Deal // Calum Hood

Double meaning.

Calum.
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Breathtaking, captivating, enchanting. She was like an angel. I had given her my shirt to wear as I decided that would be far comfier than her school attire. It suited her wonderfully of course. I hugged her closer to my body as I watch her sleep, then as I realised it was three in the morning, I too shut my eyes and drifted off once more.
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~ Four hours later ~
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The next time I woke, it was due to the violent crashing and thrashing around me. Groaning, I rubbed my throbbing head and reached for Annabelle.
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When my hand was only met by empty bedding, I sat up. Foggily, my eyesight gently cleared. She was there, racing around and collecting her things.
"Annabelle . . .?" I mumbled, too tired to be this confused.
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Her head jolted up, her hands still pulling on her last shoe.
"I'm sorry." Her voice broke. "I'm so, so sorry. I have no idea what I was thinking."
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"What?" I questioned. "Why are you sorry? Where are you going?"
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As if the entire situation wasn't heartbreaking enough, she turned and said the words that thoroughly crushed me. "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone, I promise. It will never happen again. I'm so sorry."
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"Wait!" I almost yelled as she flew out of my bedroom. "Annabelle!"
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~The following Monday~
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I still couldn't figure it out. Why was she sorry? Why was she so desperate to leave? . . . Why did she regret what was the best night of my entire life?
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The next thing I wasn't sure of was whether I was completely miserable and heartsore, or if I had a slight twinge of confused anger in me.
I couldn't help but be a little annoyed. I was annoyed that she thought I would be unhappy with what happened that night, I was annoyed that she didn't want the same things, and I was really annoyed that she had just left with no explanation as to why.
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She didn't go into school that Friday. And she hasn't answered any of my calls or texts over the weekend. But there was just no way she would miss any more school, even if she wanted to. Her parents would never allow it.
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In maths, my theory was confirmed.
She arrived just as the bell went, leaving no chance for conversation, only shy glances between one another.
Around half way through the lesson, someone, somewhere must have been looking down on me.
"Calum?" I snapped out of my trance to see my teacher glaring down at me. Her eyes flickered with irritation as I raised my eyebrows, having not heard what she had previously said.
"Pay attention. I asked if you could hand out these worksheets."
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The heavy stack of papers collapsed onto my desk as my teacher went back to teaching her lesson. I turned to see Annabelle already watching me. She looked back down at her desk the minute I looked up. This was it. I was finally going to talk to her.
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She had chosen the best possible place, in the corner and right at the back. Nobody would notice.
I finally approached her desk and gently placed the sheet in front of her.
"Thank you." She mumbled, her eyes fixed on the wooden desk underneath her.
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My heart lurched as I stood before her, so much so that I almost forgot what I needed to say. Almost.
"We need to talk." I whispered.
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I heard her swallow as she grew nervous. Her hands began to play about with each other as she shook her head. "I don't know what you're talking about."
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Her cruel words made me want to yell and cry all at once.
"Annabelle, please." I begged. "Meet me at the bike-sheds after school. We need-"
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"Calum! Would you stop interrupting my lesson and finish handing out the sheets." Our teacher snapped, dragging me away from the person I wanted to be near most.
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I looked up, ignoring the secret giggles and random under breath whispers.
It was then that I noticed Sam. He was staring at me, and not a subtle stare either. He was staring a stare that let me know he was watching. That he had been watching the whole time. He entire portrait was exploding with suspicion, and I knew I didn't have much time left.
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~ After school ~
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I freaked all day that she wouldn't show. My palms were constantly clammy and my head constantly dizzy.
But when I got to the bikes sheds, my stomach warmed because she was already there and waiting, looking just about as nervous as I felt.
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"Hey." I smiled nervously. What did I even plan on telling her?
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She tucked a piece of her anxiously behind her ear. "Hi." She replied, barely above a whisper.
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She couldn't make eye contact. It broke my heart. What had happened. What had I done?
"Please look at me." I found my pained voice begging. She looked up reluctantly, her gorgeous eyes already watering.
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"What happened last week was a mistake."
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"Don't say that, Annabelle. Please -"
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"It was. Don't lie to me, Calum." The mound of tears in her eyes began to spill down her soft cheeks. "How embarrassed would you be if people found out about that? I was just very upset, and you . . . Well I don't know why you did it, probably because you felt bad, but that's besides the point."
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I wanted to speak. I wanted to scream in protest. In agony. But I couldn't. What felt like a giant anchor was gripped onto my voice box, stopping it form working. I knew what she was going to say next before the worst possible words even left her mouth. My knees went weak as her mouth opened.
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"I'll finish helping you with your football scholarship, but that's it. No friendship, no nothing. Purely professional." Her voice wobbled despite her strong wording. "Thank you for the last few months, Cal . . . They meant everything to me." She whispered, giving me one last tearful glance and walking in the opposite direction.
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Just like that I had lost what felt like my everything. And I didn't even know why.