just friends // c.t.h

28

One week had passed. One long and torturous week of awkward encounters and trying not to bump into each other, which was fucking impossible considering they were on tour together. But after that week, Jess decided that she had enough, and that she would confront their problem, to try and get everything back to normal. She had heard that the other boys were going out, so she decided to talk to Calum in their bus while the others left. That's what led her to be at the door of his bus, knocking loudly, her nerves coming back up, making her wonder if this was a mistake. Before she had a chance to back out and run back to her own tour bus, the door opened, with an obviously tired Calum in front of her.
"We need to talk." she gathered up her courage, walking past him into the living area of the bus. "Look, we should forget about this whole week. That kiss was a mistake, you don't have to worry because I know you don't like me. So can we go back to being friends?" She finished her mini speech, then turned to Calum, who looked surprised.
"Friends?"
"Yeah, like we were before this, we can get out all of this awkwardness and go back to-" she was interrupted by Calum, who let out a dry laugh.
"What if I don't wanna go back?" Now it was Jess that was confused, and a little bit angry.
"Why wouldn't you want us to be friends again? What, do you hate me now? Because you were the one who started this, not me." She became angrier with each word, his demeanor not changing in the slightest, he didn't feel bad or guilty at all.
"Jess we were never friends."
"What?" She whispered, not expecting his answer.
"I never saw you as a friend, we've never acted like friends. I've been in love with you for so long, and you never even noticed, and now I can't go back to pretending I only like you platonically." He was angry, but with a mixture of sadness. "Do you think us flirting is normal? I don't regret that kiss, and I won't forget it, because I've been waiting to do that since I met you." He got closer, putting his hands on her cheeks.
"We can't." She whispered, backing away. "This wasn't supposed to happen, we were supposed to be great friends and I was gonna help you get that girl, the one you said you were in love with. What about her? You can't be in love with me, you love her."
"I'm so sick of that fucking word, 'friends', that means nothing after all of this... Don't you get it Jess? The girl you were trying to help me get, that was you."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Why would I, you were in a relationship with that fucking prick!"
"I.. I have to go." She began to leave, but Cal held her wrist, making her turn to look back at him.
"Jess, you can't run away from this, I know you like me back. Just accept it."
"No, I can't do this, we can't do this." As he let her hand go, she left the bus, thinking. They were just friends, that's all they've ever been. Or maybe that's what she had been trying to tell herself.