Entropy [5]

Even When You're Not Okay

11
Even When You're Not Okay
Trigger warnings: Mention of rape, dead parents, depression

Calvin's wrist worked as he stirred pancake batter. He swayed his hips and hummed to a song in his head. He was in a good mood. It felt like forever had passed since he felt this good.

He hummed to the same tune his father used hum. He didn't know the name of the song but it was stuck in his head. Engrained in his memory for life.

He scooped a fresh pancake out of the pan and set it on a stack of others. He poured the batter in the pan. Another one of his dad's famous pancakes on the way.

Rachel watched her brother from the other side of the counter. Her brow raised as high as her suspicions. This certainly was not normal.

Conner and Jericho walked up beside her. "Hey, have you seen V-"

Rachel shushed Conner. She nodded her head towards Calvin. Conner and Jericho looked at him. Soon, they were just as confused as Rachel.

"What's happening?" Conner whispered to her.

"I don't know." She whispered back.

"Is he okay?" Jericho asked.

"I don't know." She responded.

"Should we get Gar?" Conner asked.

"I-"

"Hey guys, what are we staring at?" Gar asked as he and Tara stepped out of the hall.

Rachel, Conner, and Jericho shushed him with a fierceness. They gestured to Calvin.

Gar tilted his head to the side. "Woah." He said. He blinked a few times to be sure his eyes weren't fooling him.

"I do not understand what is going on." Tara said, her blue eyes landed on Gar. She hoped he'd look at her but he didn't take his eyes off Calvin.

Gar walked around the counter slowly. "Cal?" He said softly.

Calvin looked at him and blinked back shock. He didn't even hear Gar approach. "Good morning." He said through a smile.

A smile Gar found haunting. This couldn't be Calvin. "A-are you okay? You seem... different?"

"Different how?"

"You're cooking. You hate cooking."

"Not today. Today is a good day. I'm okay," Calvin promised. "Now, grab a plate and have some breakfast."

"Okay..." Gar turned to the others and shrugged. He decided to just go with it.

Calvin followed his eyes. He noticed the rest of the kids standing behind him and smiled at them. "Good morning guys. Come grab some pancakes, there's enough to go round. You too Tara." He said.

"Yeah, something's wrong." Jericho signed.

Calvin laughed and shook his head. "Nothing is wrong. It's my Dad's birthday and I feel good. I want to celebrate his memory. What better way to do that then make breakfast for the people I love?"

Gar looked at Rachel. They shared the same frightened eyes. "Something is wrong." Gar mouthed to her.

Calvin passed out plates of flapjacks. He dished them out to everyone one by one. When he got to Tara, her hand slipped under the weight of the plate. It fell to the floor and shattered all of the glass.