Stranger Calum

Chapter 19

"Can I tell you something," I whisper sleepily, cuddled into Calum's side.

"Tell me something," he mumbles.

"I went to see you," I trace the name of his sister neatly tattooed on his arm.

"I know," he hums.

"No, not tonight. I went to see you before," I clarify.

"Before?" He asks and I hum my agreement.

"..In London?" He asks cautiously.

"Yeah, how did you-" I look up at him to see the beaming smile on his tired face. "What?" I can't help but grin.

"I knew you were there. The boys didn't believe me, said I thought I saw you everywhere - which I guess I did, but that night was different. I saw you. I knew you were there, it was too real."

"You saw me?" My smile still set on my lips.

"You came to see me," he beams, arms tightening around me.

"Yeah, well, couldn't resist," I burrow into his chest to hide my blushing cheeks.

"You came to see me," he repeats blissfully, finding my fingers to lace with his own.

-

It's a strange yet familiar feeling having the solidness of Calum in bed. He'd fallen asleep a short time after intertwining our fingers. To be fair, I had kept him up well past half past three in the morning. It's not my fault really, I was just as exhausted as he was but it's like once I had Calum in bed suddenly I was wide awake.

It's like my body and brain know Calum's there. Like they know I have to soak as much of him up as I can because one, I haven't had him in months and two, who knows how long I'll have him for now.

I really want to believe things are different this time, now that everything is out in the open, but that's hard to believe when every other time I thought we were in the clear we were actually only headed straight toward another obstacle.

With a sigh, I run my fingers through the sleeping boys messy hair. He hums and subconsciously nuzzles into it. My heart flutters at the endearing moment and I could honestly kiss him. Probably would if he wasn't completely and totally passed out. I'm betting he's had just as much sleep as me - which wasn't nearly enough.

I'm glad he's sleeping now. Glad he's here in bed with me. Even if it is in some strange city I've never been to. I think I'd be happy on a boat in the middle of nowhere with no shower or proper restroom as long as I had this dark haired boy with me.

Suddenly, I'm overtaken by Calum's words about us being inevitable and all that he said about me being it for him. It's a scary thought, a good scary. Because I know exactly what he's talking about. He's it for me too. And that, that's scary. How could I have possibly found the one person I was meant to be with at such a young age?

What if I'm wrong? What if I'm holding him back from who he's really supposed to be with?

"Go to sleep," Calum mumbles, hardly audible.

"I am asleep," I hum.

"I can hear you thinking," his eyes still shut.

"Don't know what you're talking about," I poke at his cheek.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He sighs.

"No, sleep. But thank you for offering," I bite back a smile.

"Are you sure?" His eyebrows crease but he's still mumbling and his eyes have yet to open.

"Yes kiwi, goodnight," I peck his nose and turn over on my side. Calum lets out a disapproving grunt and scoots closer, sliding up right behind me.

"I love you," he murmurs so sleepy I can barely make it out, probably couldn't if he wasn't so close.

Nevertheless, just as always, my heart flutters and I reconnect my fingers with the ones he has hanging over my middle, "Love you too kiwi."

-

Waking up to Calum is easily one of my favorite things. The sleepiness of his lazy movements and small smiles, the pink in his cheeks, the puff to his eyes, the craziness of his hair. It's all quite nice. All soft and lovely. We've been up for a bit now, neither of us saying anything yet with it being far too early for either of our liking.

Even if it was 2 in the afternoon.

"Come to the show tonight," Calum finally mumbles with his sleep-groggy voice, blinking up at the ceiling.

"I've got a plane to catch in a couple of hours," I reply softly, propped up on my elbow to face him.

"Don't," he says. "Stay."

"Calum," I sigh, ready to turn down wherever he's going with this.

"Just a couple more days. Just a couple more days then I promise I will buy you your ticket home," he turns his head to look at me now. I'm sure he knows what he's doing, looking at me with those big brown eyes and a slight pout to his lips.

"Stop looking at me like that," I frown.

"Like what?" He shrugs coolly.

"You know," I narrow my eyes at him.

"Don't know what you're talking about," he grins.

"You're evil."

"Maybe. Does that mean yes?" He smirks.

"Fine, yes. I'll stay. Just for a couple more days," I give my best stern look.

"Or weeks," he hums.

"Days," I say firmly.

"Months," he grins even wider.

"Stop it, Hood. We said days."

"You said days," he nuzzles closer.

"You were the first one to say it," I retort.

"Okay, calm down, Kota. You can stay a whole year jeez, pushy," he gives a child-like giggle, burrowing in the crook of my neck.

"You're such a pain," I huff lightheartedly.

"But you love me." I feel him smile against my skin.

"Unfortunately," I chuckle kissing his pout away.

If I am keeping him from who he's supposed to be with, well then, too bad for them. They can settle for somebody else because this boy right here, he's it for me.

And I'm not about to give him up anytime soon.

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