Friendzoned {C.H.}

Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

***CALUM'S POV***

I followed Macayla out of the car and grabbed my suitcase and bass. I then followed my parents into the airport to find the lads and their families.

I got about five meters away from the car when I turned around to Macayla, who was standing still and staring at the ground.

"You comin'?" I called. Her head snapped up at the sound of my voice and she nodded, jogging to catch up with me. I lazily slung my arm around her shoulders as we walked to the airport.

~~~~~~~

When we walked into the airport, we immediately saw Michael waving frantically at us. I laughed and walked over to them, holding Macayla's wrist so that she didn't get lost in the crowd.

"Hey!" I greeted them as we walked up, pulling the lads in one by one for a bro hug.

"Hey, look who decided to join us!" Luke teased. I punched him lightly in the arm.

Ashton checked his phone. "We should probably start saying goodbye now if we want to make it to our flight on time," he informed us. The lads and I started hugging our parents and each other's parents goodbye.

Then we turned to Macayla. She was already tearing up. It was a good thing she never wore makeup or else she'd end up looking like a raccoon.

"Wait," Ashton said, "I've prepared something." Macayla laughed. "Nah, I'm just kidding." He pulled Macayla in for a hug. "Be good to yourself," he said quietly so that only we could hear. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she whispered back.

He let go of her. "Don't have too much fun while we're gone." She laughed again as he went to get his stuff.

Luke then stepped forward. "Macayla," he started, "I'm gonna miss you so much." He started to say more, but he choked and instead engulfed her in a hug. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do, 'kay?" he said.

"'Kay," she replied. "Love you."

"Love you, too," he choked. He squeezed her one last time before letting go.

By now, she already had tears running down her face. Her pale green eyes were bloodshot, making them pop even more.

Michael stepped up to her, immediately squeezing her in a bear hug. "I love you more than those guys," he teased. "Remember that."

Macayla laughed. "Don't tell them that. Love you, too."

Now Michael laughed. He squeezed her one last time before whispering "I'm better than you" and running away before she could hit him. She stuck her tongue out at him and he stuck his out right back.

Then she turned to me and gave me a sad smile. I didn't say anything as I walked over to her and wrapped my arms around her. She hugged me tightly as she started to sob into my chest, gripping the fabric of the back of my shirt tightly. I stood there quietly, letting her get it all out as I stroked her hair soothingly.

"Please don't leave me," she whispered.

"I have to," I whispered back. "I'm sorry. We'll talk to each other every day."

She looked up at me, her eyes red and puffy. "Promise?" she asked.

I nodded. "Promise."

I squeezed her tighter. "I love you. So much. Don't you forget that."

She shook her head. "I won't. I love you, too."

She squeezed me one last time before letting go. She wiped her eyes with the sleeve of my sweatshirt and smiled. I smiled back.

"We have to go," Ashton said quietly. I nodded and turned to grab my stuff.

As we boarded the escalator, I looked back at Macayla. She waved, still wiping her eyes. I waved back and smiled before landing on the next floor, our families and Macayla now gone.