REHAB [5SOS]

UNION

UNION

Calum

He and Rose had an interesting relationship, to say the least.

The two of them talked every day, usually after both of them had attended therapy sessions. She was in the process of teaching him how to braid hair, the two of them practicing on her long hair, sitting together in the rec room.

Calum knew it really wasn't any of her business, how she was doing with recovery, but he couldn't stop himself from caring.

As he sat behind her, trying to braid her hair one day, he casually asked, "How's everything?"

He saw her shoulders tense. "Alright," she answered cautiously. "How're things with you?"

"They're okay, I guess. Kind of scared to go back to my room, though. His withdrawals..." Calum shuddered. "They're not pretty."

Rose nodded thoughtfully, still braced against any further questions. "What're they like?"

Calum shrugged, running his fingers lightly through her hair to smooth it before he attempted to braid it again. "A lot of yelling. A lot of throwing pillows against the wall. A lot of swearing," he said thoughtfully. "I've told him like a million stories about Chiefy at this point."

Rose turned around. "Chiefy?"

Calum blushed. "Erm, yeah. That's what I've named my tattoo," he said sheepishly.

"This one?" she asked, tracing it with one finger.

Calum shivered. "Yeah."

She pulled her hand back. "You never told me why you were here," she whispered, her dark eyes looking into his.

He tried to swallow, but he couldn't get past the lump in his throat. "I, uh-"

"You can tell me," she said reassuringly. "Don't worry."

Calum closed his eyes.

"I'm scared," he said, his voice small. Rose had always been the smaller of the two of them. For the obvious reasons, but also because Calum liked protecting her. He felt obligated to protect her, because he knew what it was like to be defenseless. But now, her hand resting on top of his, he felt impossibly small.

She held one of his large hands between her small ones. "Please, Calum?"

He took a shaky breath. "You're going to be scared of me," he said, opening his eyes. "You're not going to want to talk to me anymore."

"I doubt that."

He shook his head. "You don't understand," he murmured sadly.

She laced her fingers through his and held up their hands so he could see them. "You see this?" she asked. "Friendship. A person's past doesn't define their present. I don't know who you used to be, and even though I want to, it's not that important. It's not like the mistakes you made in the past are going to make you a better or worse person now. It's where you go from there."

Calum's heart thudded in fear. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

Rose dropped their hands between them. "Please, Calum?"

He squeezed his eyes shut. "I'm here for drug rehabilitation because I took drugs to forget the fact that my dad made me murder my mom," he said quickly.

It was silent for a minute.

And then:

"Calum? Can you look at me?"

He slowly opened them and saw that Rose had tears in her eyes.

"No, Rose, you're crying," he whispered, brushing away a tear that had fallen with his thumb. "Don't cry-"

She laughed shakily, embarrassed. "I just feel so stupid, agonizing over my stupid eating disorder when there are people with your kind of past," she said. "Oh Calum, I'm so sorry."

He frowned at her. "Never call your eating disorder stupid. It's a real problem, and you know it. But like you said, a person's past doesn't define their present. You and me? We're both getting better," he promised, squeezing her hand. "Progress."

She let out a shaky breath, another tear falling. "Calum," she whispered. "I'm sorry."

Calum frowned. "Why?"

She shook her head, looking away.

"I'm sorry."

-

The next night, Calum was woken up by sirens.

"Oh bloody hell, it's three in the morning!" Zayn shouted from his bed, putting his pillow over his head.

Calum heard shouting by his room, and he stumbled out of bed and into the hall to investigate.

"Wasgoinon?" he mumed, rubbing his eyes and squinting against the bright hall lights.

He stopped breathing when he saw Rose being pushed out on a gurney.

"Rose!" Calum shouted, and started running after her, only to be intercepted by Hazelle.

"You can't help her, Calum," she told him, blocking his way.

Calum tried to get around her. "Move!" he hissed, frustrated.

"Calum, you can't help her!"

"Where are they taking her?" Calum asked desperately.

Hazelle's eyes were filled with tears. "The hospital, Calum. She hasn't been eating."

Calum stared at her, not comprehending. "But she was... she was eating..."

"Bulimia, Calum! It never left her!" Hazelle yelled.

"What's going on?"

Calum looked up past Hazelle to see her friend, Harry, and that guy Ashton. "What's happening. Hazelle?" Harry asked, looking between the two.

"It's Rose," Hazelle whispered.

Harry's eyes widened. "No."

She nodded, her lips pressed together in a tight line. "They took her."

"What's all the noise?" A blonde boy stumbled into the hall, ruffling his hair. He looked at the gathering with wide blue eyes. "Michael sent me to investigate."

"Nothing," Calum said quickly. He recognized him, from the day he'd checked in. He'd seen him around a few times.

The blonde kid raised an eyebrow. "Looks like something," he said, looking around.

"Luke, I thought I sent you to- whoa, what's everyone doing here?" the red haired boy walked in.

Ashton shrugged. "An emergency, I guess."

"Hazelle?" Harry asked.

Hazelle was slumped against the wall, one hand pressed up against it to hold her steady. Her breathing was short and labored. "Can't breathe," she gasped, looking up at Harry with panicked eyes. "Can't-"

Silently, Harry leaned over and picked her up, cradling her in his arms. He murmured quietly to her, carrying her inside the room.

Ashton, Calum, Luke and Michael all looked at each other.

"Well, I'm Ashton," Ashton said.

"Luke."

"Michael."

They all turned to Calum.

He tried to say his name, but he was choking on fear.

Rose had always been so fragile...

"Your name?" Luke prompted quietly.

"That's Calum," Ashton answered for him, realizing that Calum was incapable of speaking.

"Nice meeting you all, but it's three in the morning, and I think I'd better head back," Michael said, waving once before turning and walking down the hall. Luke awkwardly paused, waved as well and then jogged down the hall to catch up to Michael.

Ashton looked at Calum in concern. "Are you alright?" he asked.

Calum just shook his head.