Stranger Calum

Chapter 2

I'm frozen in my spot. Clenching the shirt still in my hands with every fiber of my being as if it was the only thing keeping me stable. He looks as frozen as I am, eyes gone a bit wide. Everything around me just about disappears and for a moment it's just me and Calum, nothing else - no one else.

I feel like crying if I'm not already - I'm not really sure anymore, feeling so detached from reality. All I can see is Calum reaching for his window and all I can feel is that shaken soda bottle feeling. Like I'm about to explode any second now.

Then something in the room moves, catching my eye and there's a flash of panic in Calum's brown eyes right before I look over to see what it is.

My heart falls and I feel more than see the frantic look I give Calum, almost like I'm pleading with him to tell me it wasn't there. That she wasn't there. But he's not even looking anymore, head turned to the laughing girl laid across his bed.

Something in me clicks and I shake my head, hastily shutting the curtains. I spend the rest of the night trying to forget what I'd just seen, what I felt. Forget ever seeing Calum's stupid heart-fluttering face again.

-

"Why didn't you tell me Calum was in town?" I casually ask my mom as I eat my breakfast.

"I don't know, I didn't think you'd care," she shrugs.

"I don't," I say quickly. "I just..a warning would have been nice," I sigh.

"Are you kidding? Then I'd never have gotten you here."

"So you kept it from me to get me here?" She hums a reply, grabbing her purse on the counter.

"You should talk to him you know," she raises her brows at me.

"And why would I do that?" I grumble.

"Dakota, you can't be mad at him, you told him to move on," she frowns at me.

"And he did so why do I have to talk to him?"

"Kot.." she sighs.

"I have to go get ready, Kylie wants to go out," I slide from my seat on the kitchen stool and dump my bowl in the sink.

"Dakota Faith, you talk to that boy today. He feels bad enough as it is," she scolds as I walk by. I don't respond, stomping up the stairs and into the guest bedroom.

-

It's not like I'm avoiding Calum. That would be childish and immature. I just...happen to be doing things as far away from him as possible. Yes, my mom told me to speak to him but that was completely unjustified. How could she possibly sit there and tell me he feels bad enough as it is as if this was all somehow my fault. As if I was perfectly fine.

Okay, yes, maybe a lot of it was my fault but Calum played a big role in this too. He was the one who left in the first place, which of course I would never be angry at him for but he chose the life he chose and I just didn't fit anywhere in it. Michael and Kylie were the perfect example as to why I chose to end it when I did.

I loved Calum. I will always love Calum and I promised him when things got old I'd be right here where he left me. But that obviously means nothing to rockstar Calum Hood who decided to bring his stupid girlfriend along.

It was a clear message. Calum and I were officially completely over. He didn't need me anymore.

Then again, Calum never really needed me.

-

I down my umpteenth drink of the night, music vibrating through the ground. I'm not wasted just a little drunk. Drunk enough to still be standing and drunk enough to know my surroundings but also drunk enough to have drowned out the pain I constantly carry around with me.

Kylie's just gone off to get some more drinks and I was happily waiting alone at the table we had snagged. Clubs weren't really my thing but Kylie really wanted to come out and since she herself was mending a broken heart I figured I'd take one for the team.

I can see her chatting up the bartender when someone decides to slide into the seat right next to me. I shift my gaze to the brown haired boy I absolutely don't know.

"What's someone as beautiful as yourself doing sitting here all alone?" I inwardly groan at the douche-y chat up line and his alcohol-wreaking breath.

"I'm not alone, waiting for my friend actually," I hum.

"Right, how about I get you a drink?" He leans in a little closer.

"Thanks but my friends actually getting me one already," I go for polite and point a thumb toward the busy bar.

"Well then how about a dance?" he says suggestively, placing a hand on my knee.

"Um, how about you keep your hands to yourself," I place his hand back in his lap and pat it for good measure.

"Or we can get out of here and we can both not keep our hands to ourselves," he slurs.

"Or you can leave," I shoot back irritably.

"Oh c'mon, you can't be out in something like that and not be expecting some action," he leans in again, hand landing on my upper thigh now.

"Gross you perv," I quickly slap his hand away.

"Come on, one kiss and I know you'll be begging for more."

The drunk guy then begins leaning closer to me and it starts to become a bit of a struggle to keep shoving him away. And maybe I was a little more drunk than I thought because somewhere along the way - and I'm not completely sure how or when - Kylie had gotten back, arms wrapped around me and the drunk guy was now laid out on the floor with blood oozing from his nose and eye clearly turning purple.

"You okay?" I blink a few times, looking away from the boy on the ground to the boy that had delivered the blows.

"Y-yeah, thanks," I stamper, meeting the familiar big brown eyes I'd fallen in love with all those years ago.

He doesn't say anything, just nods and walks past me and the crowd of people that had formed. There's lights flashing every which way causing me to barely be able to make out his figure walking out with a familiar petite female silhouette.

--

I know this chapter was pretty crap but I'm like half asleep right now. Sorry. D: Update on Saturday. (: