Escape

Chapter 8

*Ashton's P.O.V*

"Calum?" I heard a girls voice say.

"Heidi!" I turned around and saw Calum hugging a stunning girl around our age. "Did you enjoy the concert?" he asked her.

"One Direction was amazing!" she gushed. "I mean the opening act was okay, kind of pitchy when the Asian sang, but when those five boys got on stage, whoo!" she fanned herself dramatically. I walked over, putting my hand on Calum's shoulder.

"Hey now, we don't tell him he's pitchy, we let him go on thinking he's good." I smiled as she laughed and stuck out my hand. "Ashton."

"Heidi." she took my hand in hers, shaking it firmly. "Seriously though, you guys were amazing!" her attention turned back to Calum.

"I was the best though right?" he asked her.

"No, Ash here was. I'm into drummers." She teased, quoting one of our songs.

"Ouch." Calum put his hand over his chest like she'd wounded him internally. "That hurt man. But i'll leave you to for a bit, I have to pee." He jumped up and down, making Heidi giggle and ran towards the bathroom. I watched her eyes follow him before she looked back at me and smiled.

"So..." I said, confused as to what I was supposed to say to this stranger.

"How long are you in LA?" She asked me.

"Two more days. But we come back at the end of the summer."

She nodded her head, looking down at her hands.

"How long have you and Calum known each other?"

"Oh. We met in Vegas. I literally ran into him and knocked him over. We've been tweeting each other a lot." She smiled up at me. It hit me then. That's why Cal was always on his phone lately. His obsession isn't videos or pictures like Luke-up until this morning-it's tweets with an actual person. Oh my god. "Do you live in LA?" I asked her.

"No, just visiting a friend. I live in Georgia." Why are these pretty girls from southern states? I nodded my head again, taking in her appearance. She certainly was pretty. Her best feature was her smile. I can see why Calum took an intrest, this girl has spunk.

"Does..." She began.

"Hey guys." Calum came up interrupting her.

"Does what?" I asked Heidi.

"Oh nothing, it's not important."

"Heidi, do you wanna get out of here?" Calum nudged her shoulder. "Leave this loser here." I teasingly flipped him off and began walking away.

"Hey ash!" I turned around seeing Heidi running towards me.

"Yeah?"

"Does he have a girlfriend? or someone back home I should know about?" she whispered. The look on her face told me she was serious.

I stepped in for a hug. "No he doesn't. But that can change." When I pulled back I pointed at her as if to say "it's gonna be you." She smiled and ran back to him, waving at me one last time.

*Calum's P.O.V*

My cheeks hurt from smiling so much. This girl knew how to make me laugh. She was in the middle of telling me a story of how a carrot came out of her nose.

"So wait, was it a shredded carrot, or like just a piece of one?" I asked her.

"It was a piece I had chewed up that had come back up!" Heidi exclaimed. "It hurt so bad!"

"I can imagine!" I laughed. I had taken her to this small diner not far from the hotel I'm staying in. We had finished our burgers and fries over an hour ago, we were just sitting and enjoying each other's company now. In this short time we've talked I found out she's seventeen, from Georgia, she has an older sister and a younger brother, and she wants to be a marine biologist.

"So Mr.Hood, what is the best thing about touring." She took her straw out of her cup and put it up to my mouth like it was a microphone.

"Well ya know, Id have to say meetin' the fans." I faked a southern accent, making her smile.

"Speaking of the fans, they are dying to know Calum Hood's dream girl. So tell us, dream girl?" she batted her eyelashes, her gaze never faltering.

I leaned forward in the booth, taking the straw and putting it back in her cup.

"My dream girl," I began. "Will have to understand I won't always be around. She has to have an amazing sense of humor and can possibly out eat Michael. She has to be up for anything at any time. But she also will just want to chill in the living room and cuddle and watch a movie. Trust and respect is huge. And I love girls with brown eyes and whose smile can light up a room." I'd never really told anyone my dream girl before. "How's that for a dream girl?"

"It's a pretty realistic dream." She stirred her drink around for a minute. "Have you met her yet?"

I paused. Heidi fits almost everything I just said. But I don't want to start something I can't finish. But I also can't ignore the way she makes me feel like I'm a superhero when she looks at me with those big brown eyes. "I'm not sure. Maybe." I admitted. "What's your dream guy?"

"Well I like someone who is sporty. I like funny guys, but we can also sit down and have a serious conversation. I really like pranksters. And if we have the same music taste, that's a bonus. Also, if he can sing and play an instrument, that's hot. I like guys with dark hair and great eyes." She blushed at her own words.

"Have you met him yet?" I repeated her question.

"I think so." She boldly answered. I smiled at her, taking a drink of my soda.

"It's almost closing time." A waitress in a red uniform with the name "Dana" on her name tag. "You'll have to leave."

"Okay." Heidi smiled politely at her. The lady walked away, leaving us alone again. I really didn't want this night to ever end, but I know by the look on Heidi's face that she's tired. We stood up from our booth and headed towards the door. Once outside, I pulled her closer to me, brushing my hand against hers. She opened up her hand and wrapped her fingers around mine. It was such a juvenile move, but I love the way her small hand felt against my large one. I looked down at our hands and smiled. When I looked back at her face, she was smiling up at the sky.

"What're you thinking about?" I asked her.

"How happy I am right now in this moment." She looked at me with those brown eyes. I squeezed her hand and kept walking. I felt bad for taking her to my hotel only to have to have her get a taxi and go back to her friend's house.

"Do you need me to get you a ride home?"

"No. I'm sure Reagan is still up, so I can call her to come get me." With her right hand, she pulled her phone from her pocket and sent a text to who I assumed was Reagan.

We neared my hotel, and I pulled us to a stop.

"I had a lot of fun tonight Heidi." I whispered, my face really close to hers.

"Me too." She replied. I could feel her breath on my lips, and just as I was about to take that final step, her phone rang. She groaned and pulled back, answering it. "Okay." She said and hung up. "Reagan is a minute away." I pulled her close to me again, this time hugging her.

"Thank you for spending time with me." I whispered in her hair.

"Thank you for letting me." She answered as a car horn honked at us. She turned around and waved at the driver.

"That would be my ride." She smiled and pulled away from my hug.

"I'll see you soon Cal." She waved and got into the car.

As the car drove away, I felt a little piece of myself go with it.