Finding 4

Chapter 22

Callum

"Hey Callum," the familiar voice says from behind me.

I come to a halt at the realization of who it is. I squeeze my eyes shut, and let out a huff before turning around.

"Hey Marie." I reply.

"You never came back," she steps closer to me with her arms crossed. "That night after the party...where were you?"

With the same girl that I've spent every day with for the past week, even though none of our friends know.

"I had to leave." I shrug, shoving my hands into the pockets of my jeans. "It was an emergency."

To be fair, it was an emergency. Marley needed someone to walk her home, it was dark, raining, and she was drunk. What kind of non-friend would I be if I had just let her go?

"Does that emergency happen to be a little blonde American?" Marie slightly smiles at me, her eyes soft.

Releasing a breath I didn't even know I was holding, my shoulders sag. I let out a small, nervous chuckle, and then rub the back of my neck.

"It's okay," she nods, a small smile still on her face. "It's not like we were ever going to be anything."

"I'm sorry Marie," I tell her. "I led you on."

She shakes her head "No you didn't. It's okay, some things just happen. Some people take us by surprise."

She's making this very easy. Almost too easy.

"Anyway I should get back to class." She rocks on her heels and straightens out her skirt. "Bye Callum."

"Bye Marie." I watch her walk off, an unsettling feeling in my gut.

"Marie Sullivan," the familiar American accent shows up and I turn around, a smile already finding its way to my lips. "Makes sense really," Marley shrugs and then adds, "pretty brunette...attractive blonde."

I chuckle and step closer to her, placing my hands on her waist. "Oh so I'm attractive now."

"I was talking about me." She teases.

I playfully roll my eyes but then a small hand grabs onto my jaw and pulls me down to her. Our lips connect, and her coconut chapstick is a taste I've become familiar with in the past week. The smell of her vanilla shampoo and tropical smelling body wash is also something I've come to known quite well. Those are two tastes and smells that I never want to forget, nor get rid of.

As we stand there in the side hallway of Tommen college, making out like two horny teens, I don't think about anything but her. I'm not worried about who finds us, or what will happen if we are found. Right now all I can think about is Marley Anderson, and how beautiful she really is.

Oh stop lying to yourself.

Marley is all you think about these days, it doesn't take a make out session to get her on your mind.

My thoughts are interrupted when Marley pulls away. Her already wide lips are swollen, and the way her pupils are dilated sends butterflies through my gut.

A girl has never given me butterflies.

"Do you think it's wrong that we're keeping this from our friends?" She asks as she laces her fingers with mine.

I rub my thumb over her knuckles and shrug. "No. It's not their business." I lift my hand and push a piece of her blond hair behind her ear. "Besides, we aren't...official."

Her eyes seem to dim down, but she doesn't drop my hand, and for some reason that gives me comfort. "Yeah..."

Does she want to be official? I'm not in a relationship with Marley, but that's only because I figured she didn't want a relationship. It's been a month since her and Mason broke up, I just assumed she wanted time.

But hell, if she came out and told me she wanted a relationship, I'd give it to her. That realization has become more clear to me since our first little romantic extravaganza. Especially with all of the hanging out we've been doing. Getting to know Marley has been the best thing that's ever happened to me, even if it is a distraction from hurling. It's the only distraction I'll let to get in my way of becoming pro, because Marley is worth it.

I'd give up every organ in my body if it meant I could have her.

"We should get back to class," she smiles slightly at me. "Before anyone gets suspicious."

I sigh and nod "Yeah we should."

Stupid class.