#calvynjames

Songs of the Moon

It was the first day of spring and Quinn Village (small town in Dallas) was buzzing with people. Century Square being in the middle of the town and known for all the retail stores, had the most activity. Calvyn was walking around his store, CBA Fashions, re-racking articles of clothing and putting more jewelry at the registers. Calvyn was an absolute knockout. At first glance , you’d think the tattooed arms and neck meant he was the typical rebellious bad boy who played by his rules only, that just about every good girl wanted to give their virginity to. But he wasn’t. He was actually rather soft-spoken. Very respectful and obviously charismatic but he stayed within his circle. His life was very routine; work, gym, repeat. He spent more time thinking of ways to advance his business more than anything else. He stared blankly out the window, families and couples walking around laughing with Auntie Anne pretzels in hand and bags full of things they didn’t need. Calvyn’s breath seized when he saw a woman crossing the street straight ahead of him. It was…her. Her cream white bell-sleeve blazer dress blew up her thighs she shielded her eyes from the unforgivable Texas sun. The rays illuminating her carob complexion and her 80s iconic big loose curls. She was a modern day Diana Ross, but plumpish. She had the legs that’ll turn a men into a cartoon dog in love. “When you going to stop playing?” Someone beside him said. He looked. It was his best friend, Trent, shaking his head with a childish grin. “What?“ Calvyn asked genuinely confused. Trent gestured his head towards the woman as she finally made it across the street, her red lipstick very visible to them now. “I don’t know man.“ Calvyn chuckled and went to folding the shirts in front of him. “Go talk to her. Do it now. Here’s your chance man.” Trent daring him. “Nah man. She’s walking and shit. I’m not trying to disturb her.“ He walked away because he knew Trent was about to go on a rant about his constant excuses not making any sense. And he was right. “At least go get her name.”Trent suggested. “That’s weird. Nah…“ Calvyn laughed again. “… when the time is right, I’ll know.“ “Yeah alright. How about I holla at her?”Calvyn looked at him with a somewhat thoughtful expression before responding. “Okay.” “Damn… that’s cold…”Trent said as Calvyn continued folding. “…you don’t think I can, huh?“ Calvyn bursted out laughing, surprised his facade was so apparent.

Calvyn stayed open an hour later than usual, raking in more business as the day went on. It was just after 8pm when he finished accepting the new shipment of clothes before he locked up and went home. On his way home, he felt this uneasy feeling he was being watched. At a red light he turned on the interior lights and quickly looked in his backseat. Nothing. But something smashed into his car bumper just moments later. He froze, the green light blaring on his face. He looked into his rearview mirror. Nothing was there. Not even another car. He reached for the doorhandle in case a cyclist have been the one to make that thud but something in the back of his head said no. The light changed to yellow and he hit the gas, zipping through the light; his adrenaline rocketing. He was home within five minutes but he couldn’t shake that uncanny feeling of being watched. He didn’t care to check his bumper tonight, he wanted to get inside as soon as possible. He leaped out the car when he finally built the nerve to exit. Right as he shut the door and locked it, he was immediately rushed to the ground. He fought, trying to turn over, but the assailant kept him pinned to the ground. Anger began to help him up when he felt several sharp pains in his ribs and shoulder blades. Then nothing. It was pure darkness.

“Calvyn… Calvyn sweetie…“ a familiar voice was bringing Calvyn back to consciousness. He began to stir, his limbs heavy and his head pounding like a wild tequila night. The feeling of cold asphalt against his cheek was beginning to make itself present. When he finally opened his eyes, he saw it was Miss Rose, his elderly neighbor. She had the morning paper in her hand and her satin rollers were hanging loosely out of her bonnet. Her hands were shaking uncontrollably, the glasses accompanied by her frightened expression made her look like she was looking at him through a microscope. He felt small. He was confused. And heavy. “What time is it?” He said weakly. “Time? Baby…“ Miss Rose stood. “… I think the time is the least of your worries.“ He tried moving but groaned out in pain when his shoulder didn’t seem to exist. His right arm(dominant), felt limp. “Don’t move baby, I’m calling someone to come get you.” She moved as quickly as she could, leaving his line of sight. That’s when he realized, it was daylight. His line of sight was met with the front tires of his Challenger SRT. His watch was cracked, and his splitting headache was pushing him back into slumber.

