Deal // Calum Hood

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Annabelle.
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"Why are you so determined to destroy our families reputation?" My mother continued to scold me as we arrived at our home.
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Exhausted from trying so hard to defend myself, all of my insides deflated as my shoulders sagged and eyes rolled unintentionally.
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"Your mothers right, Annabelle. You don't strive for anything, you only rebel." My father took of his jacket and placed it on its rightful hook.
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"That is not true." I mumbled, unsure of whether to be more angry or hurt.
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My parents both regarded me, half exasperated, half furious.
"From now on you aren't to leave this house without your sister, do I make myself clear?"
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"What? That's ridiculous, I'm seventeen for goodness sake!"
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"Do I make myself clear, Annabelle?"
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Her glare dared me to challenge her, I fought my instincts and bit my tongue.
"Very." I muttered, giving my smug sister an unpleased glance before running up to my bedroom.

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~ The next day ~
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I hadn't seen Calum all morning, except briefly encountering the back of his head in math class. Usually he turned around and attempted in at least one way to communicate with me, not today.

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I tried to catch up to him when class ended but his legs were far too long for my short ones to be a substantial competition. At lunch I made it my main priority to find him, maybe he wasn't grumpy at me.
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All the other times he had behaved like this there was always another reason. Maybe Sam had gotten under his skin again, maybe our head teacher had said something, it couldn't be because of me could it?
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It wasn't until I sped past the gym room that I spotted him out the corner of my eye, sat on a bench and casually bouncing a tennis ball. Exhaling loudly with relief I pushed open the door.
"Calum?" I sort of questioned as he looked up at me but didn't react in any way at all. It was as if he hadn't seen me.
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He just looked at me, or more looked through me, and carried on bouncing the ball.
"What's the matter?" I pried, taking a few steps closer. He sighed visibly. He shook his head and I assumed he wasn't in a sharing mood. "My parents went crazy. They say I'm no longer allowed out of the house without my sister, I mean-"
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"Why didn't you defend me yesterday?"
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Laughter almost escaped my stunned lips. Not because it was funny, but because I was shocked.
"Pardon?"
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"When your parents were making me out to be a piece of dirt on the street, why didn't you say anything?" His gorgeous brown eyes were pained and guilt washed through me as I realised I had only been thinking of myself last night when I should have been thinking of him too.
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"I-I, I don't know . . . I've never really stood up to them . . . They're my parents you know?"
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"And I've never really stood up to Sam, but I couldn't let him say horrid things to you, but I guess my feelings aren't something you take into consideration."
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He was right. How could I get angry at him for being embarrassed of me when he must have felt the same way last night.
"I'm so sorry - I never thought about it that way . . ."
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He scoffed but seemed less irritated.  My shoes squeaked against the slippery floor as I made my way over to the dusty bench he was slumped on.
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"Calum, I- you are so wonderful, I'm not ashamed of you at all. You're right I should have stuck up to them. You're worth more than that." I edged closer to him and nudged his foot with mine. "Forgive me?"
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His annoyed expression faded and he broke out into a small smile. "Why can't I stay mad at you?" He rolled his eyes.
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~Later that day~
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"Cassie, please." Begging my sister to let me see Calum was just as hard as I thought it would be.
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She shook her head stubbornly as Calum nudged me gently forward.
"Go home, Annabelle. I don't want you to get in any more trouble."
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Sulking, I turned and looked at both of them. "But-"
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"It's not going to happen today." He sighed, I knew he was as miserable about this as me. His face made it clear.
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My sister flicked her long chestnut hair effortlessly behind her shoulder.
"Or any day."
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Calum leaned forward and kissed my forehead. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" I nodded and he walked home whilst my sister lead me to her car. It was certain that I was furious with my family, most of all my sister.
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Cassie attempted to make conversation in the car, a clear sign that she actually felt bad. I ignored her because even though she was stubborn, that was the one aspect that I actually beat her in.
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When we pulled into the drive, she stopped me from getting out.
"Look, Annabelle, I'm sorry okay? But I have to follow the rules."
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"It's fine, I don't expect you to understand. You don't know what real feelings are, you're a robot, just like mum and dad."
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"Annabelle." She sighed. "You know it's hard to say no to them."
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"Hard, but not impossible." I grumbled, leaving the car and storming up the stairs. She was no sister to me.
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A few weeks later I had barely spoken two sentences to my sister and I hadn't been able to see Calum outside of school once. All until something incredibly unexpected happened. Cassie came into my room one evening, sniffling. I wasn't sure I had ever seen my sister cry.
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"You were right."
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Her words were music to my ears. That was a sentence that I never thought I would hear leave her lips.
"I am a robot. I'm twenty years old and I've never had a boyfriend, I've never had real friends, I've never experienced life. All I have to show for myself are some good grades."
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Unsure of how to respond, I tried my hardest in my overwhelmed state.
"I was just angry when I said that, Cass."
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"But you meant it. You always mean what you say."
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The fact that she knew this astonished me. I didn't realise that Cassie knew anything about me other than my name and age. We had never been close, only rivals.
"You really like him don't you?" She mumbled when I didn't respond.
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Nodding vigorously, Cassie sighed.
"Tomorrow you may see him, but do not tell anyone and I will be with you two the entire time."
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Taking anything I could get and feeling beside myself with joy, I did something I had never done. I hugged my sister.