Seconds || Calum Hood [on hold indefinitely]

seven

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"Oh c'mon... live a little." Calum wiggles his eyebrows mischievously. I look around the store again quickly, making sure that there was, in fact, no one there.

"Calum, you don't have to get arrested to feel alive!" I protest nervously. Is he serious? What am I thinking getting involved with a criminal? Maybe he's actually an escaped convict, that would be just my luck.

"Aw is wittle Carter scared?" He puffs his cheeks out and pouts.

I've never liked people telling me I can't do something. Like, who are they to judge who I am and what I'm up for. It's my life, I can do whatever the hell I want.

And maybe it's my strong competitive side, or maybe it's the thrill of summer, but all my worries fly out the door, and Calum's taunts stop abruptly when I snatch the music filled backpack from his arms.

"You know what, Hood? You're on." I glance around the store one more time, hopefully not looking too sketchy, and sling the bag over my shoulder quickly. Caden stands up from his spot on the floor and keeps up with me at my nervous pace. Even with me trying to act as normal as possible, my heart was racing in my chest and I nearly trip and spill the music everywhere when my foot skids on the door carpet. Calum's hand reaches out to steady me, but I just regain my posture and give him a glare when I see him giggle a little.

Just a few steps past the door, an angry voice from inside the store jolts my nerves.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" I turn for just a split second and a pudgy man is waggling his finger at us, waddling quickly through the store. I swear he wasn't there a second ago, but my heart is pounding too fast to even contemplate where he popped up from, and Calum's voice interrupts me from my stuppor.

"Run." Calum says, gripping my hand in his and tugging me out the door in a hurry, the bells over the doorway matching the sound of our footsteps against the pavement.

Eventually the shopkeepers footsteps fade away as we gain ground, but we continue to run just to be safe, my heart in my throat and adrenaline coursing.

A few blocks have passed us when I feel Calum pull me into a little alleyway, leaning against the cold brick to catch his breath. I'm surprised to see my dog right next to us, he kept close the entire time, thank god. The music store worker is long gone, but the nerves and adrenaline racing through my bloodstream still lingers. And, for some odd reason, I like it.

"Are you..." I pant heavily. "...insane?" I struggle to catch my breath, hunching over and wiping my palms on my legs.

"Maybe just a little..." Calum looks at me sheepishly, and his smile is awfully big for almost being arrested. He's probably being serious. He probably just escaped from the mental asylum and I'm his next victim.

I toss the backpack down onto the concrete and slide down the wall until my head is covered in my hands. I just kind of sit there, not talking, not yet sure how I feel about what just happened.

"Hey, Carter, I'm sorry," Calum sounds much more serious as he slides down next to me. "It was a really stupid idea. I wouldn't blame you if you hate me now." I peek my head out of my arms.

"I don't hate you." My words kind of surprise me. I mean, I should hate him, right? He could've gotten me in a shitload of trouble, but, I don't know, it was fun in a messed up sort of way. It was thrilling and dangerous, and I'm never thrilling or dangerous.

"Really?" He looks shocked. "Are you sure?

"Yeah, it was kind of exciting. Mainly dumb, but kind of exciting." I shrug. Honestly, it was nice to do something outrageous for once, I don't get the chance to a lot. Plus, the cute (and potentially psychotic) boy next to me was a nice addition.