Aftershocks | Calum Hood

14

7 weeks

The last week had been tough. Mackenzie's mother's bombshell had shocked them both. Neither had considered the fact that the baby indeed had two possible fathers.

Calum had retreated from her and there was an awkwardness between them that had never been there before. She wanted to talk things out with him before he left for nearly a month but she was quickly running out of time, the boys were leaving for their promo tour the next evening.

She hadn't had much of an opportunity to confront him as he'd practically disappeared. He was constantly gone from the house, always saying he had to be at the studio or that he had some other plans. He came home long after she had gone to bed, sliding into his side quietly and facing away from her as he quickly fell asleep. He was always gone, his side of the bed remade, before she woke.

She felt helpless and alone over something that wasn't her fault. She was angry at him for being angry at her. She didn't even fully understand why he was upset with her. She had been engaged to Tanner, days away from marriage, of course they had been intimate. She had thought she was protected by her birth control so she hadn't worried about it.

He couldn't seriously hold sex from a previous relationship against her.

She was at a loss for what to do. She was heartbroken over their discord. Their texts had even been awkward, short exchanges, only giving them the logistics of the others schedule, as they moved along in their separate lives within the same home.

He'd have to deal with her tonight, though. The boys had organized a last hoorah before they were off on tour until December and they were both expected to be there. She couldn't help her excitement at the thought of finally getting to see him, to spend some time with him, to fix them.

She shot him a text asking what time to be ready as she laid in their bed, her head hanging off the side as she stared at the wall from her upside down position.

Her phone vibrated on the comforter beside her and she blindly reached for it. She pulled the screen in front of her face and slid his reply open.

I'll probably go straight there from the studio. I brought my clothes. I'll be there around 10, you don't have to go, I'm sure you're tired.

She read and reread the reply her heart squeezing deep in her chest.

He didn't want her there?

Her face fell as the sinking feeling settled in her stomach. She felt the tears prick at her eyes as she dialed Harper's number.

"Harp? Can you come over?" She sobbed.

•

Calum straightened his black, sequined blazer as the group approached the club. He'd convinced Ashton to get ready with him at the studio and come straight over. He didn't want to go home. He couldn't bear it. He knew he was in the wrong. Mack hadn't actually done anything against him, but that didn't change the fact that he couldn't look at her. When she had told him that she was pregnant he had dealt with his emotions and come to terms with the thought of being a father. Having that possibility stripped away from him was something he was struggling with terribly.

"I hate that Kenzie isn't coming. I haven't seen her since before the wedding." Ash said, as he waved to the security guard who they knew by name and pulled the door open.

"Yeah, she said she wasn't feeling well. She thought it might be contagious, so I brought my stuff, cases and all, and figured I could crash at one of you guys places and that would save her a trip to the airport tomorrow as well." Calum said, the guilt from his lie gnawing at him.

"She looks like she feels fine." Ashton said as they came to a stop after entering the bar, causing Calum's head to snap up and his eyes to land on her. She was only a few feet from him, swaying on the dance floor with Harper. She laughed as Harper spun her around but stopped as she stumbled into him. He caught her wrist, steadying her as their eyes connected.

"Hi." She said, pulling her wrist from his grip awkwardly.

"I'm glad you're feeling better!" Ashton said, oblivious to she and Calum's discomfort.

"Feeling better?" She asked confused, looking to Calum for answers.

"Yeah, Cal said you were sick and thought you might be contagious so he was going to stay with us tonight." He said back looking between the pair of them. "Is everything alright between you two?' He asked.

"Yes." Calum said at the same time Mackenzie said "no."

She gave Calum a look that nearly broke his heart, she looked so hurt. He hadn't expected her to come. He thought his text earlier would have cleared that up but evidently he had assumed wrong. She stormed off and he sighed, his hands raking down his face as he tried to decide his course of action.

"I need to get drunk." He said quietly to Ashton. His friend opened his mouth to speak but Calum didn't give him the chance. He didn't want to hear it. He brushed past his friend and headed for the bar. He opened a tab and ordered two whiskey and coke's, tapping his fingers on the bar as he waited for his drinks. When they came, he downed one in a single gulp and took the other with him as he searched the club for the rest of his band.

"Hey boys." He said as he approached the table that Michael and Luke stood around, shaking their hands before Michael looked to him.

"I just saw Kenz, she looked upset. Harper was right behind her and Sierra and Crystal went after them, do you know what's going on with her?"

"No." He lied, tipping back his drink as Ashton approached the table. He saw the way they all looked at each other and his anger boiled inside him. The things going on between him and Mack were none of their concern. He didn't want to stay and deal with the third degree he was surely about to receive so he turned away and went in search of other friends who wouldn't pester him about Mack.

He circled the club for a while, looking for anyone he thought he might be able to talk to to help him survive this night. He didn't want to be a debbie downer but he also didn't want to deal with the drama he was living through at the moment. He wanted to forget about the entire situation and the quickest way he saw to realize that dream was through alcohol, so he settled in at the bar.

The bartender didn't seem to care how many drinks he had had or have any intention of cutting him off so he let himself be handed drink after drink until the sea of people and the mirage of faces all blurred together. Within a half hour, he'd already almost forgotten Mack entirely.

He stumbled towards the dance floor and worked his way through the crowd until he was next to a pretty brunette with blue green eyes that reminded him of something but at the moment he wasn't sure what the something was.

Sweat dripped down his skin and clung to his white button up as he did his best to move in time with the music. Everything spun around him and the people in his vision seemed to morph into one giant blob of motion.

He couldn't remember the last time he'd been this drunk. He had lost all sense of time and direction. He'd forgotten whatever it was he had been trying to forget.

"Cal." He heard someone call from amidst the swirl of colors in his vision. "Cal, mate. You got what you wanted. She left. Let's get your ass home."

Ashton. The voice belonged to Ashton.

He felt the tight grip of his hands on his forearm as he was pulled out of the bar and he stumbled towards the waiting car.

He was shoved down into a seat and the car door slammed behind him.

"What the actual fuck was that Calum?" Ashton spat.

AN: Oh no!

What's gonna happen with Macklum?

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If you haven't read my other Cal fics, The Unexpected Series and Want You Back, make sure to check them out!

Not sure if I'll get an update up tomorrow but if not there should be one Sunday!

I love you all!

Sav🖤