disconnected // l.h

[three]

"Wake up." I heard a voice, deep and accented, coming from my doorway. Groaning, I huddled deeper into my blanket, wiping the sleep from my eyes with my fingers.

"You look like a burrito." Calum chuckled, his voice inching closer. I was curled up on my couch, and my eyes were sealed shut, but that moron saw right through me. "I know you're awake."

"Nope," I grumbled, "I'm sleeping." I open one eye ever so slightly to see my best friend looming over me; his hands stuffed into his pockets and his hair was gelled upward. He tilted his head at me, raising his eyebrows and smiling. "You know how much I hate your wake up calls."

Calum shrugged, and walked over to the television set, leaning over to turn on the playstation. He grabbed the controller and promptly sat on my legs, causing me to yelp. He looks over at me, and smiles, innocently, "I just came to play Fifa, L."

I roll my eyes, "I really regret giving you the key to my dorm." He shrugs in response, and turns on the TV. As the videogame begins, I struggle to sit up. I hadn't realized how many times I had wrapped myself in the blanket; the restraint was similar to that of a strait jacket. I flailed my arms inside, attempting to break free from the blanket-jacket.

When I finally pulled free, I was out of breath and dazed, while Calum was sat back on the couch, calmly as he cut off the circulation to my legs. I rubbed off the eyeliner from beneath my eyes, and it came off chalky onto my fingers. I groaned as I touched my hair, which was in no doubt sticking up in all directions.

"Aw. Don't pout," Calum suggested, twisting his mouth to the side in concentration, "At least you don't have morning breath."

I punched him in the arm, and he yelped. "Don't lie, idiot." I reached over the table to my phone, and a message lit my screen from a few hours prior:

luke hemmings {9:27am} : hiiii lean bean !

I smiled, and typed back a quick reply:

me {12:38pm} : hey there blondie

It had been a week since I'd last seen Calum's friends, which wasn't too bad considering I still had classes to attend and procrastination to partake in. Calum had told me that they really liked me, to which I reacted very normally (punching my fist into the air is normal, right?).

Anyway, Luke hadn't texted me all week, though we had each others numbers. I'd had numerous hilarious conversations with the rest of the boys over the days, and I was even forced to be put into a group chat with Michael, Calum, Luke, and Ashton. It was fun, but not when Michael spams with countless pictures of Ariana Grande along with heart eyes emojis while I'm sitting in class.

The noise of the fake crowd in the videogame brings me back into reality. "When's your next class?" Calum asks, pausing the game, and turned back to me, leaning his head against the sofa.

"Mmm," I think for a moment. "No class today, I think. The professor has a conference, which usually means hangover."

Calum laughs, and jumps up, switching off both the TV and playstation, then turning back towards me and grabbing my hands, pulling me up to my feet. "We're doing something fun today; just me and you."

I gasped and smiled, brightly, "Do you want to convince those girls down the hall that I'm psychic again?"

"As painfully fun and hysterical as that sounds," Calum starts, biting his lip, "I don't think they'd fall for it again."

I thought for a moment, putting my finger on my chin in faux concentration, "How about that there's a zombie apocalypse and I'm infected with the virus?"

Calum tilted his head, eyeing me, "Well, you look the part."

My mouth drops open and I lean back, grabbing a pillow from behind me and hitting him over the head with it. He yelps in response, "Watch the hair!" After several blows, I set the pillow down, and stick my tongue out at him.

"Anyway," He continues, following me as I make my way over to the bathroom. He stands outside the door way as I brush my teeth, "I was thinking we'd go shopping."

I splash water over my face, rubbing away the excess makeup from the night prior. "Shopping? You hate shopping, Cal. What's the catch?"

Calum scoffs, "There is no--" I raise my eyebrows before he could continue, and he sighs, "Fine. There's this party, and--"

"No."

"Please?" He pouts, his bottom lip jutting out. Ugh; he knew his adorableness was my weakness.

He knew I wasn't one to go to parties, and I had yet to go my first college party. Pitiful, I know, but the smell of alcohol and the pounding music wasn't really my thing. Plus, if it somehow was broken up by the police, I would start panicking and get us all caught. Calum wouldn't ask me to attend one unless it was a matter of life or death.

"Why must I go? What about Michael, Ashton, and Luke?" I groaned, wiping my face with a towel that sat behind the faucet. My cheeks were pink from the cold water, and my eyes looked tired and droopy, which wasn't any different than normal.

"They're coming, too!" He reasoned, "I need you there. It's Jenna's party." Yeah. Life or death. Seems about right.

Jenna was Calum's most recent crush. Well, I shouldn't say "crush". He thought she was hot, but didn't know her all too well. I hadn't met her yet, and Calum insisted I be his "wingman". She had blonde hair, and blue eyes--the whole lot. I'd seen pictures, and he blushed when I'd asked for them, so I knew this was a big deal.

"Please?" He begged, "I'll make sure to punch all the sleazy idiots who hit on you?"

I rolled my eyes, "Is this whole shopping trip a bribe, then?" Calum nods, guiltily, but I sigh, "Fine, fine. I'll come. But you're buying lunch as well."

He pumped a fist in the air, smiling. Then, he leaned over and squeezed me into a tight hug. "Also, if you pull the whole 'you break his heart and I'll break your face' card when you talk to her, I will be epically mortified. Please don't." He muttered into my shoulder, and I chuckled.

"Cal," I said, leaning back, "That is what I do best."

He rolled his eyes, and walked back towards the kitchen, probably to make himself a sandwich as always. I was left to my own devices; staring back at myself through the smudged mirror.

My phone buzzed in my sweatpant's pocket, and when I turned it on, a text from Luke was waiting for me:

luke hemmings {12: 55pm} : I AM BEING FORCED TO ATTEND A PARTY SOS

Well, looks like I'm not the only one.

luke hemmings {12:56pm} : or should i say...... 5SOS

me {12:57pm} : no u should definitely not

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A/N: hey yall okay i hope you like this story n how its going bc im very excited for it! omg pls vote and comment and share this okay ily byebye ya nuggets

( p.s ; LUKES HAIR JFC I NEED AN INHALERRRRRRR hes so hot)