cryptic ⋙ calum hood

6. Calum

My hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, knuckles turning white, threatening to split open right there.

He touched her. He fucking touched her.

Her eyes were dry now as she stared out the window, quietly recapping the events from tonight. I was driving her home and occasionally glanced at her to see her staring at the street lights passing by through the glass, buried in my sweatshirt that was too big on her.

"I'm definitely overreacting, I'm sorry," she rambled with a sigh.

"No!" I hit the brakes on the car suddenly and she jerked forward in her seat, seatbelt locking and I realized how stupid of a decision that just was.

"What the hell Cal?" She practically screamed, looking directly at me. I let the car roll forward again, thankful for the empty street.

"Sorry," I muttered under my breath. "It's just... You're not overreacting. It's not okay that he did that," I huffed, rounding onto her street. She pointed me to her house and I pulled up, shutting off the ignition. I turned to her and she stared straight forward, through the windshield.

"Thank you Calum," her voice had been so quiet and weak ever since she got into the car and it broke my heart. I wanted to kill Parker for messing with her. "It's late," she noted. I nodded and she looked at me finally. "My mum's asleep. The lights are all off. You can come up if you want," she bit her lip and began looking all over the car.

"Do you want me to stay? My mum thinks I'm still at Mike and Ashton's." I could tell she did.

"You don't have to if you don't want," she fiddled with her hands in her lap and I smiled.

"I'll stay. I'll park up the street, okay? So your mum doesn't see." I turned the keys once more and drove up the street, parking the car and stepping out into the night again. Cassie met me on the sidewalk and we walked towards her house. She slipped her key into the lock, allowing us to enter and she put a finger to her lips. She led me up the stairs quickly and into a room, shutting the door behind us before turning on the light.

The walls were light blue, the sheets pure white and some string lights were strung along the room. There were a few pieces of clothing on the hardwood floor, and she had posters and a bulletin board full of notes and photos.

"I'm still working on the room. I'll go get you some of my dad's clothes from the clean laundry. Just hang out here for a second," she let me know before exiting the room. The notes were things like quotes and poems and little doodles. I glanced at the photos. There were some of her when she was little, some of her with whom I assumed were her parents, pictures from concerts, the beach, but one photo really caught my eye. She was sat on a picnic blanket, a basket beside her, the sun beating down on her back. She was wearing a floral dress and had a flower in her dark hair herself, pushing it away from her face. She grinned at the camera and I couldn't help but smile back.

"I got your clothes," she said from behind me.

"I like this one a lot," I pointed at the photo.

"Oh," she stepped next to me and I looked to find her blushing. "I just thought it looked kind of artsy," she nervously chuckled.

"It's beautiful," I assured her. She smiled at me, her cheeks flushing darker with each compliment I gave. I found it adorable.

"Here." She handed me the clothes and told me to get changed in here in case her mom woke up. "I'll be in the bathroom." She grabbed some clothes from a dresser drawer quickly and left, closing the door behind her. I changed into the sweats and t shirt she gave me, and although they were a little big, they were comfortable. I texted Michael quickly to let him know I wouldn't be back. A few minutes later a knock came at the door.

"Is it safe to come in?" Her voice sounded softly through the door. I opened it for her and she grinned, entering and closing it behind her. She wore pajama shorts and a nirvana tshirt, my sweatshirt thrown over the top. "I'm really tired," she yawned and smiled at me.

"Should I take the floor?" I didn't want to make her uncomfortable after tonight.

"No!" She said quickly, then flushed at her eagerness. "It'd be uncomfortable. Just stay in the bed with me," she directed and I chuckled, climbing onto her bed and she shut the lights off.

She climbed into bed with me, and I noticed the glow in the dark stars stuck to her ceiling.

"Those are cool," I felt her lay beside me on her side, facing me.

"I love them." I looked down at her. The curtains to her window were still open, and the moon casted shadows on her pale skin. Her lips held the hint of a smile from what I could see, dark hair fanned out on the pillow. I pulled her into my chest, wanting to feel close to her. She instinctively wrapped her arms around me.

"Sorry for dragging you into this. You've only known me a week." I could practically hear the frown in her voice after a few minutes of silence.

"Don't be sorry at all," I shook my head. "I love helping." That's why I was Cedar.

"You know it was just like the things they said to me at my old school... I didn't want that to be true."

"What?" I was confused.

"They were awful to me there. They went as far as making a fake sex tape and saying it was me. This girl, Lucy, her boyfriend said something about me I guess. She got so mad." She forced a laugh. "They called me a slut and homewrecker. If Parker made me sleep with him, it's like it'd be true. I'd really be a slut then. God, people are so mean." She buried her face into my chest and I tightened my arm around her. "And my parents believed it all. So we moved here."

"You're not a slut. You wouldn't be if you slept with Parker." I whispered into her hair. I didn't want her to think badly about herself. Over the past week, I'd grown sort of attached to her. I wanted to keep her from anything that would harm her in any way, and I wanted her to know that. "You're going to be okay, alright? I won't let anyone do anything to you."

"Thank you Calum." She sniffled a little bit, and I figured she was crying. I kissed the top of her head softly.

"Go to sleep."

"Goodnight," her voice rang out for the last time in the darkness.

"Goodnight Cassie." I smiled and closed my eyes, not wanting to be anywhere but with her in this moment.



A/N: Hello! I wanted to let you know that I started school on September third, so I'll be busier and not able to write as often. I'll try to write every weekend, and sometimes twice a week if homework allows it.

STORY TIME: I take rock climbing for gym, and I couldn't find my class today anywhere so I hid out in the library and wrote this whoooo!

Also- I named that character Lucy before I found out about calums girlfriend. (I almost named the main character Lucy!) it has nothing to do with her just so everyone knows. Just a coincidence.

I've reached over 200 reads which is awesome so thank you :) Don't be a silent reader! xx