Calvyn was checked into Bellview Community Hospital at 6:32 AM. He was in and out of consciousness and remember vaguely of the doctors and nurses examining him with painful bewilderment. It wasn’t until well into the evening when he finally came to. A nurse was checking his drip after placing a pitcher of water beside his bed. He tried speaking, his voice pained and hoarse. She looked at him, relieved. “I’ll get the doctor.“ She hurried out of the room and re-emerged within seconds, with a tall graying man who was in great shape for his age. A significant amount, actually. “You’re awake.“ He pushed his glasses to his forehead. Calvyn began sitting up, feeling lighter than he did that morning. His arm wasn’t in a sling but his shoulder was definitely burning with pain. “Careful…“ the doctor said walking over to him. “… you have stitches.“ Calvyn looked surprised. “W-why?“ The doctor and the nurse gave each other a what-the-fuck expression. “Um… do you have any idea what happened to you?” The doctor asked with an even more concerned look. Calvyn shook his head. “Well…” he cleared his throat, reaching for the clipboard the nurse was handing him. “…you have these deep cuts and puncture wounds, mostly on your back. One that covers just about your entire back. On your right shoulder was the worst, I believe majority of your blood loss came from there. It was the deepest of the injuries so the scarring, once healed, may not look the prettiest. We did a CT scan on you and you indeed have a concussion. There’s bruising on your neck, I’m guessing from being held down or in an asphyxiation attempt. No bullet holes but definitely stab and sliced wounds.“ Doc sounded unsure on the last observation. “We need to keep you here for at least two days to monitor you. In case of seizures or blackouts. Now, do you have any idea who would’ve wanted to do this to you?”Calvyn stared blankly at the both of them. It was safe to say he was in utter disbelief. “I…”he looked down, he was hooked to machines, even an oxygen tube through his nose that he hadn’t noticed since he woke up. “… I really don’t know. I have no enemies.” “Ex girlfriends?” Calvyn shook his head but then paused. “I do have an ex girlfriend in the area but she wouldn’t do that. I know she wouldn’t.”Calvyn said confidently “Plus, it’s been a year now. I think she would’ve done something a lot sooner if she were to.“ He leaned back. “Okay. well, we’re going to keep you here for at least two days; to run some tests on you before you leave. Anyone you’d like to alert?“ “No…”Calvyn said rather quickly. “… I don’t want to worry my mom .” “You sure?“ the doctor asked. “Yes. Absolutely.“ He nodded enthusiastically . “I’ll be fine.” He said, finally looking at the pair; the nurse’s face very sympathetic. “Well I’m Dr. Miller and this is nurse Jacklyn. If you need anything, press the call button on your bed and one of us will be here to assist you.“ Dr. Miller exited the room, leaving Jacklyn to see to him. “I have to go to the bathroom.“ He began to maneuver again, she rushed over to him. “I have to unhook you. Also…“ Calvyn looked at her with a dreaded stare. “… you have a catheter in. I’ll have to remove it.“ She gave an embarrassed expression, his turning into an annoyed one. He didn’t realize the severity of his condition. And the only thing on his mind was getting home and returning to his regularly scheduled program like nothing happened.

Day One

Calvyn regained most of his strength, eating three meals, walking around his room with barely a limp, and gained some of his liveliness back in his face. He caught up with his friend from the store letting him know what was going on, but telling him to not say anything besides “Family emergency”. There was a sense of dread anytime Calvyn tried to recount what could’ve happened, so he wanted to avoid explanation at all costs. That sense of being watched that night was still strong on his shoulders. But he was ready to leave the hospital at any given time.

Day Two

Dr. Miller moved the light from eye to eye. Then had Calvyn to follow the pen he was holding, left to right and so on. It was reaching afternoon and Calvyn have been up since 9am conducting sensory test and Lord knows what else. “Well…“ Dr. Miller smiled, dropping his glasses around his neck, looking at nurse Jacklyn. “… everything checks out. Your results seem to be improving rapidly when it comes to healing. But I still suggest you pay close attention to how you’re feeling this following week. Headaches that won’t go away. Constant nausea. Memory loss or confusion. And take it easy on yourself. Rest up but not too long but of course, avoid sleep deprivation.” He patted Calvyn’s knee, fatherly. Calvyn smiled eagerly, ready to get the hell out of there. “We have an extra change of clothes for you. They may not be your style but the others had to be cut off you… so…” Dr.Miller stated unfortunately. Jacklyn blushed. He ushered her out, leaving Calvyn to ready himself. Since it was noon, he had one last “complementary” lunch before discharging himself.

