Introducing Callisto

Running. It's all I could do after hearing those heartbreaking words from my father, my greatest fear come to life. I ran and kept running, down the block, out of the neighborhood, into the Shawnee woods. Blurs of green and brown flying by me was all I could see through my tears, my heartbeat pounding in my ears, and my legs not giving in. Why? Why can't the only parent I have left just accept me as I am? Why can't he understand that I'm going to love who I want to love? Why did he have to kick me out? All my life I've done everything possible to please him and this is what we come to. It wasn't until warm hands grabbed me by my shoulders that I stopped running and came back to my senses. Out of breath, I blinked through my tears to see Algol staring at me with worried eyes. I collapsed at his feet and just sobbed, tears soaking my face. he sat in the dirt in front of me and pulled me in his lap trying to calm me. Algol and I have been friends since we were in elementary school, he's been by my side since day one when mean ole Henry pushed me in the mud. Algol got in trouble at school that day due to the black eye he gave Henry. Therefore, I trust Algol with every fiber of my being.

I felt him pull me closer as he held me to him, "What happened?" his voice seemingly cold like usually but also held a sense of calmness and care something I always enjoyed in my friend. "I told my dad... About me being Gay" I said sniffling as wiped away tears to see Algol's brown eyes pity me through his blue hair, he nodded and looked around some. "You have to be careful out here in the woods alone, you could have hurt yourself. I'm glad I saw you running." he said. I nodded some understanding the danger I put myself in. "Well, you could stay at my house for now my older sister wouldn't mind. you're like a second younger brother to her". I quickly shook my head "No way! I don't want to be in your way, and I don't want to put that stress on her." But Algol insisted "She wouldn't mind come on let's go besides I'm sure you don't want to be in Pjs for much longer" I looked at myself and realized I was wearing my favorite star themed Pajama suit. A small smile crept across my face thinking back to a simpler time.

"Fine." Algol got up, knocked the dirt off his butt and offered me his hand, I took it smiling as I wrapped my arms in front of my chest. "I hate this." I mumbled as I stretched a little before returning my arms to a cross position over my chest. I felt the cold metal of the only gift I had left of my mother; I uncrossed my arms as I followed Algol and gently pulled the small yellow moon charm out from my shirt, I smiled some before tucking it back into my shirt and jogged to catch up to Algol's steps. "No fair you're so tall" I whined, he glanced down at me. "I'm only 5'8" he stated, I huffed crossing my arms." I'm a guy and I'm 5'1.... Well at least to you I'm a guy...." I got quieter at the end of my sentence, and we walked in silence neither comfortable but also not awkward. When we arrived at their front door I had fully calmed down and I could feel a bit of a burn in my legs from running so much. I rubbed at my legs a little as I watched Algol grab his keys from his pocket.

Before Algol could put the key in the door it swung open with such a force that we both jumped back in surprise with wide eyes, I blushed hard and averted my eyes from the glorious man that stood before me. Danial Yoon.... A Tall, muscular gent with eyes dark green like an Everest tree. I started crushing on Danial a few years after I became friends with Algol, he has always known too. He leaned up against the doorframe with crossed arms and a raised eyebrow staring down at me, his dark eyes turning darker as he stared at me. "You were gone too long Algol; I was about to come search the woods for you." "I'm sorry, I ran into this one while I was out... he'll be staying with us for a while" Algol stated, then pushed past him. As I tried to walk past him, he widened his stance to block my path. His deep husky voice vibrated into my soul as he spoke to me "Callisto, what's going on with you? You look sad, you know I hate to see you upset.... look at me." I looked up into his eyes to see a worried and compassionate Danial staring back at me. "I'll be okay Danny, I finally admitted to my father something that I've been holding onto for a while. He kicked me out, but your brother said Sherry would take me in for a bit, which I am incredibly grateful for so thank you." He gave me his showstopping smile and said "never a problem sweet cheeks, that's what were here for! Plus, you know I love having you around, you're adorable." My cheeks turned to crimson as I look at everything but him, he chuckled deeply and said, "come on Calli lets go eat, Sherry is finishing up dinner." He moved to the side and threw his arm over my shoulder leading me to the direction of the dining room, closing the front door behind us.

