Radio // Calum Hood {ON HOLD}

11. Cock-blocker

By the weekend, I was ready to move on to the next city. It had been lovely seeing my family after such a long time, but I didn't want to get attached and not want to leave even more. Throughout the week, I had filmed a video with Ashton doing the photo booth challenge and Luke was featured in my tour diary. Lizzy was spending a lot of time with Becky and Cameron and had been almost distant towards me. I guess I should do what I always do.

Drown myself in my work.

~*~

I was sitting on the sofa in the dressing room while editing my videos. Calum was pacing the room in front of me, he was nervous about performing at the House of Blues. I had already told him to calm down and that he would do fine but obviously that hadn't helped.

"But what if I break a string?" Calum asked frantically.

"Your strings are too thick to break, and anyway, you would just go and get another bass guitar. It's not like you are on short supply." I reassured.

"What if my voice cracks?"

"If your voice cracks, it cracks. There is nothing you can do about it, it happens to everyone." I shut my laptop and gave him my full attention. "Have you warmed up properly?"

He nodded. "I think so."

"Then you'll be fine." I said, "You have nothing to worry about."

There was a knock on the door and Ashton walked in, "Cal, we need to be in stage in five." He collected his drumsticks from the dressing table and headed towards the main stage, retying his bandana on the way.

"I can't do this." Calum insisted.

I rolled my eyes, "Calum. The people who came to watch your show are your fans. They are fans of your band and they wouldn't care if anyone messed up. They appreciate the fact that people make mistakes."

He sighed, "I guess you're right. Thanks, Brooke."

"No problem, Cal."

He spoke up after a moment of silence, "Come to the stage with me?"

I opened the door for him, "After you."

Calum was visibly shaking by the time we got to the stage. I placed my hand over his and I could feel the swarm of butterflies invading my stomach.

Go away.

This stupid little crush has grown every day since Calum's confession. I think it opened my eyes as to what was right in front of me since I had found myself observing Calum whenever I got the chance. When we were talking, I looked at his eyes and how even though their brown, they can still light up and shine. I noticed how full his lips were and imagined how they would feel pressed up against mine. I studied how his hair was so fluffy and how desperate I was to run my fingers through his blonde highlights.

At that moment, I was simply pondering about how our hands fit together like jigsaw pieces. I traced my thumb over the tattoo of his parents' initials on his hand and smiled.

"What are you smiling at?" Calum teased.

"Nothing." I laughed.

The corners of his mouth upturned into a beautiful smile and I felt a sense of pride knowing that I was the cause of it. He looked so innocent, like one of the shy new kids who had no idea who to talk to or what to say.

A stagehand walked up to us and handed Calum his bass, "One minute."

Calum took deep breaths as he placed the guitar strap around his shoulders. "I can do this." He muttered to himself.