ice cold // c.h.

vii. the sun melts the snow

Song for this chapter: Love Town – Kolohe Kai

(her pov)

I hate the sun.

"Why do I have to go again?" I asked (more like groaned) to my best friend who is busy organizing her bag for today's event.

"Because I need moral support for this, and as my best friend, it's your job to provide me that," Kay replied. To which I just slumped and buried my face in the comfort of my sheets and pillows.

"There, all done!" She clapped her hands as she zipped up her bag. "Come on! Jay is probably waiting for us downstairs." She said as she helped me get out of my bed.

"Trish, can you at least pretend to be excited about this? Please?" She pouted.

"Okay, fine. I will, for you. But if Calum tries to do anything funny I can't promise you that he'll live to see the next day," I joked. Although we all know that jokes are half meant, right?

The two of us made our way down our dorm lobby to see that her boyfriend (if that's what he is) is already waiting for us.

"Hey Kay, hey Pat," he greeted us. Jayden is a nice guy, most of the times. Actually, he is too nice for his own good. We've become friends over the past few weeks because for some reason, he and Kay started hanging out a lot. One time I asked Kay if they're dating and she just shrugged. I don't really know what's up with her and Jayden because i thought there was something going on between her and the drummer boy. But I guess not. Seeing that Ashton already has a girlfriend and Kay already has a boyfriend. Well, it's not really my business so I decided not to pry on her personal boy issues. I can't handle that.

"Don't. Even. Start. With. Me. Today." I sent a glare his way and he just chuckled as he helped us place our stuff, food, umbrellas, and the cooler at the trunk of his car. And then off we went to the beach. Oh what a joy.

~

"Ice queen!"

I rolled my eyes as I hear the familiar voice and the same familiar grinning stupid face running towards me the moment I step out of Jayden's car. What a great welcome.

"Fuck boy, what's up?" I greeted him with a fake smile.

"The sky," he laughed as if his joke is very original and funny. "Missed me?" He continued to annoy me as he began wiggling his eyebrows in a knowing way.

"Yeah, I missed you so badly that I am now tempted to cut up your limbs and feed it to the sharks," I said as I pinched his cheeks. Fucking cute chubby cheeks.

"Okay, lovebirds break it up. There's more time for you to canoodle later. Calum, why don't you help us unload the trunk?" Kay butted in.

Before I could deny her accusations, Calum beat me to it.

"Okay ma'am," he told my best friend. But before he went to the back of the car to help them, I felt his lips come in contact with my cheek for a millisecond. "Later, lovebird," he said then winked at me. That bastard! Who the hell does he think he is stealing kisses from me?! Oh my god! How dare he?!

"Hey, why are you just standing there holding your cheek? You look dumb," I hear Luke say, pulling me out of my thoughts, as he approached me.

"Uh, nothing. Some insect just flew in my cheek, I think," I replied as I reached for my bag and towels in the car seat.

"I, uh, I'll just find a good spot for us to put down our things and stuff. Uh yeah, I'll do that now while you guys grab our stuff and all that," I quickly turned away and said to Luke not waiting for his reply then I rushed out from the parking lot to the beach.

Okay, calm down Patricia Morris. It's just one peck, for god's sake! You're getting all worked up because of a less than one second kiss in the cheek! It's just a kiss. And it's just Calum Hood. The jerk. The asshole. The fuckboy of the century. You can't be feeling all softy and googly eyes on him now. Stay calm.

After that little pep talk with myself I finally found a spot which is more secluded than the other parts of the beach. Since the band is becoming bigger now and with their debut album to be released soon, it seems that their fanbase has gotten bigger than before. And on rare occasions like this, where we just want to hang out like normal adolescents, we'd rather not be bombarded by fans asking for selfies and boob autographs.

I dropped my bag and towel on the sand, took of my shirt, and decided to enjoy the view of the ocean to calm myself down.

I was lost for a moment in my own world when I suddenly hear the sound of a camera's shutter making me turn my head towards the noise.

"Smile for the camera, ice queen," Calum said pointing a camera towards me. I just scowled at him.

"Come on! Just one smile. This is for the keeps, you know, so that your future children can see at least one smiling photo of you! Please?" He pleaded while batting his eyelashes and pouting his baby pink plump lips at me. God, he looks like a fucking puppy.

I give up. He wins.

I smiled at the camera. And even though I am the one who's photo is being captured, I can see the huge smile on his face as he looked at me through its lens.

"Wow who would thought that the ice queen has got a pretty smile," he said as he observes the photo he took of me. I scooted over where he is to look at the photos. I must admit, as much as I don't like my photos to be taken, the boy's got some talent in him.

"Not bad, Hood. You could be a photographer someday. You got some skills," I complemented him.

"Yeah. It's beautiful," he said, still smiling at the photo as if it's some kind of Van Gogh or a Picasso masterpiece. I looked at him, confused.

"The view, I mean. Look at those waves, and the sand. Wow so white!" He quickly added.

What the heck?

"Anyways, we better find the others and tell them we found a spot," he said as he quickly stood up from the sand and helped me up from where I was seated. He offered his hand, and for the first time in history, I willfully took it without spitting a remark or comeback at him. Calum smiled at the small gesture, and I smiled back. He gave my hand a little squeeze and I waited for him to release it. But he didn't. And at that moment, I felt something breaking within me. Or rather, melting.

My heart that was once as frozen and as cold as ice is starting to melt like a snow in summer. All because of one small gesture. All because of one person– The fuckboy of the century, Calum Hood. And here I am, not doing anything to stop it.

Fuck it. I'll just ride with the waves. See where it takes me.

With that, we walked to wherever our friends were, hand in hand, and grinning like fools.

//

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

I AM BACK! TELL A FRIEND! TELL YOUR MOM! TELL YOUR DOG! TELL OPRAH!

Stay moist.