After driving around Sydney, Fray taking in the view, even there wasn't that much to see, the cab finally halted in front of a very large house, with trimmed grass and a pool?
"Is this your house?" Fray asked, closing the cab's door and getting ahold of her and Calum's things as he paid.
"Technically, no because I don't live here anymore but it's our house, before things got.." He paused for a while thinking for the right word, "fucked up." Calum finished, ringing the doorbell thrice. She just nodded and wiped a bead of sweat about to slide down from her forehead.
"Do I look awful?" She suddenly became conscious, her pits started to sweat like a waterfall. Also a bit nervous and she cant fathom why.
"No?" Calum answered in the wrong tone which got her more worried than she already is. "You look great, alwa—"
"THOMAS!" A girl about 2 years older than Calum appeared at the gate, cutting him off. She is wearing a business attire despite the blazing hot weather.
"Stop calling me that! That name sounds like it came from papaw's time." Calum wrapped his big sister in a big hug. "I must admit I missed you though."
"Ew, you are so sticky already. There's a wet patch on my blazer now." The girl broke the hug, and pinched Calum's cheeks.
"Oh I didn't know you have a company, a woman company, I see?" Mali wiggled her eyebrows at Calum teasingly.
"Shut up Mali." He grabbed Frayeza's shoulder in a gentle manner, "Fray this is Mali my older sister. And Mali this is Fray my babycakes from New York."
Fray slapped his now bare arm and then shook his sister's hand, "Nice to meet you, Calum's a real joker."
Calum laughed, trying to cool down Fray's boiling annoyance.
"Well, I think we should all go inside before we all became a burnt toast out here." Mali invited, as they enter the big wooden door that is carved to perfection.
Their house is like the modern houses you'd see in magazines, with a touch of victorian furniture. Wooden cabinets with family pictures on it and paintings that are hanging above them. A piano sitting beside a stand lamp, and a chandelier that you can reach while taking the stairs.
"Calum Hood is a real cashmoney," Fray thought, as the helpers took their baggage away, probably to some fancy room she still didn't see upstairs.
She sat on one of their couches because by the looks of it, they are ultra-comfortable. And she wasn't wrong.
Calum plopped down beside her, which slightly startled her already sleepy mood.
"Your couch is so comfy." She admitted , feeling the fabric that envelopes the furniture.
"I can remember me saying that exact same line about your couch." Calum chuckled, "I still like your couch better."
"No way!" She protested. "By the way where is your sister?" Fray asked, removing her hand from the couch, feeling slightly worried again that she felt too homely so fast.
"She already left," Calum sighs, "She said she was sorry she couldn't meet you well today, because her office called and they are having a emergency meeting for their business shit but she said she will cook lunch for us tomorrow."
"Oh, that's fine at least I will get to meet her tomorrow, right? And you'll be able to bond with her tomorrow, right? Right? Righhhht?" She noticed his mood changed, and tried to cheer him up a bit.
"Yes, and there's one more good thing." He smirked, "we've got this big ass house to ourselves!"
Fray moved a bit away from Calum, but he moved a bit closer too, and the process was repeated until Fray was trapped in the corner of the couch. Calum's hands immediately went down to her waist and started a tickle fight.
"Oh Hood, it's on!" She tried to get under Calum's underarms but he was too strong.
"I–i hahaha can't hahahaha breathe haha– CA hahaha LUM!!"
Calum stood up and raised his left hand with his right hand, "She said the safe word, meaning Calum T Hood has won the finding the funny nerve championship!"
"But he already smells like shit and he badly needs shower!" Fray shouted, her voice echoing around the house.
"You are such a party pooper, you know that?" He playfully rolled his eyes at her, "but yes WE look like we need a shower. Let's go upstairs." He winked at her, like a pedophile trying to catch a prey.
"Ew." Fray laughed as he followed Calum's once again long legs strides up to their huge stairs. "Wait for me smelly! You house is so huge I might get lost." She joked and he grabbed her hand,
"C'mon shorty, i'll lead you to your room." He smiled, genuinely this time.
--
"Where are my things?" Fray confusedly asked, while eyeing the room in awe.
"I'll just asked the helpers where they put it, they must have put them in my room since they assumed we are a, uhm, a couple." He laughed dryly, "Wait right here." Calum left as she wandered around the big ass room she'd be sleeping in for a week.
The walls were painted with a color that is a mixture of gray and blue, the borders were white so are the cabinets. The bed is also white, like the ones you can find in hotels, size as big also. Windows, sealed shut, light from outside fully penetrating through it.
As she plopped down on the bed, a question popped in her head,
"Why do Calum chose to leave this such comfortable life?"
There are many possible reasons, deeper reasons why. Why he smokes, used to be rude around people, has a crowd anxiety but is in a band and many more puzzle pieces that are still yet to find before she will know Calum completely.
But deep down she knows, that no matter what those reasons are, she would still love him without reservations.
YOU ARE READING
smoke {c.h}
Fanfiction"vodkas, sex and cigarettes are just some of people's way to vent out the shit that the universe throws to them, but mine's different." "it's you. you're my vodka, my sex, and my beloved cigarettes."
