Settle Down // Irwin

37

Calum had been really distracted all night. There was just something off about him. They had spent all the time after school together, preparing for college.

Monday night Calum was totally fine. Tuesday he was good. Wednesday he seemed okay. Thursday he was a bit day dreamy. Today... his head just wasn't in it.

"I mean," Jade began. "The school is letting is leave before graduation and go to Boston to settle in. But we'd be the only ones. All the early admissions students will have been there and our classes still don't start to September. So it is a good idea but I don't know if there is any point." Jade looks at Calum who was staring off into the distance. Jade rolled her eyes and continued. "Also, I got my nipple pierced. Want to see?"

Calum just mumbled a, "Okay."

Jade huffed out. She scrunched up a ball of paper and threw it at Calum on the opposite couch in his living room. Calum's head snapped up when the paper hit him.

"What?" He said innocently.

"You haven't been listening to anything I have been saying." Jade groans.

"Sorry," Calum shrugs. "I'm just..."

"Distracted?" Jade suggests and Calum nods. "I can tell." Jade says.

"You were talking about early admissions, which we should have done, by the way." Calum points out to which Jade just rolls her eyes.

"Well the school is still letting us leave, so I mean technically it's still early admission."

"With no learning." Calum replies.

"Whatever." Jade waves her hand at him with dismissal.

"Jade, can I ask you something?" Calum says timidly.

"Yeah, sure." Jade looks over the first semester schedule.

"How long have you and Ashton been dating?" Calum asks slowly, his eyes downward.

"Oh," Jade tries to think. "I guess..." officially it would be their first date to the beach hut. Unofficially, it would be after Charlie's party. "A while." Jade shrugs.

"Best girlfriend ever." Calum rolls his eyes and Jade throws another piece of crumpled up paper at him.

"Why?" Jade asks him.

"Since Charlie's party right?" Calum raises an eyebrow. "When he made you cry, right?"

"Calum... what're you-" Jade begins but Calum cuts her off.

"He called you a prude and embarrassed you. I was there. I had to calm you down when you were crying." Calum continues.

"Yeah," Jade says slowly, trying to work out what Calum is saying. "Why are you bringing this up?"

"He was really mean." Calum says.

"Yeah," Jade knows that. "But he only did it to get Luke to leave me alone."

"Oh right, yeah." Calum says sarcastically. "Has Luke been bothering you recently by any chance?"

"Calum, what is going on?" Jade was starting to get frustrated.

"I've been talking to Charlie." Calum replies.

Jade lets out a laugh. "Because that's always such a great idea."

"No, listen," Calum says firmly. He gets up and sits on the same couch as Jade. "Charlie..." Calum sighs. "She hears what Ashton and the other two talk about. She's in their group. She hears it when they are at practise. When they are having lunch. Seriously whenever and she's told me things."