disconnected || calum hood

9 | Elizabeth

"Liz, can you hurry up? Calum wants to leave in five minutes," Amy said, knocking on my bedroom door. It was locked while I was getting dressed. "Tell him to calm down, I'm almost done, I swear," I replied, just finishing up my makeup.

I took a step back, examining my reflection in the mirror. It was my first time going out in ages, and I thought I had managed to put together a decent outfit. I wore a simple black dress and heels, the latter being something Amy had forced me into. The dress hugged my body in all the right places, and I couldn't help but feel a bit exposed in it.

We were all going out tonight, heading to a big club on the west side of the city. Ashton, Crystal, Michael, Mitchy, and the mysterious Luke were planning to meet us there, and we'd have to find each other in the club. Amy was coming along, and I was excited to spend time with all of Calum's friends and, hopefully, get to know this enigmatic Luke that nobody had been willing to talk to me about.

After unlocking my bedroom door and opening it, I walked into the living room. Amy and Calum got up from the couch and turned around. "Ugh, finally," Amy said, grabbing her coat. Calum's eyes went up and down my body, scanning me from head to toe. I had the urge to turn back around and change into something less exposing, but I smiled instead. "Yeah, sorry," I said, awkwardly scratching the back of my head.

Amy threw me my own coat, and I caught it. "Let's go," I said. Calum walked past me with a smile on his face. His busted lip wasn't fully healed yet, but it looked better than a few days ago. When he walked past me, he stopped for a second and winked at me. I could feel my cheeks turning red almost instantly, but Calum never noticed. He was too busy putting his own coat on and grabbing his car keys.

The drive to the club was about twenty minutes, and Amy and I had fun singing to our favorite songs and drinking cheap wine straight out of the bottle. I was thankful that Calum decided he wasn't going to drink tonight; that meant for us that we didn't have to get a cab home while being drunk off my ass.

Calum parked his car, and we all got out. I looked at the tan Australian. "You excited?" I said as I awkwardly pulled my dress down a bit more at the end. He nodded at me. "Good, good," I said before he pointed at the doors of a giant club. Music was already blasting loudly, and the entrance lights were neon pink. "Yes, Calum. I figured that was the club we're going to," I said, and he let out a snort.

I walked out in front of him with Amy. Even though I couldn't see Calum, I could almost feel his eyes focused on my ass.

The club was a chaotic spectacle of flashing neon lights, pulsating music that reverberated through the floor, and a sea of people moving to the beat. Strobe lights cut through the haze, casting intermittent flashes of brightness on the dancers, while the DJ's booth at the center of the room stood as a beacon of rhythmic control. The air was thick with the scent of alcohol, sweat, and perfume, and the overall atmosphere was electric and charged with excitement.

It was also packed with people, and the minute I stepped into the stuffy, sweaty club, I wanted out. Calum immediately grabbed my hand, pulling me along as he made his way through the crowd, pushing some people aside as kindly as he could. I made sure Amy wasn't left behind, but I couldn't help but notice how big Calum's hand was compared to mine, now that I was holding his.

Calum quickly knew where to find his friends; by the bar, taking shots.

Michael and Crystal were the first to notice us, a big smile forming on Michael's face. His hair-color-changing antics are memorable. Every time I see him, it's a surprise. He dyed his hair again, this time blue. One might wonder how he still has hair left on his head, considering all the bleach and dye it's been through. Nonetheless, he's always friendly, and his smile is infectious. "Elizabeth!" Michael calls out as he approaches. His arms wrap around me for a big hug. I chuckle and hug him back, then give Crystal a warm greeting as well.