Hoodwinked | Calum Hood AU

44.

After Luke leaves, Alfie hangs around the living room, watching Calum and I like a hawk. I briefly question if Luke put him up to it, but Alfie's naturally nosy. I suppose that comes with little brother territory.

He lays on the couch with Pepper, staring aimlessly at the tv while I wait impatiently, wanting to finally have some alone time with Calum.

Just as I start to think that we'll never get rid of him, Calum asks Alfie if he'd like to watch The Outsiders with us. Thankfully, he declines and announces he's going to bed to finish a book, swiping a cookie from the plate along the way. Pepper picks up the crumbs behind him.

This little bundle of energy whirs around me as Calum's setting up the DVD. Here we are, finally alone after what's been one of the weirdest evenings of my life. Dad won't be home for hours and there's not much chance of Alfie resurfacing now that he has his nose in a book.

I watch Calum quickly consider his options: does he sit right next to me or does he take the spot on the other larger vacant couch?

He sits right next to me, his knees brushing against mine as he sits down. I'm struck like a tree hit with a lightning bolt: it's Friday night and Calum Hood isn't out partying or prowling for his next girl. He's here, with me, watching The Outsiders. I imagine current me travelling back in time to tell past me about this very moment. Past me squeal with delight.

"What are you thinking about?" Calum pokes my knee gently with his finger, "You've got a big smile on your face."

I laugh. "Am I not allowed to smile?"

"Of course you are. I love your smile actually," he's smiling now. A nervous sort of smile. "I'm just wondering if it's me that's making you smile of something else."

He says it playfully but I hear the glimmer of doubt. "Someone like Luke?"

"Yeah, maybe."

"There's nothing between Luke and I." I glance at the tv and realise I've missed the whole beginning of the movie. "Let's watch the movie."

We watch in silence, occasionally one of us leaning forward to grab a cookie or take a sip of lemonade. It's weird watching a movie after reading the book. I feel like I know what's coming but not really sure when to expect it.

As the movie goes on, I realise why Calum prefers the book to the movie, and why people like reading so much. The movie is so much weaker than the book. The characters and the feelings, they're all watered down through a tv screen.

Even so, when Dallas dies I feel the beginning of tears stinging my eyes. And it's not even the movie that's making me cry, it's my memories and emotions attached to the book and how the scene unfolded on those pages.

Without breaking his gaze on the tv, Calum wraps his hand around mine. When the movie ends - to my delight, with the same line as the book - we sit in silence for a while longer. With my legs wrapped underneath me and our hands still joined together, it's not awkward silence. It's nice.

"I agree wholeheartedly," I finally say. "The book is much better."

Calum's head falls lazily against the wall behind the couch, with a smile spread across his face. "Much better," he agrees.

"Although I didn't mind sitting through 90 minutes of Rob Lowe," I laugh. Calum laugh's too. Our hands stay connected. It's comforting. I wish life could always be like this.  "Tell me more about the USU open day." We kind of got interrupted before.

"It's next month," Calum explains. "I was thinking we could drive up there together and spend the day checking out the campus and the classes and stuff. We could even get a hotel and stay there overnight, check out some restaurants or see a movie or whatever. If you want to, that is."

Me and Calum in a hotel together? I gloss over the endless possibilities for a nanosecond before agreeing. "I think that's a great idea."

I expect him to smile back. Instead, his chocolate eyes stare at me intently. For some reason I'm worrying that he wants to talk about Luke again so I make a suggestion. "Do you want to watch another movie?"

Calum leans closer, his hand brushing away some of my hair as he takes firm hold of my jaw. "I've got a better idea," he whispers, his full lips meeting mine a second later.

I'm not sure if I kiss him back right away or not. My thoughts are too busy bumping into one another: You're kissing Calum. Calum's kissing you. My arm is stuck in this awkward position by my side. Okay, now there's tongue. Am I using enough tongue? Can Calum sense that I'm losing my mind right now?

He leans closer again, this time bringing his weight down with him and stretching his legs out as best as he can on the small lounge.

He's on top of me now. Calum Hood is laying on top of me and we're kissing. His hands are firm on either side of my cheeks and I've got one hand resting on his back, the other still squashed awkwardly between my body and the couch.

And then I feel it. Or should I say, I feel him, Calum, ard against my leg. Already? His kisses become faster, more intense, and alarm bells and sirens start firing off warnings in my head.

"Calum," I detach my lips from his, taking a breath of fresh air. "My dad will probably be home soon and I don't think finding you on top of me will make the greatest first impression."

"Sorry," he says, looking guilty.

"Don't be sorry. Now's just now the right time to get... carried away."

His finger gently touches my cheek, "I've thought about kissing you for so long."

My stomach flips. "Really?"

He nods. "Ever since the night of Ashton's party."

"I hope it lived up to your expectations," I joke.

He kisses my lips briefly again. "Nothing ever happens like you imagine it will," he whispers. The words sound familiar, but I can't think where I've heard them before. Calum watches me tenderly as I try to think where I recognise them from. "Paper Towns," he finally answers helpfully.

"We should watch that next," I smile. "Do you have plans next weekend?"

"I do now."

We lay on the lounge for a while longer, with our limbs tangled and Calum delicately stroking my hair. I mostly listen to Calum talk about books and space. He asks me a little bit more about my Dad and Alfie, and somehow we end up on the topic of The Lion King and he recites the entire opening scene off by heart.

It's at that moment when I'm laughing at his poor attempt at a mean voice for Scar, that I realise how much I want to lay here forever like this. Later that evening, when Calum's gone and I'm laying in bed keeping an ear out for my Dad to get home, I replay the entire kiss through my mind and that's when I notice it:

How wrong it felt. How I was narrating the entire thing in my head, and not really focusing at all on kissing Calum. And then I picture Calum's face, and how beautiful and smart he is, and how much I love hanging out with him and I can't figure out what's disconnecting all of that from the kiss.

My memory takes a turn, remembering the way my skin burned at Luke's touch. I remember the desperation between the two of us and how he was the one that had to slow me down, because somehow my rational self evaporated when our bodies were touching.

And then, I tell myself that I'm just having an off night. That I love spending time with Calum and that good conversation is more important than the physical stuff. And then just for a bit of extra reassurance, I tell myself that the next time Calum and I kiss it will be something magical. 

It will be fireworks and supernova explosions.

i'm working on my next story to post after this and the middle are finished and i'm really excited but curious to know if you think i should right about michael, calum, ashton or luke for the next story?