously, my tears started falling.

My mom seemed so heartbroken. She didn't said a word after what my father told her. She let him leave. And she didn't beg anymore.

My father saw me crying and he tried to hug me but before he can even hold me, I ran.

I ran outside. I ran as fast as I could. Hoping that I can getaway from this pain. I had no certain place to go inside my mind but what I'm certain about is that, I'm hurt. I'm broken. I'm in pain.

I don't think I'll ever be broken like this again.

Days passed and I must say that I have been different. I became aloof. I don't want to talk to anyone, even my mom.

Luckily, my best friend, Micaela, was very understanding. When she asked why I was cold, I told her about my situation and she fully understands of what I'm going through. She told me that when I'm ready, I can talk to her anytime.

She also told me that they heard my mom and dad fighting the day we're playing that's why they left immediately.

I'm glad she's like that. Unlike my other friends, they don't understand me. Of course, they won't. They have their own beautiful and happy families. They won't ever understand my situation.

My mom was upset. She barely even talk. I know she's very hurt, that's why I understand.

I am on my fifth grade and before, I was surrounded by a lot of friends, but after what my father did, I chose to became an introvert. All I have was my best friend and my mom. You can't blame me, though. I don't want any more attachments to people.

I don't want to invest feelings on people when I know they won't stay forever.

Less people around you, less chances you'll get hurt.

My fifth grade year passed like a wind. So was my sixth grade. I made friends, but I'm not close to anyone. Micaela's only my trusted friend. She's all I ever want to be with besides my mom.

I'm now in my seventh grade. My mom went back to her old shape. She's not as hard as a rock like how she was before when my father left. She became lighter. And I'm happy for her.

I guess, I'm the only one who's still living in the past. I can't put it behind me.

My mother and I were both in pain when my father left us, but we dealt with different levels of pain.

A wife left by her husband is so much different with a child left by her father.

For me, the latter was worse.

"Okay class, can you all go to your respective chairs?" The teacher in front ordered.

All my classmates sat down and our teacher began to discuss the lesson.

My mind wandered. I'm sitting next to the classroom's big window. I love the view here. I can see the green grass from the soccer field below.

It was different today, though. It's not as green as it normally is. Maybe because it's raining and the mud from the ground adds colors to the greens.

I love and hate the rain. I love it because it's relaxing. I hate it because it's not peaceful.

I don't know. I find it relaxing and disturbing at the same time. It calms my soul, but not my mind.

I left the classroom when the bell rang.

"Cal! Wait for me!" Micaela shouted from the inside of the classroom.

I stopped walking and waited for her.

"You always does that!" She rolled her eyes.

I chuckled. "What?"

"That! You always leaves me behind!" She crossed her arms.

"I don't." I shrugged.

"Oh yeah? You almost did!" She shouted in front of my face.

As much as I want to leave her because of her loud mouth, I just let her words pass through my ears. She'll stop once she gets tired.

Her rant lasted for a solid fifteen minutes. I didn't talked back. I didn't said a word. Because if I do, that fifteen minutes can turn into an hour. It's better if I just shut my mouth and let her do her thing.

We ate at the cafeteria. I got my usual, pasta and orange juice. She got a burger and a milkshake.

Our "friends" are just around. I speak to them from time to time, but not as frequent as I speak to Micaela. Like I said, she's the only one I want to be with besides my mother.

I'm scared of gaining friends and losing them someday.

"Are you going to pass your short stories later?" Micaela asked. She's talking about the short story contest that's happening in our school. We need to pass at least two short stories as an entry.

"No." I quickly replied. I don't want to join.

"Oh c'mon! You're so good at that!"

"I don't like the idea of having too many people around. You know that."

A lot of students will be passing their entries later and I don't want to be with a lot of people.

"But-"

"Shh! Stop. I don't want to talk about it." I said and continued eating my pasta.

"Alright." She continued eating her burger, too.

I feel bad, to be honest. I know that she just wants to support me and my craft but I just can't do it. I can't stand the crowd.

"Sorry." I said.

"It's okay. I know how you feel. It should be me who's sorry. I'm sorry for forcing you. I just want to support you and your works. I didn't mean any harm."

"I know." I smiled at her.

I should change a bit. At least for Micaela. I can't lose her, too.