disconnected || calum hood

2 | Elizabeth

When I first filled out the application for a room in an apartment with a boy called Calum I thought nothing of it; based on the brief description he provided of himself, he seemed like a witty individual, engrossed in his studies at UCLA, which happened to be the same university I attended. My best friend, on the other hand, was quite skeptical about advertisements posted on Craigslist, but it was my last resort. I urgently needed a place to stay.

I tried calling the guy named Calum, but he didn't pick up his phone. So, after sending him a short text explaining that I found his Craigslist ad and asking about the possibility of a quick move-in, he decided to share some pictures of the room and the apartment. To my surprise, it didn't look as shabby as he had described. The apartment had an industrial aesthetic with exposed brick walls, sleek metallic furnishings, and an open-concept design. The room he offered, while still relatively compact, seemed to harmonize with the overall modern and unconventional feel of the place. The windows, while not excessively large, appeared sufficient to support a thriving collection of plants. It was certainly a better option than having no place to stay.

Upon expressing my interest, he quickly connected me with the landlord, and within just five days, I found myself moving into my new apartment.

Calum had been away when I moved in, and he had sent me a text stating that he would return first thing on Monday. I was eager to finally meet this enigmatic Calum in person. After all, for all I knew, he could have been a drug dealer or even a serial killer.

I was gradually settling into my new apartment. My room was rather compact, fitting only a two-person bed and a closet, but it was manageable. However, I couldn't help but feel incredibly fortunate to have such a spacious living room, especially in LA, considering the rent I was paying. The room was generously sized, and I couldn't help but wonder how someone like Calum could afford such a large television and even had a PlayStation to go with it.

Calum had a penchant for a tidy living space, and the absence of many 'personal' items in the living room piqued my curiosity. At times, I found myself tempted to sneak into his bedroom and go through his belongings, just to unravel the mystery of who this guy was and get to know him better. I wasn't going to, but the urge was there. 

After a long Monday at university, which included a few tests, the first thing I did when I returned home was head for a refreshing shower and change into some comfortable, baggy clothes. As I sat back to unwind with my favorite TV show, I jolted upright at the sound of a key turning in the lock.

The hallway door creaked open, and I was met by the sight of a pale boy with vibrant, flame-red hair, adorned with a stylish pierced eyebrow. 

Guess this is what you can expect when you respond to a Craigslist advertisement.

I put my bag of crisps aside and stood up, holding my hand out for the boy.

"Hi, nice to meet you, you must be Calum. I'm Elizabeth," I greeted him. The boy extended his hand to shake mine and offered a warm smile in return.

"Not Calum. My name is Michael, I'm a friend of Calum. He's on his way back; he's just grabbing some stuff from his car," he explained before casually taking a seat on the couch. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion, I couldn't help but think that he appeared far too at ease in this place.  I asked, "Do you live here too?" There were only two rooms: mine and Calum's. It was at that moment that a thought crossed my mind, "Oh, wait - are you two together?"

Michael chuckled and quickly shook his head. "He's not my boyfriend; we're just friends. I used to be his old roommate," he explained, and I nodded in understanding. "Oh, so you're the guy who fell head over heels for a girl and left him?" I remarked with a smirk. Michael chuckled again and said, "Yup, that's me," with a sense of pride, nonchalantly propping his feet up on the coffee table in front of him.