After dropping by to see Miss Rose for tea and to settle her nerves, he decided to go to the gym. Of all places, after such an intense and distressing situation. Calvyn was so zoned out during weights, he didn’t notice a group of girls gawking at him like a shark at an aquarium. They just about lost it when he pushed through pull ups like it was a walk in the park. He was doing supersets after supersets, his muscles becoming more and more swollen as the hour passed. When his beast-mode adrenaline began to simmer down that’s when he noticed the admiration surrounding him. He lifted his shirt, exposing his abs, and wiping the sweat from his face. At that moment he remembered his scars and quickly ,but casually, dropped it back down. None of them seem fazed. More turned on if anything. If that was possible. He gave a quick nod of acknowledgment to the best friends watching him through the mirror before downing the rest of his Gatorade and crushing it like a flimsy tin can in one hand before chucking it in the trash.

He showered, used the massage beds to recover, and headed to work. This smell that took up residence in his nostrils from the massage room was still lingering, even as he walked the few blocks away from the gym back to his store. It was pleasant but unfamiliar. But also familiar. It felt like déjà vu.“Hey!“ Trent smiled when he saw Calvyn. They had spoken over the phone that morning but Trent had no idea he was going to come in. “Miss me already?“ Trent teased. “Honestly…I did.“ Calvyn gave a half smile. Trent was definitely one of the more affectionate bros so Calvyn prepare to be pulled into a bear hug. It was Trent‘s lunch hour so they headed to the back office to sit and converse amongst themselves. Then suddenly, the smell was back. “Y-you…you alright man?“ he spoke with a half chewed hoagie stuffed in the side of his cheek. “What’s that smell?“ Calvyn moved his head around like his family’s golden retriever smelling dinner in the air. Trent looked confused, chewing slowly. “Bro, you good?” He asked again, genuinely concerned at this point. “You don’t smell that?” Calvyn asked. It was now his turn to be confused. Trent sniffed hard but the only thing filling his nostrils was the Italian dressing from his sandwich. Before he had time to say so, Calvyn was already out the door. His only guide being his nose and legs. He was at Fresh Finds when the scent became more pungent. “Hm.” was the only thing he could think to say when he realized he was five blocks from where he started, which only felt like 30 seconds ago. He walked inside, mindlessly looking at all the homegrown produce. He had driven by countless times but this was the first time he’s actually been inside. The smell that brought him there was slowly fading out, maybe due to the partially dirt covered cabbage heads he was standing in front of. “Would you like to try…” a muffled man’s voice said. Calvyn could only hear it in one ear, almost like a faint buzzing noise. He turned. A scrawny rough looking man standing behind an obviously handcrafted kiosk 30 feet away, was cutting into a cantaloupe. He reached out, handing a decent sample size to a customer. “… they’re pretty damn good. Whole helluva lot better than last year’s.” When Calvyn realized who the customer was, he instantly felt hungry. Without a second thought he walked over to the conversing pair. “Would you like to try some sir?“ The man asked Calvyn as he was still walking up. “Yeah, sure.“ He replied sounding dazed. He reached out for the slice, his eyes watching her attentively. Her full lips, this time covered in a thick gloss, enclosed around the piece of fruit like a Venus Flytrap. The natural sweetness attempted to escape down her bottom lip but was quickly captured by her upper teeth. Gently. Calvyn devoured his entire piece in one munch, almost taking the rind with it. The seller chuckled, obviously pleased with Calvyn’s reaction. “Good isn’t it?”The woman spoke after Calvyn’s moan of good taste. “Really good.“ He replied, looking over at her. Her brown eyes lowered, as if she knew he was something she wanted; like when you see a pair of shoes you’ve been dying to have and finally found them. They silently stared at each other as they finished the cantaloupe together, not breaking eye contact . It was weird. Very weird. Even the seller frowned, his eyes cutting back and forth between the two.

