Imagines • Calum Hood

This Town

"Calum?" The brunette asks amused as she stares at the man in the aisle. He looks back at her and instantly smiles. "Valerie!" he exclaims "I haven't seen you in so long, someone told me you moved to Brisbane" he walks to her, surrounding her into a hug "Yeah, I moved. Probably two years after you left" she kindly answers "Well, what are the odds of us reencountering. I'm just visiting my family for the holidays and was so bored at home that I decided to, you know, shop" she's somehow nervous and trying to play it cool, but they both know it isn't working, they know each other too well to lie. "Happened the same to me. I'm back for the holidays too" he replies. The young singer had left Australia for good, thankfully, it all worked amazing for him—meanwhile, Valerie left to Brisbane thanks to a great job offer, psychologist at the Queensland Children's Hospital. They had history in the past, they weren't an official couple, but sure thing they had a thing. With the opportunity Calum had to leave, they decided it was best for them to evolve was part ways, yet, they ended the thing amicably, remaining friends... Just not close friends. They lost touch in the past. Calum traveled all around the world and ended up establishing in Los Angeles, meanwhile Valerie fell in love with Brisbane and her career—they had their own life, so it was hard to keep in touch.

"Ohh, that's nice to hear, Cal. It'd be amazing for us to catch up if you're free" she suggests "I am. Right now feels good?" he chuckles and she nods her head smilingly. "Two years ago, I'm not sure which year, but I got to see Mali, we even went to the beach!" she starts telling him as they wander through the supermarket halls "I must've been two years ago because that was the last time Mali came to Australia" he politely smiles to her "and yeah, she told me about it, I was glad to hear it"

"Yup. Was amazing. Is she coming this year?" Valerie curiously asks "I... don't think so. I mean, she was really trying but her schedule is just full, I hope she can make it" he says. "Ohh..." she thinks for a split of second what to say, not wanting any kind of awkward tension between them "And how is your mum? I haven't seen her in so long!" and to be fair, it isn't an awkward question, someone might feel like it could be, but Valerie has such a good relationship with the Hood family. She used to hang out at their house all the time as she was Calum's closest friend. "She's at her home right now along with my dad. The same as usual" he smiles "Oh, there's a member of my family that you don't know yet" she looks at him expectant as she's holding a package of little pretzels "My son" he blurts. Her heart starts to accelerate so much she can feel her own pulse "Oh, Cal, I didn't know you had a son" her face is all red now, but it's understandable, how would you react if the person you lost your virginity to -who you still appreciate- tells you is now a parent? Now she's imagining how the baby looks like, who's the mom. Is he married? Is he a single dad? Was it a one nightstand? He looks at her expressions and laughs "It's more like a paw son, Val" he keeps laughing and she finally gets it. How she didn't anticipate it? Calum has always been such an animal lover. "Okay, you scared me. I was like... Woahh" she joins his laugh "Now, don't be so mean and show me a picture of him!" Calum grabs his phone and shows her plenty videos and photos of his best company, Duke.

~

"I can't believe I forgot about this song!" Valerie shakes her head with a wide smile as Calum turns the volume up.

So remember we were driving, driving in your car
Speed so fast I felt like I was drunk
City lights lay out before us
And your arm felt nice wrapped 'round my shoulder
I had a feeling that I belonged

They both sing at the top of their lungs. Know how there's this special song that is linked to another person? Well, this is their song—years ago, Calum had gotten his first car, he'd pick Valerie up at nights and they would drive around Sydney with the windows down, feeling the breeze and looking at the city lights, first time they heard this song was at Cal's house, David -his dad- he really liked Tracy Chapman's music, one evening he played that one song & ever since that day, they'd hangout blasting that song and singing it at the top of their lungs.

"Oh, god." he smiles at Valerie, all his dimples showing "I hadn't played this song in so long" and truth is, the song made them feel like they were free souls wandering through a huge city full of stories, there is this 'forever young' feeling attached to it.

"You're only allowed to play it when you're with me!" she playfully teases "It's our song" he assures her, she smiles, then looks at the city. "I miss Sydney from time to time. Do you?" she asks him "I mean, you're in a bigger scenario there" she refers to Hollywood. "Yeah, I'm always looking forward to come back—reconnect with my roots" he explains and she nods.

The next song plays and they instantly look at each other, grinning. The music has been on shuffle and they were not expecting that song, Valerie blushes whilst Calum has a funny expression, but they don't skip the song.

"At least I can rightfully quote Katy Perry" she jokes about that first time "Hey, not everyone has that honour" he strikes back.

Nude by Radiohead is currently playing and the dash of adrenaline from the previous song starts to fade away. Calum has always been such a fan of Radiohead, Valerie had to keep up with him. "Do you still listen to Radiohead like you used to?" she asks out of curiosity "whatcha think?" he raises an eyebrow "I'll take that as a yes"

~

"I can't believe you're so beautiful now!" Joy hugs Valerie as David and Calum look at them "I feel so old looking at you—I can't imagine how your par, your dad must feel" she quickly corrects herself, Valerie takes the guess that she knows about her mother's passing. "He won't shut up about it" she giggles

They are at David & Joy's house because Valerie wanted to see them.

"On our way here we were listening to Fast Car" the brown-haired woman tells David. "That was your song! Still the same feeling?" he asks, referring to the way that song made them feel. "Definitely, it doesn't get rusty"

They FaceTimed with Mali, had dinner at Hood's and even played a board game. Valerie is welcomed in that house as if she's a Hood herself, from David to Mali, they all love her.

After a while, Joy and David leave them by themselves. They're sitting on the couch, just talking about life.

"I didn't know about your mum... I mean, I know now, but I was told like a year later and I didn't had your number—still don't have it, now that I mention it. But that's why I never called" he nervously explains to her "It's okay, I wasn't a big fan of receiving condolences back then so I wouldn't pick up any call" she confesses "it was too sudden... One moment she's at my house, then, she has this accident where she died instantly" she starts talking, her muscles relaxing, Calum lays a hand on her leg "it happened in Brisbane, by the way, she was visiting me for the week"

"I'm really sorry it happened. Wish I could've been there for you" he wholeheartedly speaks.

"Nah, it was better that way, Cal. I was such a pain in the ass, I didn't wanted to be with anybody so I wasn't too kind..." she stares at a blank space "now that I process it through, I owe lots of apologies" she lightly giggles.

"I think they understood you were going through something" he smiles at her, too. "Yeah. Anyways, life passes as fast as a blink, so I try not to waste it now" Valerie shrugs, looking at him. "I missed you, by the way—I'm truly happy you succeeded, I knew you would" after her mum's passing, she wouldn't hold onto anything: any feeling, any thought, any experience—she just lets everything out, and in some way, she is low-key advising Calum to do the same with his life. He holds her into a tight hug "You'll always be special to me" he plants a kiss on top of her head. "I think you know that, but a reminder never hurt nobody" they both smile.

From being a 'first love' to now being incredibly good friends—and they probably will always be. They're that type of friends that don't need to be in contact to know what they mean to each other. No one can change those feelings.

———
Should I write a second part to this imagine? Remember, requests are also open. Just tell me what you'd like to read.

I've also always associate songs to moments or stories, from now on, if something I'm writing reminds me of a song, I'll post it here.

P.S, listen to Fast Car, I've always loved that song.