I tensed up slightly and ducked under his arm, he looked down at me giving me a funny look and a smirk. "Sorry, I-I um should probably help S-sherry. Algol!" I spotted my friend and slipped away from Danial running to my friend's side and he looked down at me a bit confused, but we kept walking towards the dining room where I split off into the kitchen to help Sherry. "Aww Callisto you don't need to help me you're a guest right now" she said, and Danial walked in taking some forks from me. "Here let me help." He said and I nodded following him to the dining room where Algol was cleaning up the notebooks and textbooks from him studying more than likely he studied a lot. "Hi bookworm" Danial said as he placed the forks in his hand in the places where people would be sitting. "Shut up and put your sport stuff away, the dining room chairs are not locker spaces" Algol said throwing a helmet at Danial which he caught and put under his arm. "Okay fine sorry sorry" he said grabbing the rest of his stuff and walked out of the dining room. I heard Sherry's footsteps and I placed the cups down that I had in my hands and walked over to take to plates from her. I am surprised she took the risk of dropping a plate; the fact she was able to carry the four plates without dropping anything was amazing and impressive.

Danial came back and everyone sat down with plates in front of them and I sat next to Algol and had picked up my fork focused on the food on my plate, homemade mashed potatoes and beef in gravy. I smiled softly since it was one of my favorite comfort foods and I started to eat as I listened to the three talked about studying and school related stuff since me, Algol, Danial were in high school; Danial was a year and a few months older than Algol who was 15 because his birthday was early in the year. "So Callisto what do you want to do when you grow up?" I looked up from my food at Danial and I swallowed the creamy mashed potatoes I had in my mouth before coughing slightly. "Well, I want to be a-" I stopped myself to think, there had been a few things I had wanted to be since I was a child like being a writer one of the few job ideas that stayed with me as I grew up. "I want to be a writer, but I don't think I'd get popular or would ever get published... So, I probably won't go for it..." I stated honestly and I heard a fork get placed down and I looked over to Sherry and she looked at me her brown eyes staring into my soul but made me a bit happy. "Now who told you that? Because if you told yourself that I'm gonna tickle you because you are great at English and you love writing so why beat yourself up before you even try?" She said and I looked down some thinking about the words she said, and I knew she was right, so I looked back up and smiled at her. "Thanks sherry your right" she nodded and grabbed her fork. "Damn right I am" she said, and I laughed some and so did Danial making my cheeks heat up some.

The rest of dinner had small light conversation but otherwise was in comfortable silence and I hadn't realized I had been nodding off while eating till I felt a hand on my forehead. "Careful you almost put your face in your food" I heard from Danial, and I sat up straight looking at him. "O-oh, was I? I hadn't even noticed.." I mumbled and covered my mouth with the back of my hand as I yawned. "Alright mr off to bed with you go brush your teeth and get changed into some pjs" said sherry in a slightly strict tone but she wasn't really being strict. I nodded pushing my chair from the table before standing up and pushing the chair in. "good night" Danial said and I felt my cheeks heat up a bit, but I just smiled and thanked him and Sherry for the food before going upstairs to do what I was told to. I yawned again this time not covering it then rubbed at my eyes some, I grabbed my toothbrush and started to brush my teeth humming softly to keep myself somewhat awake while I did this since I could fall asleep easily. "When did you go to bed last night?" I glanced over to see Algol in the doorway of the bathroom and I shrugged slightly before turning back to the sink to spit out toothpaste before rinsing my toothbrush off putting away before moving away from the sink so that Algol could come in. "get some sleep Callisto we will talk tomorrow" I nodded and walked into the second guest room they had but it was basically a room for me and I yawned again stretching. I didn't bother to change I just flopped onto the bed hugging a plush bear I had there and closed my eyes, having a warm and full feeling in my body.