Cliché (c.h)

15.

"I missed you. Wait no, I still miss you." He said.

"Yeah, I'm sure you do." She said.

These were the first sentences that the two spoke to one another since Cori left. The pair sat at the Starbucks on 29th street, ironically in the same booth that Calum and Kalie had sat in nearly a year and four months ago.

Cori had flown back out to Chicago for the  inevitable funeral of Mr. Paterson her elderly neighbor from the apartment complex she had stayed in not too long ago. She had kept up with the old man despite moving across the country via phone calls and even taught him how to use FaceTime.

When a nurse called to tell her that the man was on his death bed, she came back as fast as she possibly could. She owed him that. The fact that she was his emergency contact and not one of his estranged children showed her how much she meant to him.

At some point during her absence, Cori and Harry connected once again. She caught up with him nearly every day and they made an agreement that he would deliver the daily extra baked goods to Mr. Paterson since she no longer could.

Despite her wishes, Harry told the other boys about her impending return to the city. Upon giving her number to the other boys except Calum, Harold convinced them all to text and call her 24/7 until she agreed to at least meet with Calum one last time. 1,000 missed calls and read texts later, she finally agreed which brings them to where they are now.

"I don't even know what to say to you. I've waited damn near a year and a half to get to talk to you again and I'm speechless."

Cori didn't know how to respond, so she just didn't. What are you supposed to say to the person who gave you your first heartbreak? So instead she kept her eyes to her half empty cupcake frappucino, occasionally moving a strand of her short curly hair from her eye. Calum liked this look on her, when they had been together he only ever saw her natural hair when taking down a protective style. He was glad she was letting her curls breathe. The sun shining in from the window made her dark brown skin glow as well as highlight the color of her nearly black irises.

Calum had somehow managed to obtain some color back to his face, the dark circles around his eyes less evident than before. There was a newly added blonde streak in his now curly black hair. Cori couldn't deny that curly hair was a good look on him and she was somewhat glad he stopped straightening it. She was glad he was letting his curls breathe.

Cori wasn't going to lie. She had thought about this moment before too. All of the swears that she didn't get out the last time she saw him, all of the words that she wanted to scream, they all seemed to disappear the minute they locked eyes again.

"I want to make it clear that I did not come here for you. I came for Mr. Paterson and if it wasn't for him, I most definitely would not be here and I sure as hell would not be here with you." The snippy words rolled out of her mouth quicker than she intended and once she saw the flicker of hurt cross his face, she returned her eyes to the green straw and white drink in front of her.

"I know that. I went to visit him often."

"He never mentioned you."

"I asked him not to."

"Why?"

"I don't really know. It just felt like something I needed to do."

"Oh."

Calum wanted more from her. There was no way she agreed to meet with him and all she was going to give him was half assed responses. Even if she blew up on him completely that would be better than this void version of her that sat in front of him.

"How have you been?" Calum asked trying his best to get something, anything, from her.

"Great." Not only was that a lie but it also was the tipping point for the kiwi boy.

"Why did you even come here if you weren't going to actually talk to me?" As the words came from out of his mouth, his large fists hit the table, making the girl across from him hit her back against the faux leather seating of the booth.

"Answer me damn it! I deserve that. I know what I did was insanely fucked up but please. Just give me this moment so I can finally let go of you for good." Calum lowered his voice and sat back from the table when he realized he had scared the girl.

"Do you really want to know the reason I came? I came because after all this time, a part of me still misses you. A part of me wished that I stopped you from walking out of my house. A part of me still loves you. But an even bigger part of me is telling me that this relationship is toxic. I'm only 19, Cal. I still have the rest of my life to think about and I refuse to waste anymore time than I have on some boy."   Tears pricked the edges of Cori's eyes as she fought to maintain eye contact with Calum.

"Just give me one more chance. I still love you and you said it yourself you feel the same about me." Calum was going to speak again until Cori leaned forward and gently placed her lips onto his. The kiss expressed everything that needed to be said and all the pent up emotions that the pair had stored away in the past year. They pulled away at the same time and Cori went to put on her coat, as did Calum.

"Goodbye, Corinne."

"Goodbye, Calum."
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This is it yall. This is the end of Cliché. I definitely wanted to make this so much better but its nearly 4 am and this is all I have to offer at the moment, I'm sorry. I appreciate every single vote, comment, and read. If you want to continue to read my work, I currently have a Michael fic out called Blasé. Thank you for reading and I love all of yall!
-C