Forget My Name - H.S

CHAPTER 1

CALLIE PRESTON

"Callie, come on." He says, gripping my wrists so I couldn't move, I could see they were going red.

"It's not happening Tay. I'm not going and if you push any more, I'll want to go even less." I reply, staring right into his large hazel eyes, they were slightly glossy and bloodshot from the unintentional staring competition we'd been having for the past ten minutes. He was trying to convince me to go to a party with him and Stella, but after my breakup with Layla two weeks ago, I wasn't in the mood.

"Is this about Layla?" Stella asks, leaning over Taylor's right shoulder and staring at me too. Her mousey coloured hair was curled either side of her middle part and falling effortlessly over her shoulders, covering the ruched sleeves of her pale blue t shirt. It was slightly low cut and gathered at the front and the way she was leaning over with her hands clasped in her lap made her cleavage look amazing. The blue of her top tied in nicely with the blue of her eyes, her long eyelashes coated in a thin layer of mascara and her brown eyeliner making her eyes look even bigger than they already were. I was so jealous of my best friend, she's absolutely stunning.

I look down, pulling my arms back slightly so Taylor let go of them. They had gone red from where he was holding them, but they didn't hurt at all.

"No," I say, my voice quiet and soft, "I just don't want to go, that's all."

"Look Cal, I get that you're still sad about the breakup. I understand you're hurting, and that's completely okay," Taylor says, grabbing my hands this time and rubbing his thumbs along my fingers, "but maybe this will help you to feel better. I know it sounds cliché and like it's out of a romcom movie, but I honestly think you'll feel so much better once you've had a few drinks and danced around. I won't leave your side if it helps?"

I hated how calm and sweet he was being, I had my heart set on eating cookie dough ice cream and re-watching Tangled for the 45th time this week. But he was right, I needed to get out and do something, I couldn't sit in my room and cry forever.

"Fine." I eventually say, sighing loudly and rolling my eyes, "But you're both helping me get ready or I'll end up curled in blankets again."

Their eyes suddenly widened, and a smile shot across their faces.

"I'm so happy you changed your mind. I'll be round at 5, okay?" Stella says, grabbing my forearms as Taylor still holds my hands. I nod my head and start standing up, I was excited about going out now, but I needed to clear my head beforehand. I look around for the toilet sign, scanning my head past the counter and other tables in the café, the smell of coffee and carrot cake becoming stronger the further I walked.

I finally see the sign and walk towards it, pushing on the sage green door to see a bright white light flicker on and illuminate the shiny white sink with water stains around it and rose scented soap and hand cream sat on the grey counter next to it.

There was another door in front of me, a white one with the words ENGAGED written in red on the small lock in the corner. There must've been someone in there already.

I look at myself in the mirror as I wait for the person to come out. My blonde hair was in two Dutch braids, ending at the crown of my head and tied off with clear elastic hair bands, the rest of my hair falling straight down to my rest lightly on shoulders where it ended. I didn't bother
putting on any makeup this morning as I was too sad and drained to even care about my appearance anymore. My white long sleeved top was tucked into my light wash blue mom jeans, a black belt around them to hold them in place.

I didn't look awful, but I felt it. I really needed to go to this party tonight. Just to get rid of the thoughts of Layla. Even though she was the one who never wanted to go to parties, and I had to convince her to get up and ready. I missed her, I missed us. The way we would walk through fields and parks, laughing and skipping around like we had no cares in the world. It was amazing, seeing her smile and through her arms out and head back, the sun beaming down on her like she an angel sent from heaven. I can't believe I was so stupid to let her-

Suddenly I heard a small cough, shooting my eyes towards my left. I had become so consumed in my thoughts I forgot I was standing at the sink of a very small bathroom, only made for one person.

"I'm so sorry," I start, moving back slightly so they could get to the sink, "I was just daydreaming and forgot anyone else was in here."

He looks at me through the mirror, a small smirk across his face.

"It's alright," He says, a prominent Yorkshire accent could be heard through his simple words, "everyone daydreams love."

I look back at him through the mirror, his blue eyes fixed to mine as if they were two waves colliding with each other in the depths of the ocean. He quickly blinks and looks down, breaking our gaze so all I could see was the top of his head and the brown locks messy but gelled in place as if he'd taken his time on it.

Fuck.

Shit.

Wow.

"You're beautiful." I say in my head, still staring at him through the mirror whilst he looks down at his hands, rinsing off the soapy water.

His head darts up so I could no longer see the top of his head but his side profile. I quickly flick my eyes over to him and notice he's staring right at me, water still running and hands frozen under the stream.

"What?" He says with a confused and shocked look on his face.

Oh my God I said that out loud.

"I said, uh, isn't it beautiful? The bathroom I mean." I reply, scratching the back of my neck and looking around at the bland room like I was admiring it.

"Umm, yeah." He says, looking at the ceiling and back down to me. A small awkward smile crept across my face as the embarrassment flooded my body and made my cheeks burn red.

"I'm wet." He then says, still looking at me as I feel my cheeks getting hotter and hotter. Wait what did he say?

"Huh?" I say loudly, making him flinch slightly. I think I heard him right but what the fuck does he mean?

"Oh god, I just realised what I said," He says, a slight awkward laugh escaping his perfect smile, "I meant my hands. My hands are wet and you're standing in front of the hand dryer."

He points behind he with his dripping hands, nodding his head towards the hand dryer that was situated right behind my back. I quickly turn around to see it there, stepping out of the way so he could get to it. The room was very small, so his shoulder brushed against mine as he walked up to it. I shimmied past him so our backs were facing, and I open the white door to the toilet, closing and locking it as fast as I could to escape the awkward interaction, I just had with the most beautiful man I had ever seen.

Sitting on the toilet, I throw my sleeved arm across my eyes letting out a small groan.

"Why am I like this?" I whisper to myself.

*

"So you've just seen a beautiful man, from Yorkshire, in the toilet, told him that he was beautiful, to his face and then he said he was wet?" Taylor says, confused look on his face but laughing slighting.

"Yes, and stop laughing, it's not funny." I reply, completely serious.

"Oh relax Cal, it is a bit funny and it's not like you're ever going to see him again." Stella says, grabbing her white cardigan from the back of the chair and sliding her arms through.

"Yeah, I better fucking not." I say, rolling my eyes and grabbing my phone off of the table.