The game | Calum Hood

Fancy Cars, Making Up and Middle Names

I threw open the front door after parking the car carefully around the white Porsche which was parked on our driveway.

"Riley? Is that you honey?" Mum shouted from the kitchen. I placed my keys and bag down on the side and began to walk towards her when she stopped me. "Could you possibly take Logan to the Hoods'?"

Confusedly, I obliged, leading Logan down our drive and up towards our neighbours front door that I used to know too well. I knocked slowly and almost instantly Joy appeared at the door.

"Riley! Logan! Did you see Calum? He's good isn't he?" She smiled at my brother who grinned happily.

"Calum was awesome Mrs Hood, but Calum and Riley had a fight and they were using swear words and I was scared." He blurted out before I could stop him.

"Oh did they?" Joy exclaimed, obviously shocked. "Calum was very excited for you to be going too." She mumbled. "Riley darling, I think you ought to be getting back, you have a visitor I believe. I'll bring them back later." She smiled as I spun around, ben more confused than I was before. So not only did Calum have a go at me out of the blue, but he actually wanted me to be there. And who the heck was at our house in a Porsche?

I wandered back into our house and closed the door cautiously behind me and saw a figure hunched over at the table in the kitchen, nursing a mug in their hands. As I crept closer, the voice became clearer and then I saw it. The blonde hair and icy blue eyes. And I knew then exactly who it was.

"Look Steve, she might just... Ah here she is! Riley!" My mum smiled, raising her eyebrows at me, trying to tell me to act accordingly. But there was absolutely no way in hell I was entering that kitchen whilst he was there. Almost instinctively, I spun on my heels and sped towards the door, grabbed my bag and ran. I didnt stop, I just ran and didn't look back. As I left the road, a car slowed beside me and rolled down its window.

"Blondie? What's up?" The familiar voice asked.

"Fuck off Calum." I screamed, running faster and faster until I reached the park where I placed myself on the swings and tried to calm myself down. How dare he just turn up out of the blue like that! How dare he just waltz in again like nothing had happened. How dare he, I seethed.

I pulled out my phone and scrolled down to Poppy's number, which I didn't hesitate to call.

After two rings, she picked up and answered sloppily.

"Sup, Poppy's phone."
"Poppy it's me." I cried, not caring what I sounded like. Poppy was my best friend, she had seen me in every way possible.
"I know it's you. What do you want?"
"Poppy he's back. Again." I swallowed, trying to hold back my tears.
"Riley, who's back?" She groaned, as if I was being a problem.
"My dad."
"And that's a problem why?"
"Poppy, you know why."
"Do I?"
"Yes you do, oh forget it Poppy, clearly I am being an inconvenience to you."
"Yeah Riley, you are as a matter of fact. Jet lags being a bitch and the last thing I need is you calling me at half 6 with your ongoing family problems." She yawned. "Goodbye Riley."

Then the line went dead. Fuck her, I thought.

"Hey Blondie?" There was that damn voice again, did he not get the message? I wanted nothing more to do with him, but at that moment, I just wanted someone to hold me and tell me it was going to be ok. And I didn't care who that someone was.

"Hey Cal." He smiled at my weak greeting.

"So I'm Cal again then?" He grinned, placing himself on the swing next to me. "You wanna talk?"

I looked down and shook my head, scuffing my sandals on the floor beneath me.

"Fine, I'm all up for just sitting here." He chuckled, swinging lightly on the swings. "Logan told my mum about our argument huh?" He laughed. "She had a go at me for it, but it wasn't really me who was, and I quote 'using swear words'"

I looked at him and caught him just staring at the park in front of us.

"Well you kinda did." I replied, a slight chuckled to my voice. "But I admit that it was mainly me."

"Yeah, it was mainly you!" He smiled, tilting his head and looking at me. "Talk to me Blondie, talk about anything. I like your voice."

I grinned, trying to wipe the mascara lines that would have formed on my face. "I don't have anything to say." I mumbled.

"Call me Cal again?" He pleaded. "It makes me feel all fuzzy inside." He whispered, hugging his arms around his waist and twisting himself form side to side as if he was hugging himself.

"Calum." I joked, earning a tap on the shoulder. I looked back up at him, to see him pouting and crossing his arms like a small child.

"Look Blondie, if it's about the Porsche..." He trailed off, unsure as to my reaction to this. "Riley, you intrigue me. I want to know so that I can help you."

I shook my head and looked into his chocolate brown eyes.

"I can't tell you Calum. Not now anyway, I'll tell you one day I promise." He rested his hand on mine.

"You're ok though right?"

"I'm good. I'll just go and have a movie night with my cousin, it usually makes things better!" I laughed, movie nights in with Michael helped in every situation. "Hey Cal?"

He looked at me again and smiled. "You called me Cal again." He grinned, making me laugh. "Yeah?"

"You know how you wanted to help?"

"Yeah,"

"Come here and give me a hug."

"Really? Are you sure? Like, I don't want to..."

"Calum, just hug me!"

"If you call me Cal."

"Cal, come here."

"If you ever need me Riley, I'm right next door."

"I know. Thank you Cal."

"No problem. It's what friends are for right?"

"Who said we're friends?" I giggled.

"The fact that you haven't let me go yet!" He laughed back, making me release him from the hug.

"Care to walk me to my cousins?" I asked, grabbing my bag from the floor.

"I would love to Miss Blondie!" He replied, holding out his hand for me to hold, and I took it willingly. "Hey, do you want me to let you know if the car has gone by the morning?"

"Mr Hood, is this your way of asking me for my number?" I smirked as the flirting began again, but I wasn't going to deny that I actually quite enjoyed it. I handed him my phone as he looked at me longingly and he passed it back once he had sent himself a message,

You are the best footballer ever!

"You wish!" I joked. "Hey Cal?"

"Mmmm?" He answered.

"When you're a big famous footballer, can I come live in your mansion?"

He smiled making me smile too.

"Do you have to?" He joked, "of course you can Blondie, as long as the missus don't mind!"

"She won't have to worry, why would a gorgeous, talented footballer like you like a girl like me?" I bit my lip and looked at him with puppy dog eyes, making him chuckle, and subsequently making my heart melt.

"Why oh why Blondie!" He laughed, "I couldn't deal with the mood swings!" He laughed, letting go of my hand as I walked up Michael's driveway. "See you tomorrow Miss.... Uh...."

I smiled. "Hemmings."

"Riley Hemmings," he pondered my name until his gaze met mine again. "I like it, it just sounds, right."

"I'll see you tomorrow I'm sure, Mr Calum whatever your middle name is Hood."
He smiled as he turned and began to walk down the road when he stopped. I spun round as I reached the door and we just stood watching each other.

"Thomas."

"Huh?" I exclaimed.

"My middle name, it's Thomas." He smiled before walking out of view.

Calum Thomas Hood.