All I Hear // Calum Scott

Chapter 5

I was granted a day off from my morning job, so I went with Dad to one of his meetings, because I would get bored at home, having watched all of Calum's performances and interviews, and there was nothing to do that day. 

A slim and petite woman led us from the main desk to a room with many cramped office spaces, separated only by plush desk dividers surrounding the front and sides of each worker. Half of them were typing away on each keyboard, filling half of the room with numerous obnoxious clicking noises that were still audible through my headphones. Some of them flipped pages of paperwork, inserting them into their correct category slots, and only a handful of them were actually taking calls, switching from one piece of paperwork to another while waiting patiently on their phones. 

We kept walking until I saw a poster with a familiar face. Vote Calum Scott BGT #TeamCalum, it read on top of one of his pictures taken of him from his first audition. He was posed in a humble position, one hand by his side, another rubbing his chin, and his face lit up in a sheepish smile behind the microphone. 

But it's too late now, I thought. "Freaking sixth place..." I whispered to myself.

Below the poster was a neon sign that read Britain's Got Talent Merchandise, 75% Off. Below that sign was piles of Calum Scott-themed T-shirts, jackets, hoodies, gloves, crop tops, headbands, more posters, and cardboard cutouts of just his head. Hull really was crazy for him. I was thinking of buying something. 

"Kate, let's go," Dad called me.

"Wait," I said, checking the back of one of the T-shirts for the size.

"Wait..." Dad repeated.

I found a white hoodie and lifted it up in front of my face before pressing it against my chest. A worker seated at the end of a hallway was taking a call. I stared at him, and he stared right back. Our eyes met. I was shocked. The worker spoke briefly before ending the call, placing it lightly on his desk, and he started to walk towards me. We kept locking eyes as we walked closer and closer to each other, our speed increasing at every step. Eventually, my walk transitioned into a run, and, once we got close enough, we brought our arms around each other. I still grasped the white hoodie firmly in one hand.

Everyone in the crowded room stopped what they were doing, whether it was giving tours, typing, filing, or taking calls, and directed their attention to us. 

"She's a... Fan," I heard the petite tour guide say to Dad, to which he replied just a faint "Yeah..."

His hand was warm as it rubbed against my back in an effort to console me as the tears spilled out of my eyes. I squeezed him in return as I cried, afraid to let him go.

"Kate..." Calum whispered into my ears. We still maintained the hug. 

"I haven't seen you in so long," I whimpered, my ear pressed against his quickly beating heart. It was all I could say. 

We let go, but Calum cupped my face with his hands and I laid my hand on the back of his neck. 

"I missed you," Calum said, looking straight into my eyes. 

I just nodded, looking into his. 

I let go of his neck, and he dropped his hands from my face, but somehow our hands found each other again.

"What have you been doing?" I asked him, whispering.

"Interviews," Calum smiled. 

I exhaled peacefully. It felt amazing to be reunited with him again.

"Rigged," Calum said.

"What?"

"Rigged. The show's rigged," he continued. "They told me to mess up so I could get into 6th place." 

"Oh," I realized. 

"I'm recording something new today," Calum sighed, changing the topic.

"Yeah?" I smiled, his thumb running across the back of my hand.

"Yeah," he replied. "You should come later." 

"I will," I promised.

The tour guide and Dad walked towards the both of us, still holding each other's hands. 

"Oh, Dad, this is-" 

"Calum Scott," he interrupted me, immediately reaching out his hand to my father with a grin. Dad shook it slowly with an open mouth. I forgot he never knew that we were friends.

~

"Sit back, relax, and enjoy," Calum smirked, leading me to a nearby sofa. He walked slowly towards his microphone.

"Ready, set, action," a man behind a video camera counted off.

"Hi. You're watching Ont Sofa. I'm Calum Scott, and this is my cover of Paloma Faith's 'Just Be.'"

The beginning piano chords filled every corner of the small booth, and soon Calum's voice did. He sounded even more beautiful up close and away from a large arena. His voice carried memories, only the countless, happy ones. They played automatically through my mind as if I was watching a silent movie backed by soothing music. 

I would never let them go. I would never let him go.

Listening to his voice, I became too comfortable on the sofa and peacefully fell asleep.