Deal // Calum Hood

Fight.

Annabelle.
.
Blocked out. Calum had utterly and completely blocked me out. Both his headphones were firmly wedged into his ears, the volume so loud that I could hear it from where I was clambering behind him, hopelessly trying to keep up. Not even just the muffled sound of music, but the angry lyrics too.
.
He had walked straight past our meeting place, without even so much as a glance. Even when he despised me, he didn't push me away this hard. I was beyond confused. We had been getting along more and more these past few weeks. He was the closest thing to a friend I had, but now I wasn't so sure.
.
It continued this way all the journey back to his house. We came in and his mother, Joy, was extremely happy to see us. I felt beyond guilty as Calum shoved past her and stormed up the stairs. All I could do was apologise on his behalf. "It's alright, honey. I'm used to it." She mumbled, walking away.
.
My heart broke into a million teeny pieces as I began to resent Calum right back. How dare he take someone like her for granted. What I wouldn't do for a mother that cared the way she did.
Rolling my eyes at his pathetic behaviour, I made my way up to his room. Carefully opening the door and sitting down at the opposite end of the bed to where he was sat. He flinched.
.
Swallowing harshly, I moved my way a little closer to him. He had stopped listening to the music now, good job too. He'd probably have ended up deaf listening to it at that volume for any longer. The silence was unbearable. He must have felt it too, as he began to fiddle about with his hands. Naturally, my gaze followed the movement and I gasped loudly as I noticed the crusted blood caking his knuckles.
.
"Are you okay?" I blurted, concerned.
Of course I had heard about the fight he and Sam had got in earlier. The entire year group had heard about it. I just didn't expect it to be this serious.
.
My question was greeted with a cold silence. "You need to clean this, would you like me to show you how? I have some stuff in my bag from Med class." His jaw clenched and I slowly reached out to touch his wound. The moment my hand touched his, Calum snapped his hand away, shooting me the dirtiest look I'd ever encountered.
.
Disappointment seeped through my veins. His face grew angry as he stood up, getting as far away from me as possible. "You wouldn't understand." He hissed. The acceleration of my heartbeat was sudden and painful.
His usually glistening eyes were emotionless as he continued.
"You're rich-"
.
"My parents are rich." I corrected, feeling a little ambushed. I knew it was a stupid thing to say the moment I had said it.
.
He ignored me, speaking over the top of what I was telling him.
"You get whatever you want, and you have practically faultess grades. You have this perfect, easy life. Well let me tell you something, Annabelle Clark. Not all of us our so lucky. I need this scholarship. More than anything, okay? Daddy can't just get me in because I asked. Don't you get it? I messed up today. Bad. And that could ruin everything."
.
I was fuming. My head a hot, dizzy mess. "You have no idea what you are talking about." I mumbled, standing up and taking a step closer. "You don't know anything about what it's like living with people like my family."
My tone was dark. I felt dark.
.
He ignored me once again, still venting everything off his chest all at once.
"You act like a square, Annabelle. You're the most boring person I have ever met." I don't know why this argument had become about me, but he was prepared to really hit me hard.
"You're plain, and have absolutely no life. Have you ever even been to a party? Another persons house, besides mine, even?"
.
He took one look at my face. I was beyond upset, tears threatening to spill, probably flushed cheeks. He sighed loudly and shook his head. "Ah, I don't know. Let's just . . ." He ran a tired hand through his fluffy hair.
"Let's just do this next week instead." He grumbled. "I have a party tonight, because I have a life."
.
I couldn't help but let my eyes widen.
A party! On a school night!
It was as though he could read my mind. His frustrated brown eyes rolled around before he nodded towards the door. "You can show yourself out." He muttered, as if I'd been the one who had offended him.