“What’s ya name?“ Calvyn‘s voice different, but cool. “Maxine…“ she spoke after swallowing down the refreshing juice. “…Maxine Dupont(Dew-pon) .“ He took her hand and kissed it instead of shaking. What the?!, a little voice in the back of his head exclaimed. “That’s sexy.“ He said matter-of-factly. He recoiled internally, taken aback by his own words. But to his surprise (but also not, because… look at him) she giggled, biting her lip to keep from smiling too hard. For a second he could’ve sworn her entire body flushed. “I’m Calvyn James…“ he placed his hand humbly over his chest. “… it’s nice to meet you Maxine.” “Likewise.“ She replied, still smiling then quickly turning around as if she remembered something “Oh Sam, hmm…“ she began, tucking her hair behind her ear. “… I’ll take four cantaloupe and a basket of your strawberries.”Sam began bagging her order. “You should try his strawberries. They’re always so sweet.” Maxine suggested. It was apparent his eyes were fixed on her mouth. He wanted them more than anything. But he’s never been so caught up on someone’s appearance that he was so carefree of their awareness that he was doing it. “I will.” He said as he proceeded to order. All it took was 10 minutes of conversation and purchases of random baskets of fruit for Maxine to agree to go on a date with him. After the my exchanged numbers and parted ways, that’s when reality set in for him. “Holy sh-…did I…no fucking away.” He said aloud as he walked back to the store.

“What…” Trent began when a green reusable bag with Fresh Finds Farmers Market printed on the front was dropped on the table in front of him. “…um… I’m guessing you figured out that smell?“ Trent arched his brow. Calvyn, ready to explain what just happened, face drops. The smell. It brought him to the farmers market. Was it… her. He didn’t recall smelling it when he was right next to her. Honestly, he was too caught up in her, visually; his sense of smell was nonexistent at the moment. Trent chuckled but was also still a bit concerned. Calvyn look like an MKUltra “test subject” experiencing a glitch. “Yeah…“ he stared blankly. “… yeah…um…anyways I got to tell you something.” His smile was back.

Later that Night

Calvyn wore jeans and a basic black tee. Maxine agreed to meet him there at 6:30pm. He expected her to be fashionably late so it was to his surprise when she walked in 5 minutes ‘til. He could see her standing at the door looking around. He stood, his eyes narrowed at her, as she spotted him and began walking over; all smiles with flushed cheeks. The little black dress with the sweetheart neckline and lace trimming at the bottom had him stupefied. Drunk with lust. He cleared his throat as if to nudge himself to pick his jaw up off the floor. A cartoon dog in love, echoed in his head as her legs finally made it to him. “I feel underdressed.“ He smiled pulling the chair out for her. “Don’t…” she said “… I always dress up.“ He bit his tongue, to keep from saying “I know”.

They were at After Dark, a restaurant that looked perfect for a vampire in Romania. Very low lighting, candles on every table, black table cloths and chairs, with crimson red carpet. Everything seemed to be velvet. Soft music played by an orchestra on a small stage; piano-solos on most nights.

“Seriously?“ Maxine said appalled by Calvyn‘s 20oz steak and loaded baked potato order. He only smiled in response, handing the menu back to the waiter. She ordered the blackened salmon with the quinoa and grilled asparagus. They stared at one another across the table like they did at Fresh Finds, her hands in her lap and her head held high. “You’re a very mysterious man, you know that?” “Yeah? Is that why you’re so distant?” Calvyn reached around the small table and grabbed the leg of her chair, pulling her effortlessly towards him. Her arousal was extremely visible. Her shoulders rolled back as her thighs pushed together. Calvyn smiled at this, before apologizing with a pleased grin. He was really beside himself tonight but the girl he lusted after for months was eating it all up. He calmed himself down, remembering who he was. And who she was. He didn’t want his sudden boldness to scare her off but that little voice in his head wasn’t loud enough. And it didn’t need to be by the way the night was going. Their chemistry was as plain as a pikestaff. They made each other laugh equally and undemanding and their eye contact obviously suggestive but still modest.

It was nearing 830 when they mutually called it a night; Maxine respectfully declining Calvyn‘s offer to pay for her meal.

“This was fun.“ She smiled, clutching her purse at her knees like those cheesy “romantic” Hallmark movies. “I agree.“ Calvyn rubbed the back of his head,a chill running up his neck. “Can I see you again?“ Soon as those words left his mouth, he felt a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach. Maxine‘s voice sounded muffled and far away. He stared at the ground, which was beginning to double. “Calvyn… are you okay?” He looked up to meet her gaze, her eyes seemed very concerned. ”Uh…” he felt his mouth watering. The feeling in his belly intensifying. Shit, he thought when he realized he was literally about to be sick. Embarrassing himself in front of the woman he’s been impressing all night. “…I-I…” he started breathing heavy, his chest tightening. He began to regret eating an entire 20 ounce steak in one sitting. “Calvyn…“ she reached forward to touch his shoulder. “… I have to go. here…“ he reached into his pocket and shoved a couple bills into her hand. “… get you a cab. Text me when you make it home.“ “But I have my…“ Calvyn turned and rushed off, disappearing down a nearby alleyway between restaurants.

