not in the same way || c.h.

17

"What was your excuse for not being home? How did your dad react to you telling him you'd be gone?" I asked as we walked around to try and find something to eat.

"He wasn't too happy but he didn't ask too many questions. I just said I had an assignment for school that I needed to do and it would take a while." He said and looked down at the pavement.

"How do you know that he doesn't have some sort of spy or something?" I asked and turned my head towards him.

"I guess I really don't. But they wouldn't have expected me to come here, or really had the energy to drive this far." He said nonchalantly.

"Can you promise me something Calum?" I asked and he nodded his head.

"Whatever happens, no matter what happens, don't let Noah get caught up in this. I don't know how it's going to work or what but they can't know about him." I said and stopped walking entirely.

"I don't tell just anyone this stuff Brenna. You're the only one I've ever told about this, everyone else I know is already a part of it. I wasn't planning on anyone else getting involved and that includes your friends and family. I didn't even want you involved but you ask too many questions." He said and ended off his little rant with a chuckle.

"I just wanted to know you. If I was going to break up with my boyfriend for you then I needed assurance that it would be worth it." I said with an eye roll and a bit of a smile.

"I guess that'll be for you to tell." He said and shrugged his shoulders as we started walking again. We walked in a comfortable silence until we found a nice place to eat and sat down at a table.

"I think we should talk about something." I said nervously and looked down at my hands that were on the table.

"Okay." He said casually and leaned back in his chair.

"I like you, obviously considering I broke up with my boyfriend for you. But I think we should hold off for now, I mean if you planned on actually going anywhere with me that is. It just doesn't feel right after just breaking up with Cole this morning. I think that if anything's gonna happen then we should wait until I don't feel so guilty." I rambled and stirred my straw in my lemonade and looked up at him for barely even a second. I couldn't tell what he was thinking. His face was completely natural and neutral.

"If that's what you want." He said and crossed his arms over his chest.

"So you're fine with just being friends right now?" I asked and looked up at him for approval.

"Friends that like each other yeah." He said and shrugged his shoulders.

"Okay." I said and looked back down at my drink.

"Calum?" I asked after a few minutes.

"Yeah?" He asked after taking a sip from his drink.

"Who was that girl you were with a few weeks ago?" I asked softly and looked up at him with a questioning look.

"She's just some girl my dad has me take out every now and then. Everyone in the warehouse knows she's obsessed with me so they always push her on me. But I think she's annoying and way too clingy." He said with a sigh. At least now I know he doesn't like clingy.

"Oh." I said and bit down on my bottom lip.

"I don't like her, but I don't have much of a choice." He said and I just nodded my head and tried to ignore the pit of jealousy that was forming in my stomach.

  The rest of the time we spent eating we just talked about random things. Things that were of much lighter topic than our previous conversations. It was comfortable being with him. I can't explain it but it just felt nice to be around him and to talk to him.

We eventually went back to the motel and had an intense argument over movies. Apparently he didn't like my romantic comedy recommendations. And I for one didn't like his stupid action movie recommendations either. We ended up agreeing on a comedy after arguing for like 15 minutes. Then we went to bed and fell asleep on either side of the mattress with a gap between us.