A Summer’s Tragedy

Callisto’s steps were screaming. He didn’t mean to deceive his girlfriend. He did not. He’s thinking, why did he go with that harlot if he knew she was? Perhaps he was thinking that she had changed, but she really had. She’s not the Linley he knew.

He’s lucky, he thought, because Stalin wasn’t yet awake when he jumped out of the window of his bedroom. He made no noise while picking his clothes from the closet.

“Where have you been?” Stalin asked.

Callisto didn’t move for a while, and slowly turned with a surprised face. Stalin saw him in a situation which she didn’t expect, as if he had come somewhere and hadn’t even combed his hair.

“I’m, I was, I’m preparing for school,” Callisto stammered.

Stalin didn’t say anything. She sprang out of bed and got out of the room with the thought, Where is her boyfriend gone? Why didn’t he sleep with her last night? She continued to the dining room.

“Oh! You wake up earlier. Where’s Callisto?” Sebastian asked.

“I don’t know, I haven’t seen him since last night,” Stalin replied.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

“What do you mean? He didn’t go home yesterday?”

“That’s not what she meant, dad,” Ruth interrupted. “Brother-”

“Why are you talking about me?” Callisto appeared at the door. He hadn’t even fastened his shirt when he heard them talking, so he came to, “I slept here last night. We just had research for school.”

How dare he, Stalin thought. He’s not ashamed to lie? Where did he learn to do that? from school? She wants to shout everything she knows, but she can’t pronounce any words.

“So, what are you still waiting for?” Sebastian asked. “Eat your breakfast so that you can go with me, and you won’t need to pay for a jeepney fare.”

Callisto sat down beside Stalin and joined them in eating food. He feels so sorry and guilty every time their elbows touch. But he knew he couldn’t blame everything on Linley because it was him who joined. So he thought he would never do that again.

After eating their breakfast and going to school, Callisto walks into the campus while looking at the ground. He doesn’t want to show his face, because those students will follow him again. As he walked on, Callisto bumped into someone.

“What the hell!” She exclaimed. “Are you blind?”

As Callisto looked up, he saw a beautiful face. He has a friend who he doesn’t want to be his friend anymore. Delilah, Samson’s girlfriend and also one of the most beautiful girls in their school.

“Callisto?” She smiled, but her jaw drooped. “I didn’t mean to exclaim at you. I was thinking, you were one of those repulsive boys.”

“I didn’t mean to: I’m not looking in that direction,” Callisto responded.

“You’re going to your classroom?” Delilah asked. “I just noticed: you and Linley are friends, right?”

“Yup, I’m going to my room, but I don’t really want to be Linley’s friend. I think she’d changed a lot.”

“You’re right. She’s also not talking with us anymore; even Caroline told me that they don’t have any communication either.”

So what’s the connection between that and him? Callisto nodded and told her that he needed to go, for he also noticed that the students were looking at them. He entered his classroom and took a seat.

If you’re so unlucky, Callisto thought. Linley sits beside him. And not just that, she seems to commit sexual assault too. So when he had an opportunity to go away from her, Callisto grabbed it.

“Why are you avoiding me?” Linley chased him towards the gate.

“Why are you asking me that?” Callisto responded. “You must know that yourself. I’m not here for you, but for my studies.”

Linley was lulled, but she never thought that what she did was wrong. She feels irritated that she made a quick decision. It will be difficult for her to win back his trust.

“I’m sorry! Please forgive me!” Linley implored.

Callisto didn’t want her to do that, especially since he didn’t want others to think that he was a bully, that he could hurt even a girl, so he turned back and pulled her out of the campus.

“I’ll forgive you, but you must not act like a harlot. Distance yourself from me because I’m not the only male in this world. Why won’t you go with your boyfriend instead?” Callisto suggested

“That meddling? I already killed him yesterday,” she mumbled.

“What did you say?” Callisto queried but didn’t stop walking.

“I said, I don’t like him, but you. You already know that!”

“Can you stop exclaiming here?” Callisto walked faster so that she couldn’t reach him, but she’s so aggressive and won’t stop chasing him.

“But that’s the truth. I like you, Callisto! And I’m willing to be your concubine! Please just give me a chance!”

What the hell? Is she crazy? Does she think that she’ll be given a chance because she tells the world that she has feelings for him? She must get out of what she’s thinking, because he’ll never love another.

“I already have one, and one is enough. If you could give me two hearts, I might love you, but I’m only human!” Callisto exclaimed.

“But Callisto, I’m willing to offer you my heart, as how I offered you my flesh! I’m just asking for a chance. I swear, she won’t know. Just have a try; there’s nothing that will be gone if you try to love me.”

Callisto sighed. Is he free to do whatever others tell him to because his girlfriend has amnesia? But he’s thinking that it’s just a test of how much he loves his girlfriend.