He ripped his shirt clean down the middle, hyperventilating as he felt the air around him becoming humid and restricted. He felt himself panicking as the food began to make his way back up. He controlled his breathing, hoping to coerce it back down but then he realized it wasn’t coming up at all. Something worse was happening. He doubled over clutching his stomach, unable to control the volume of his groaning, which began to draw attention from someone nearby. A sleeping homeless person, camped out by the dumpsters. Which was weird considering it was little to no homeless people in the area, let alone near the restaurant dumpsters at 8pm; where he’d most likely be shoo’d away. “You okay buddy?“ The man rose up on his elbow. Calvyn didn’t reply. It was the true sensation of his ribs expanding and repositioning that had him in a chokehold. He wanted to lie down on the cold comforting ground but his body was locked in place. “Too much cheese?“ The homeless man assumed. “Wish I could say the same.“ He rubbed his eyes, clearing the sleep and most likely the dirt from them. Calvyn placed his shaking hands on the wall to steady them, but then his fingers began to snap one by one. Then his back and suddenly his neck. The homeless man’s eyes narrowed, watching Calvyn with incertitude. Calvyn’s rings hit the ground with a loud tinging that echoed through the alley. “Get…away from me.“ Calvyn said, his voice gravelly and disoriented. He started to kick off his shoes as they were beginning to feel too tight but he was only successful with one. He fell down to one knee, his hands still on the wall. He looked up to the sky, praying to God for this pain to be over but soon as he made eye contact with the moon… the full moon… he instantly became enraged. He felt a sense of anger he has never felt before. His head snapped to the right to look at the homeless man, who was standing mouth agape. Calvyn had unknowingly sprouted hair all over and it was still growing. “I said get the fuck out of here! Now!“ he roared. Calvyn’s eyes were now yellow and predatory. In one huge gust of wind he was a fully developed beast, literally in the blink of an eye. The man staggered back on his heals and began to run as fast as he could which wasn’t fast at all. He was weak and unappetizing due to his lack of a normal lifestyle but he knew well enough it was the thrill of being hunted rather than craved for nutrients that still made him a target; just as much as the next person. The man felt the ground beneath him vibrating as the now pure-animalistic grunts came closer and closer. “Oh shit…please…God.” The man squealed out, tears flooding his vision of the opening to the sidewalk. People. Street lights. The public eye where his remains would be found right away. As he was slowing down, beginning to accept his fate, he was pushed to the ground. He didn’t feel any pressure so he had assumed it was due to fear, that he had fallen on his own. He looked up and seen the beast landing just outside the alleyway entrance. Calvyn had jumped over him. He continued running, slamming purposely into a parked car like a linebacker, and dropped down on all fours before disappearing into West Point Park. The man lied there, the sound of crashing and far away frighten yelps dispersing before he gained the strength to get up. He stood there motionlessly, visibly dumbfounded, staring into nothingness. “No one‘s going to believe this shit.“

