Cal - Ackley Bridge

Chapter 16

Callum's P.O.V.

The next morning I was eating breakfast when Chloe came in.

"Where's Mum?" she asked. I shrugged. 

"Look I'm sorry," Chloe said. I ignored her.

"I'll go get Mum," Chloe sighed. She came back a few minutes later without Mum.

"She's not coming," Chloe told me.

"Sorry I didn't help yesterday," I muttered.

"It's cool," Chloe said as she looked at her feet. We walked to school in silence and when we arrived I went off to find the lads. We were all chatting and laughing when Missy sauntered over.

"Can I talk to you?" Missy asked.

"Sure," I replied and I followed her to a quiet part of the quad. I was sort of annoyed at the way she had blown me off yesterday but I know she was just worried about Hayley and stuff.

"Sorry I shouted at you yesterday," Missy told me.

"It's fine," I said, a massive grin spreading across my face. She looked genuinely sorry so I couldn't stay annoyed at her. 

"So are you annoyed at me?" Missy asked.

"Do I look annoyed?" I asked as I turned her face to look at mine. 

"Well, no I suppose not," she answered. I leant in and kissed her on the lips. 

It was a dress rehearsal for the play but I didn't get the point because Mum had quit.

"There's not point in this," I said as some stage worker applied my make up. 

"Why?" some year 10 asked.

"My Mum's quit," I explained. 

"Well then bro, I have better things to do than hang about here," Zain said and he grabbed his bag to leave.

"Where are you going?" Miss Carter asked as she entered the room.

"The play's off, innit?" he asked.

"Not if I have anything to do with it," Miss Carter said. Zain sat back down and tried to get his hat fitting on his head.

"It just won't fit," he said after 5 minutes of non-stop pulling. We all piled in to help pull it down but it still didn't work. The actual rehearsal went alright but Missy wasn't there. Apparently she had stormed off after an argument with Hayley. When we had a finished I walked to Missy's house. I wanted to make sure that she was okay. I knocked on the door and she opened it. I don't know what I was expecting her to do but it wasn't this. She leant in and kissed me on the lips.

"What was that for?" I asked when she pulled away.

"Do I need a reason?" Missy asked. She invited me in and we had a great night watching The Greatest Showman. 

The next day in school we had another tree planting. Thankfully the tree hadn't been stolen or set on fire this time. Mum did a lovely speech. She had come out of her quiet stage and she was starting to return back to how she used to be. I knew she would never be exactly the same but that's what grief does to a person. 

It was the night of the play. I was busy setting up a surprise for Missy. It had taken me ages and I had completely lost track of time. I was sprinting to get to the hall and I saw Missy, Mum and Miss Carter all standing in the corridor.

"Where've you been?" they all asked.

"Just setting something up," I answered. Mum raised her eyebrow.

"Just go get ready," Mum said.

"See you later," I said as I kissed Missy on the cheek. Once I was dressed and painted blue, I joined the others and Mum came to give us a rallying pep talk. 

"How's my little smurf doing?" Missy asked.

"I think I'm gonna be sick," I said. I was honestly freaking out. 

"You're going to do fine," Missy reassured me.

"I would hug you but I don't exactly want to turn blue myself," Missy said.

"Plenty of time for that later," I said with a cheeky smile.

"Callum!" Missy squealed. I gave her one last grin and ran to take my starting position. My first position was in the audience and everyone was giving me funny looks. To be fair I was bright blue and covered in leaves. The lights went out and a spotlight shone on me. This was it. I remembered all my lines and the play was brilliant. 

"Well done," I said to Missy at the end of the play. She hugged me as I was now, mostly, not blue. I mean my skin had a sort of blue tint but no matter how hard I scrubbed it wouldn't come out.

"Come on. I've got a surprise," I told her. She looked hesitant.

"We all know how this ends up," Missy said.

"Go on Missy go with him," Nas told her. I lead her by the hand to a spare classroom I had decked out with blankets and fairy lights. I had a TV set up so we could watch a movie. Missy was speech less. Not a sentence I ever thought I would say. She was starting to well up and I thought I had done something wrong.

"You did all this for me?" Missy asked.

"Yeah," I answered. She pulled me into a bone crushing hug and I could tell she was crying.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"Yeah, just, no one's ever done something this nice for me before," Missy told me as she pulled away. We had an amazing night watching Step Up. I honestly enjoy her company so much. I feel like I can properly be myself with her.

"I love you," Missy said. My heart skipped a beat. No my heart skipped a dozen beats. She had never actually said it before.

"Love you too," I said. She leant in and we kissed passionately. 

"You know we should probably get out of here before Miss Carter catches us," Missy said.

"She'll be at home," I said.

"Oh great. How are we going to get out?" Missy asked. Ahh, I hadn't thought of that. 

"We'll find a way. I'm sure of it," I said.

"Or we could stay here."

"You what?" I asked.

"Sorry. If it's too soon you can just say," Missy said. Oh she meant like that! 

"Well no, I don't think it's too soon," I said. I leant in and kissed her. We honestly had the best night- if you get what I mean ;)

A/N: I know that that last bit is super cringy but I am terrible at writing smut and I just can't do it so you'll have to put up with that.