Callisto eventually arrived at their house, and Linley wasn’t following him anymore. Perhaps she was tired of chasing him, and he didn’t care either. Because of that, he quickly arrived home.

“Why are you sweating?” Ruth asked.

“Nothing. It’s just because it’s so warm.” Callisto sat down on the verandah and wiped the sweat that dripped from his face and neck.

“Warm? But the summer is over and it’s getting cooler here.”

“Okay. You won. You’re older than me to be fooled, but please don’t act like you’re mom.” Callisto sighed. “I hope you won’t tell my girlfriend if I tell you about this.”

“I’m not mom, but of course I won’t. You know me well.”

“Linley was Stalin’s friend. You know her, right? Have you already met her before?”

“The sexy girl who resembles a bamboo?” Ruth sat down beside her brother. She looked at his cheeks and listened soundly to his story.

Callisto chuckled at hearing Ruth’s words. “She’s changed. Last night, remember that person who visited here? It was Linley. She invited me to go to her friend’s house, and-”

“And what? Did she have a good time with you?” Stalin asked, who suddenly appeared at the door behind them.

Callisto looked back. “Stalin?” His mouth drooped. “Nope. We-”

“Can you stop fooling me, Callisto? I’m older than your sister, and how can you lie to your father? How can you lie to me? How can you lie to us? Don’t you love me anymore? Don’t you trust me anymore?” Tears rolled down her eyes, down to her cheeks. “My best friend invited you to her friend’s house and you had sex, right?”

Callisto couldn’t say anything, but suddenly stood up and cuddled Stalin. He was thinking that she really had amnesia, that she really forgot those beautiful memories, that she couldn’t remember everything that happened every day, but he was wrong.

“I’m so sorry.” He cuddled her tightly. “I didn’t, I’m so sorry. I don’t know what to say, but you’re wrong in what you’re thinking. I’m not fooling you. I didn’t mean to lie. I love you more than anything else.”

“But why? Why didn’t you tell me about this?” Stalin asked while wiping the tears out of her face and pushing her boyfriend away.

“Why?” Callisto replied. “Why did you pretend to have amnesia? Why didn’t you tell me that everything was just fine?”

“Can you stop changing the topic? I’m asking you, everything isn’t fine because of you, so answer me.”

“I know, you don’t trust me either. That’s why you’re thinking about that. But I would not deceive my girlfriend, even how crazy she is.”

“Hey!” Someone interrupted. “What’s happening here?”

Seeing their father, Ruth stood up. “Honestly, dad, it was my mistake. I know everything that happened between them, their secrets, their plans, but I remained silent,” she admitted.

“Oh? My baby girl knew their secrets?” Sebastian carried Ruth.

“Dad! Listen to me. Don’t call me baby girl, because I’m no longer little. Everyone’s secrets are revealed. I also want to be frank,” Ruth said in a serious tone of voice.

Sebastian was surprised at how his daughter would say things as if she’d already matured and knew a lot of things about them. He put her down on the floor and let her explain what was happening.

“Stalin doesn’t have amnesia. She told me to backup her plan, which is to test how much Callisto loved her. Whereas, my brother, you’re old enough to explain your side, you must explain that.”

“What? Am I the only one who doesn’t know these?” Sebastian interrupted. “Son, what’s that thing that they are talking about?”

“Dad, I really didn’t mean to lie. I thought it was just fine. I thought that you would scold me and hang me upside-down, though I’m not that little anymore. But we, Linley and I, We had sex that night.”

“I unders-but, you! How many times do I need to tell you not to let that itch decide your future?” Sebastian bridled up, then seriously walked towards his son.

“Dad dad dad, please don’t pinch me!” Callisto begged.

“Who told you that I would pinch you if that’s not enough?” Sebastian patted his son’s shoulder. “I just want to remind you that you need to do your responsibility if her hips expand.”

When the silence prevailed-is that all he could say? Stalin thought. Perhaps he inherited his father’s stupidity. That they consider them as rugs, which they’ll throw away after being used.

What about me? Stalin screamed in her mind. Why are they not thinking about me? Am I just an ad for them? That when there’s nothing left, I’ll be a substitute? She got inside their bedroom, laid down on the bed, and covered herself with the blanket.

“I was wrong. I don’t totally know him. How could he do this to me? How could he hurt me so much?” Stalin wondered.

She stood up with an unrighteous thought. She stared at the blanket on her hand, then climbed to the attic, and attached it to the ceiling. She doesn’t care if she died, as if she’s not in her normal state of mind.

“Stalin!!!” Callisto screamed when he opened the door of their bedroom. “Why are you hanging there? Why did you leave me? Don’t you love me anymore? Stalin!”

Stalin, pale and lifeless, is dangling from the ceiling!