living or existing | mgc

ten

(The next day, Saturday)

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Darby's POV.

I brushed my fingers through my hair as I made my way down the stairs in skinny jeans and a sweater with black converse.

I grabbed my wallet, and said bye to my family before getting into my car and driving down the street to the coffee shop. I looked out the window and at the leaves that were starting to turn brown, autumn is so beautiful.

I watched my feet move as I swing open the door, the smell of fresh coffee filling my nostrils.

I spotted Calum at the back of the shop by the window, he had his grey beanie slumped on head, and he was wearing black vans, black skinny jeans and a blue hoodie. And, he had two coffee's sitting on the little table with him. He smiled at me when he noticed my presence, and I sat down.

"Hey, Cal." I smiled lightly at him.

"Hi, Darby!" His grin stretched halfway across his face as he handed me a coffee.

"Thanks," I nodded and smiled as I took it from him, the warm cup immediately inviting me to take a sip, and so I did.

"So, uh. How have you been?" He asked nervously, his fingers drumming on the table.

"Great, thank you. Yourself?"

"Um. Yeah. Pretty good," he looked down at his coffee as I took a few more sips of my own.

"So, why'd you wanna catch up?" I asked, placing my cup down on the table as my hands still held it, it's warmth radiating.

"Well, uh. I have to ask you something," he said as he looked up at me. His gaze stayed on my face as he spoke.

I nodded, encouraging him to go on.

"Well, you know how I've had a crush on you for a few years now, right?" He gulped.

I did know this information, so this wasn't a surprise to me. I nodded again.

"Um, I was just bored, you know? And you just ended things with James, so I could have my chance. And you're so beautiful, and it's so hard not to like you, because you're everything I want in a person, and I'm rambling, but I just really want to know if you'd be my girlfriend?"

His voice was raspy and his speech was quick, and his hands were shaking a little bit.

My heart melted for him, it did, that he felt this way, but I didn't like him like that. That's so bad of me, I know, but I didn't. And I figured, it was better to be real than to lead him on, when my feelings weren't even the same.

His gaze dropped, and I knew that he knew.

"I'm so sorry, Cal. I just got out of a really bad relationship. I like you Calum, but I don't like you in that way. I'm so sorry," I said, as we stood up.

He looked away, and when he looked back up to me, I saw his eyes were glassy, but he wasn't crying yet. I pulled him in for a hug, an he hugged me back.

"I'm so sorry, Calum. I am," I apologised again, as we picked up our coffees.

"It's okay, really. It's okay."

I glanced at him as we walked out of the shop, the cold autumn breeze hitting our faces.

I turned to him. "Thanks, Cal. For the coffee, and for you know, everything."

He smiled at me, and it was real. He pulled me into another hug.

"No, thank you, Darby Louise Hemmings."

I smiled into his hoodie. "I'll get going then," I laughed as we pulled apart and he gave a small wave as I made my way into my car.

Driving away, I still felt bad for Calum, but I knew it aw the right thing to do.

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TRIPLE UPDATE GET AROUND ME K

literally feeling so generous rn ily xoxoxooxoxooxoxoxoxooxoxoxo byeeeeee