executives - c.hood | au

[36]

calum's pov

i should have called her, i really should have called. but i didn't and i could guarantee you that rachel was in the slightest pissed off. back at work, i sat in her office before she could even bare the chance to arrive. and there i sat with a rose, one just like the one i let die weeks ago.

"calum." rachel nodded as she entered her office. "anastasia is on her way with all of our court dates set in place for all of the various lawsuits we have."

"rachel."

"i have a meeting in five minutes so when she arrives, could you let her into my office so she can sort through the files?" she asked.

"rachel."

"shit, luke had the finance sheets." she sighed. "could you call luke and ask him to—"

"rachel!" i shouted. "could you please just listen to me for one minute?"

"oh, so now you want to talk?" she questioned. "sorry calum, but you aren't on my schedule of things to deal with today."

"rachel-"

"i thought that maybe, just maybe, me almost dying possibly meant something!" she threw her hands out in frustration. "clearly i was wrong. you want your space, big boy? take it, because i'm done."

"you're done?"

"yes calum, i'm done." she sighed. " so done! i'm done with all of the games you play. i'm tired of feeling so foolish for following my heart over my judgement, especially when my judgement has always proven to be my better outlook. i'm sick of feeling this way, of always being neglected and hurt. and oh my damn how i need a cigarette right now really isn't funny."

"you smoke?"

"screw this." she sighed to herself. "you keep killing roses calum. sooner or later the regular dozen that come in that batch are going to be gone. what are you down to now, nine? i don't like giving chances, but i keep to my word, but always with a twist. curiosity killed the cat, a cat has nine lives. play by the rules and maybe you'll get this right."

with her heels snapping against the marble floor, she grabbed her coat and left the office.

"bella, i have to go to the hospital." she lied. "tell the team everything on the planner, you know the drill. i'll see you tomorrow."

curiosity may have killed the cat, but i'm no cat...

i'm calum hood.

rachel's pov

"ana, could you stop by my place around 8 pm?" i asked over the phone. "great, thanks, i'll see you soon. bye."

its was 7:56 pm. anastasia was punctual like that, and at home i sat sulking about my pathetic love life and everything i had just ruined for myself. i'll give you this.. my emotions have been all over the place lately.. and i'm healing quite well considering that it's been a few weeks since the crash. it's probably the small brain damage i faced, but nothing to worry about.

then anastasia knocked on my door.

"hi." i smiled. "thanks for stopping by."

"of course." ana smiled. "what's up?"

"legal affairs, i guess you could say." i shrugged. "i need court dates. all of them."

"the one for mr hood's fraud lawsuit is in three days." ana looked over her paperwork. "as for yours against your sister and step-mother, that would surprisingly be in a week and a half."

"really?" i asked.

"you asked to speed things up, and you usually get what you want, do you not?" ana winked.

"i suppose." i sighed. "i just need to prepare for the press, that's all. thanks ana."

"anytime girl." she smiled. "i'm going to head out to meet up with ash at lenny's. wanna come?"

"i'm good, but thanks." i smiled.

"later rach!" ana skipped out the door.

as soon as anastasia left, i climbed out the window of my apartment. the outside of my apartment slightly reminded me of monica's apartment from friends. from climbing outside the window onto a small balcony to the fire escape being there from the other view of the building. i used that to climb up to the roof, one of the places in this world where i could feel free, experience that rebellious teenager phase many kids go through, i think. so here i sat on the roof of my building, smoking my cigarettes and forgetting about all of my cares in the world.