Deal // Calum Hood

Jealousy.

Calum.
.
Maybe it was immature. Selfish even.
The dark side of me told me not to care. The rest of me that was utterly devastated warned me it would only make things worse.
.
I chose the dark side. The careless side.
I wanted proof. There was no way in hell Annabelle didn't feel anything that night. I didn't know what had spooked her, but something had and I was determined to show her and myself what we felt was real.
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It was the oldest trick in the book right? Jealousy. My hand limply held Niamh's; The school slut, to put it nicely. She didn't have to be asked twice to draw some attention to ourselves.
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It wasn't until lunch that I saw Annabelle, but I knew the rumours we spread would have reached her delicate ears by now. She was in the lunch hall, sat with some people who I couldn't name, clearly not listening as her eyes scanned the rush of students.
It physically hurt to look at her.
I couldn't help but hope she was looking for me.
.
"Come on." I muttered, pulling Niamh to the table in front of Annabelle's.
She strode effortlessly behind me, landing, to my surprise, directly on my lap.
.
Her school shirt damn near suffocated me as she laughed loudly, being clueless as to who she was supposed to make jealous. Her rough hands wrapped around my neck and I glimpsed over to see Annabelle watching. Her eyes were so unbelievably pained. I wanted to push the unfamiliar girl off me instantly.
.
She looked down as fast as I looked up, and I remembered the cold words she had told me. This was for her.
This was for us.
With a heavy heart, I leaned forward.
"Now." I instructed, quietly. "Kiss me now!"
.
Niamh crashed her slimy lips onto mine and I could do nothing but pretend they were Annabelle's.
Her hands trailed across my loose t-shirt, until we were interrupted by the wolf-whistling of a nearby peer.
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Subconsciously, my eyes search for Annabelle, but she isn't there anymore. In a panic, I scan around desperately, finally finding her escaping body. She had gathered her belongings and walked out. Was it me? Had I made her jealous? . . . Was this really the feeling I wanted to get from this?
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Niamh leaned in again but I pushed her away.
"No." I grumbled, sliding her off my lap as I scrambled to my feet. She seemed confused, but before long was lost in the nearest male presence she could find.
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I need to follow her. Apologise. Find out what happened. I turn to chase her, but Sam's heavy palm lands on my right shoulder.
"Going somewhere?" He smirked, testing me.
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I know I'm defeated. I grumpily sit back down and don't say another word to anyone for the rest of the afternoon.
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After school, Sam began walking alongside me as I strolled nervously to the bike sheds. My heart was beating a million beats a minute. If she wasn't there, I didn't know what I would do.
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Sam had been jabbering on and on about some boy in the year below who he'd "beaten the shit out of". It wasn't until he brought up Annabelle that I listened properly.
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"Are you seeing the nerd turd today?"
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I thrust my hands into my pockets and pressed them into fists.
"Don't call her that." I muttered despite myself.
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"Calum." He stopped walking, reaching out and touching my forearm. "I am trying my absolute hardest to be a good friend here, okay?"
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I stopped. My fists were still tight.
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"I'm trying to keep your ass from getting kicked. I've given you the perfect opportunity to escape her. You can do so much better. So much more, I don't know . . . You."
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Realisation hit me like a ton of bricks as my teeth clenched dramatically.
"It was you." I said in a monotone.
"You told her to say those things, didn't you?"
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"You're over-reacting, mate. She's just a girl."
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"No. She isn't." I snapped, dodging his touch.
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He chuckled lamely. He didn't get it and I didn't have time to beat it into his small brain.
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"What did you tell her?" I growled, loosing any remaining patience.
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"Nothing really-"
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I fisted his school shirt, slamming him backwards into the locker.
"What did you tell her?"
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"I just advised her that it would be best for you if she ended any personal relations." He grinned, knowing he each word was torture to my ears.
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My eyes spoke wonders before I released him and raced to the bike sheds. I had to find her. I had to tell her the truth.
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