Drought :: C.H

2

Calum sauntered into his physics class just as the bell rang, much like he did everyday. His best friend, Luke, matched his stride next to him, as the pair talked about Christie Melville's party on Friday and how they couldn't wait to get drunk with all their friends for a night.

Christie was known for throwing amazing parties filled with alcohol, sex, and God knows what else, as her parents both went on business trips almost every weekend.

Calum and Luke took their regular seats in the back of the class, as their teacher started passing out papers.

"So you gonna try and hook up with someone this weekend?" Luke asked Calum in a hushed voice.

Calum just shrugged. He usually didn't have to try and hook up with a girl at parties. They usually came to him. Last week it was Kailey Hawthorne from his English class. The week before, it was the captain of the cheer squad, Ali Williamson.

Calum and Luke's conversation was interrupted when the papers their teacher had passed out made their way to their desks. At the top read End Of Semester Partner Project. Calum and Luke groaned simultaneously. Projects sucked because they were just a lot of work that Calum never really felt like putting much effort into. Plus, physics wasn't Cal's best subject. He turned to Luke, he happened to be a physics genius.

"Partners?" Calum asked.

Luke laughed, his lip ring bobbed as he spoke back, "Only if you promise to do some of the work this time you lazy ass."

Calum just laughed back and rolled his eyes. His attention was brought to the front of the classroom as their teacher cleared his throat.

"Before I explain the project in detail, I'll be picking your partners."

The class let out a collective groan and Calum's eyes widened. Well fuck.

Their teacher went on to randomly select partners and when Luke's name was called, Calum crossed his fingers.

"Hemmings... and Ericson," their physics teacher called out.

Calum's heart sank and he looked over at Luke, who only looked at his best friend and snickered. By the time their physics teacher called out Calum's name, there was only one person left.

"Hood... and Forance."

Calum looked around the room and found Ryder Forance, his partner. She was one of those girls he's known since kindergarten, but hasn't spoken a proper five words to. Calum didn't know much about Ryder, but he knew she was quiet and kept to herself most of the time. She twisted around in her seat, and their eyes caught each others for only a split second, before she quickly looked away again. Calum sighed. This project was going to suck ass.

***

Calum pulled up to Ryder's house fifteen minutes late. They were supposed to work on their physics project today, but Calum was slightly hungover from Christie Melville's party last night. His head hadn't stopped hurting since he woke up this morning, and he was in no shape to actually put forth effort into school work this afternoon.

Calum walked up the sidewalk, the sun shining too brightly in his eyes, and rang the doorbell. A few seconds later, the door creaked open, and Ryder stood before him.

"You're late," Ryder said softly.

She had one hand on her hip, the other was holding the door open. Calum stared at her, his eyebrows raised.

"Sorry," he muttered, not understanding why she seemed to be mad about it.

They continued to stand outside for a moment, neither of them saying a word.

"So are we gonna do this outside, or are you gonna let me in?" Calum asked her.

Ryder shook her head slightly, almost as if Calum's words had brought her out of a trance. She opened the door a little wider before turning around and walking into her house, leaving Calum on the front steps.

"Jesus," Calum breathed, and walked through the threshold, closing the door behind him.

It seemed like no one else was home. The house was quiet, except for the mumbled sounds of what Calum thought to be a washing machine rumbling from another room.

Calum walked down the hallway to find Ryder sitting at a small round table in the kitchen, all of her books and papers spread out.

She looked up as Calum walked in, as if she was waiting for him to say something.

"Did you bring your books or anything?" Ryder asked him.

"Oh, um-, well not really, no," Cal stuttered. He supposed that might have been helpful.

Ryder rolled her eyes, which Calum noticed were blue, a really pretty blue, and muttered something under her breath that Calum couldn't quite hear.

Calum took it upon himself to sit down at the table across from Ryder. Her eyes were cast down, reading the directions sheet for the project.

"Do you want something for that hangover?" Ryder asked without looking up.

Calum was taken aback slightly. He didn't know it was that obvious as to how hungover he really was.

"Um, yes please," Calum said quietly. He really did feel like shit, and would take anything Ryder had at this point.

Ryder got up from her chair and rummaged through cabinets in the kitchen, pulling out two aspirin and getting a glass to fill with water.

She set the items down in front of Calum, and he gulped down the aspirin and water, wanting nothing more than the pounding in his head to subside.

"Thanks," Calum said. Ryder smiled slightly in acknowledgement, her action not going unnoticed by Calum.

"You should smile more often," he said casually.

Ryder furrowed her eyebrows, laughing slightly and feeling her face heat up as Calum stared at her. "What?"

"You have a pretty smile," Calum said softly, almost to himself.

He noticed Ryder's pale skin start to tint pink as she couldn't help but laugh slightly at him. Boys didn't tell Ryder things like this.

"There it is," Calum said teasingly.
"Oh my God," Ryder muttered in between laughs.

Ryder continued to giggle as her blush grew more and more. The two of them sat like that, laughing at the fact that this was the most words they'd ever spoken to each other in all the years they'd been in the same classes at school. Calum sat back in his chair, the steady beat in his head had finally started to die down. Maybe this project wouldn't suck so bad

::

Fun fact this actually happened to me some boy from my Econ class actually told me I had a pretty smile and I should smile more I cried inside ok done with that thank you for reading this story things are just getting started I hope you're enjoying it and please vote comment all that fun stuff and chapter 3 will be up soon!

Lots of love - katie