Calvyn was snoring soundly when something shining in his face made his eyes flicker open. He was met with the blinding rays of the sun. He felt sticky all over as he tried rolling over to switch positions. That’s when he realized he was outside. On the ground. He licked his lips, trying to moisten his pasty mouth. He frowned at the unfamiliar taste. He began to rise when he heard a weird sound behind him. He turned and to his surprise he saw cows. And sheep. They were huddled close together and the fear in their eyes were enough to make even him uneasy. He turned back around so he could stand but that’s when he discovered something horrifying. Not only was he shirtless and still wearing jeans ripped at the seams but there was a dead sheep near his feet. You could only tell it was a sheep because of the fur and what was left of its limbs, which was one leg. The air in his lungs felt trapped as he stared at the carcass, if you could call it that. When he further examined himself he realized that sticky feeling was blood. Dried blood. He jumped up, frightening the animals even more, and then began to check his surroundings. It was obvious he was some distance from home considering it was a wide vast land of open field with a ranch house about 1/4 of a mile from him. That’s when he saw where he actually was. Misty Grove Farms. 12 miles from the city. Basically he was in the the boonies. “Sh-…” he exhaled, turning in circles, panicking; trying to figure out where to get started. Further ahead he spotted a patch of woods and headed straight for them. He jumped over the wooden fence nearly tearing the plank off. He ignored the achiness of his feet, running until he was far away from that farm as possible. He stopped once and that was at a pond, where he jumped in and cleaned himself as much as he possibly could. It was this moment he realize he still had his phone in his jeans. He jumped out immediately started drying it on the grass. It was 9am. He was at 10% and still a good distance away from home. Calling an Uber was completely out of the question, considering his current condition. But walking through the city before making it home didn’t sound the best either. Like an answered prayer, a citizen in a pickup truck pulled up beside Calvyn after he made it to the other side of the forest. When asked if he was okay, Calvyn gave some story about partying too hard with friends but was unfortunately left behind. “Some friends.” The man replied with a pft. Calvyn hopped in the bed of the truck, resting his head on the window and relishing in the deed of the Good Samaritan . Luckily Miss Rose wasn’t having her morning coffee on the porch like most mornings, so he was able to slip into his house unnoticed and unbothered. His adrenaline was still high so what else was there to do besides shower and go to Total Body Gym.

His “fans” immediately locked their eyes on him as he entered the building. He was walking towards the pull-up racks when he heard someone call his name. “Calvyn?“ He looked over his shoulder. It was Maxine. She was wearing a basic white tee and smoky gray leggings.Her hair was very frizzy but she could pull it off. “Hey.” The weight of fear and possibly guilt being lifted off his shoulders once he seen her. No curled lashes or bold red lips. Just pureness. What an angel, he thought. “I texted you. I wanted to know how you were doing. You ran away so fast last night.“ Her face still had the same concerned expression as it did hours before. “Oh yeah, I saw. I’m really sorry about that. I meant to call you this morning I…“ he paused, unaware he had not come up with an excuse for last nights rapid exit. “…I don’t know what came over me.” He said with a flat tone. “All that meat.“ Maxine finally smiled, lightening the mood but Calvyn looked exposed. But then he realize what she meant and laughed. “Ah yeah…“ he rubbed the back his head. “… maybe an 18oz next time instead.“ They both laughed, the gym partners from the other day looked at one another with an expression of “oh please“ although they weren’t in hearing range of Calvyn and Maxine. “Protein is great but you got to add fiber to calm those meat sweats.” She said, shaking the smoothie cup with the gym‘s name on the front. “What’s in yours?“ Calvyn asked. “Wheatgrass.“ “Wheatgrass is awful.“ Calvyn said with no hesitation. “It is. It really is.“ She frowned with agreement. “But you have to add the peaches and blueberries. That makes it tolerable. And one of those fat-burner recovery shots can help make it tasty too.“ She was really up-selling the smoothie shop at the gym. “I’ll check it out.” He nodded, continuing to smile at her adorable face. “I’ll let you go now, I have to get home. We should go to dinner again sometime.“ She sounded unsure, maybe nervousness. That feeling dispersed when Calvyn almost immediately agreed, like she took the suggestion right out of his mouth. “What are you doing tonight?“ Calvyn gave that same charming smile that made her blush every time.

At Work

Calvyn was feeling refreshed and ready to get the work day started. He went to the break room, where Trent and a cashier were staring questionably at the TV. “What’s up?” Calvyn ask, placing his Gatorades in the refrigerator. Trent turned, arms still crossed, and gave a quick “One of the livestock was found dead at Misty Grove this morning“ before turning back around. A knot formed in Calvyn’s throat, as he inched closer to the TV as well but staying behind the two of them. A camera panned over the field, showing the blood trail where the sheep was apparently dragged before being eaten by a presumed coyote. There were no other updates or suspicions according to News5. “You okay bro?“ Trent asked. “You look sick.“ The cashier turned around to see what Trent was insinuating by his question. “Yeah.” Trent nodded at the cashier’s observation. “Yeah I’m just dehydrated. I didn’t drink enough water when I worked out today.” Calvyn cracked open the fresh pressed juice he purchased from the gym. He gulped it down as they shrugged it off and turned their attention back to the tv.

Calvyn breathed a sigh of relief as he walked to his office, his adrenaline being long gone just to shoot back up, and now… back down again. To say he was exhausted was an understatement.