Disconnected

Nine

"You seem anxious, Cal, what's going on?" Ashton chuckles as Calum glances at his phone again.

"He went out with boner girl last night. Probably hoping she'll call and set up a time for her to relieve that problem she gives him." Mike chuckles.

"Her name is Tilly, please learn it. And don't talk like that around her please." Calum sighs.

"You really like this girl." Luke grins.

"It's more complicated than you could ever guess. But yes. Last night went really well, and I invited her to the show today. I'm waiting for her to tell me she's here."

"More complicated than we could ever guess?" Sierra frowns.

"You follow her on Instagram. I saw you liked her post about going to Antarctia. None of that threw you off a bit?" Calum chuckles.

Sierra frowns for a moment, "Oh, the second bit. Is it really that complex?"

"Ya, and I got a few answers about that and the panic attack issue from Sydney." Calum shrugs, glancing at his phone to see Tilly's username on the screen.

"Good. Because that shit was weird." Luke laughs.

"No, it makes sense actually. I'll be back, remember her name is Tilly not boner girl, and be nice." Calum adds hurrying from the green room. Biting the inside of his lips to keep from grinning too large he hurries to the security door.

"Calum? What can I help you with?" Doug smiles, as head of their security he is keeping watch that no fans sneak in.

"I have a friend meeting me here. Said she's outside the security door."

"How will I identify her?"

"Honey blonde hair, golden eyes, her name is Tilly. Ask her who animal girl is and who her counter part is. She'll say band boy."

"Alright?" Doug laughs, giving Calum a weird look before stepping through the doorway, letting it close behind him.

Calum spins his phone in anticipation, the single minute it takes before Doug reappears through the door with Tilly seems to last hours.

"Hey, band boy." Tilly's smile is large and genuine as she catches sight of him.

"Hey, animal girl. I'm glad you came." Calum pulls her into a hug without question.

"You asked me to, and I want to be a supportive friend. So here I am." She shrugs.

"Well I'm still glad, come on the green room is this way."

"So I met the girls before, but are the guys nice too? Like your bandmates? They aren't going to hate me right? Do they know how awkward I've been in whatever the hell we are? Oh gosh, they probably do don't they."

"Hey," Calum chuckles softly, it's cute how nervous she is. He glances around before pulling her into an empty green room, shutting the door quietly. "Tilly, my friends are great, I promise. You meet new people all the time right? So why is this different?"

"Because you're different, Calum. It isn't just get along for a week or even a month. I want them to actually like me long term. And I haven't ever met a guy I liked and then had to be introduced to his friends and family. I knew T's family better than my own, years before we started dating, and we had the same friends. But if your friends don't like me then you might decided to pick them and not me and that scares me." She rambles off, Calum smiling an amused smile as he listens.

"And here I thought you were little miss confident." He chuckles, "Don't panic, AG. My friends are great, and they are going to love you. I did talk to a couple of them about the first time I kissed you, because I was confused. But I've also told them I understand enough now to see why it was that way. They aren't going to judge, or pry, or do anything. Well that's not true. They may be hella embarrassing. If Michael calls you boner girl please ignore him."