getaway // cth

xvi

I sat down on a bench as I watched Calum and his mates walk into the restaurant across the street.

I felt weird.

Was this considered stalking?

I slipped on my jacket and walked across the street.

I wasn't stalking them at all.

It just so happened that I was meeting Mika here for dinner.

I stared down at my vans and hugged my jacket to my chest to keep from freezing.

A strong gust of wind blew to the right of me and my curls flew into my face.

"Hadley why aren't you waiting inside its freezing out here." Mika gasped.

"I wanted to make sure you got here safe." I said.

"What'd you wear for tonight?"

I opened my jacket and she gave me a cheeky smile.

"I like the top."

"I know you do. You told me to wear this. Now let's go inside before we freeze to death you doofus." I said and grabbed her arm pulling her inside.

I immediately saw Calum and his mates sitting in the waiting area.

Luke was throwing peanut shells at Michael while Ashton and Calum were talking.

Mikah and I walked over to the hostess and I hoped that we wouldn't have to wait.

Mikah did make reservations.

I think.

The hostess handed Mikah a device that she said would beep when our table was ready.

I groaned and rolled my eyes before walking back outside.

"What's wrong with you?" Mikah asked me.

"Nothing. I just needed some air." I said.

"Well, if your not feeling too good we could leave."

"No it's okay."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"Alright. You wanna go back inside, its freezing cold out here?"

"No, go in without me." I said with a smile.

"Alright, i'll let you know when our table is ready."

Calum

"Ashton?!" I whisper shouted and shook his arm to catch his attention.

"Yeah?"

"Its her."

"What are you talking about Cal?"

"The girl. The one who gave me those letters."

"The one you told me about with the curly brown hair?"

"Yeah."

"Calum it could just be some random girl. Do you know how many girls in New York have brown, curly hair?"

"I can't take any chances Ash." I said and stood up. I was pulled back down onto the bench by Ashton before I could after the girl with the curly brown hair.

"Calum, if she gave you those letters and ran off than I assume she did not want you to see her."

"No, Ash your wrong. She wanted me to go after her."

"Calum do you even know her name?"

"Yeah, Ashton, I actually do. Her name is Hadley."

"Wait, Isn't that the girl back home?"

"Yeah, Asht- Wait, how do you know her name is Hadley? I never told you guys her name."

"Cal, I-"

"No, Ashton, you know my journal is off limits. Why did you do it?"

"I was concerned about you, mate, I just wanted to make sure nothing was wrong with you."

"You could have just asked me."

"No i couldn't, Cal. We were getting concerned. You were pushing us away."

"I'm sorry, this girl- she just- she means a lot to me. Even if I don't know much about her."

"Its okay, man. So, about the letters, how many of them are there?"

"Twenty. I've only read the first five." I said.

"Whats wrong?" Ashton said with concern.

"What do you mean?"

"You seem a little off about the letters."

"No, its just that- well, in the letters she comes off as sounding really depressed and i don't like it. I want her to be happy you know?"

"How long did you guys know each other?"

"Well, when I first met her I never talked to her for the first month, but the rest of our stay her and I were pretty good friends. She did seem very upset when I told her that we were leaving for New York to write some music for the new album."

"Maybe shes upset because you were leaving."

"But, Ashton, the first five letters were way before she knew about us leaving for New York. One of the first encounters I had with her she was crying."

"Calum, the letters were probably a way of her getting over you."