Complicated | Calum Hood (Sequel to Unexpected)

42.

24 weeks

Calum

"Fuck mate we haven't had a night like this in ages." Ash screams into my ear so that he can be heard over the blaring music."

He's walking around the club just carrying an expensive bottle of whiskey and taking sips. He's trashed. Luke's been shit faced off tequila practically since we walked through the door, and as soon as he finished his DJ set Michael started knocking back shots. We've been here for four hours and I've had maybe three drinks.

I want to enjoy the night with the boys but I'd honestly just rather be home with Jes, Paisley, and Ryker. Is this what getting old feels like?

I'm only twenty five but with everything that's happened in the past few years I definitely feel much, much older.

A round of shots appears before me and the boys grab their's looking to me expectantly. Fuck it. If I'm gonna be here, I'm gonna be here.

My face scrunches in disgust as the warm liquor burns its way down my throat.

"C'mon Cal, lighten up! It's one night." Luke yells to me and I nod, trying to bring back fun, pre wife and baby Cal. Pre wife and baby Cal was sad as fuck though.

"Get another round." I reply.

He obliges my request and it's on. We down shot after shot until everything in the room is spinning, the lights mixing together and though I can tell the boys are talking, their voices are distorted and everything feels fuzzy.

I'm trashed which means the other boys have got to be three sheets to the wind, they were drunk before we let the shots escalate. I know they have a better tolerance than me, I've been out of the bar scene for a minute now, but it ain't that high.

Numerous fans are in attendance tonight, Michael's set had been well advertised and since the band hadn't made many outings in the last year the content had been lacking. I'm sure stan Twitter will be a fucking mess tomorrow, I'm sure pictures of my drunken stupidity will fill me in on anything I forget.

It won't be long until they have plenty of new content. What with three new babies we're sure to be posting on our socials, add in the single dropping on the first of December, the album coming on Valentine's Day, the tour starting in March and tons of promo between now and then, we are going to be quite the busybodies.

I zone back into the boys conversation to hear them being sappy. They turn into some soft motherfuckers when they have been drinking.

"Earth to Calum?"

"What? Sorry."

"Nothing mate, just saying I'm glad we did this."

"Me too, have any of you talked to the girls?" I question. They all shake their heads no and down the next round of shots. Michael had insisted we turn our phones off for the night, a true boys night out and I'd obliged him this long but I had to at least check in on my girls and Ryker.

I finish my shot, placing the glass back on the bar and turning to them.

"I'm going to go find the toilet, I'll be right back."

"Yeah, whatever. Tell Jes we said hi." Luke yells towards my back as I walk away, the smile on my face giving me away. They know me so well.

Since my plan has been outed I opt to forgo the bathroom and instead step outside onto the rooftop balcony. The brick walls of the building contrast with the clear glass of the balcony railing and offers panoramic views of downtown. It's not unlike the spot I'd first met Jes.