Infatuated⎜Calum Hood

Chapter 2

Dépaysement

(n) the disorientation felt in a foreign country or culture, the sense of being a fish out of water

I'd spent the rest of the day in some sort of haze, once again living inside of my head. I think it frustrated Parker a lot as he had a hard time getting through to me, but I couldn't help it. Seeing Calum again when I'd thought he was gone forever really turned me upside down.

I'd showed up to work the following day, and I couldn't deny the fact that I desperately wanted Calum to stop by once again. We did have quite a bit of unfinished business. I also just wanted to see him again.

But he didn't show up.

The next few days had been like that too. At some point I guess Parker had just had enough of it.

It was friday afternoon, Parker had just got back home from work, and we were both watching television on the couch in the living room.

"So," he started, "how was your day?" It sounded like your everyday conversation starter.

"Eh, it was fine I guess", I sighed as I grabbed the remote and changed the station. Parker just looked at me for a second, before grabbing the remote from my hand and turning off the television.

"Seriously, El, what's up with you? You've been totally spaced out for days! Are you feeling alright?" He did sound worried, but most of all I think he was just tired of my shit. I got it, but once again; I couldn't help it.

"Hey, I was watching that!" I complained even though I didn't care one bit about whatever was on before he'd turned it off, I just didn't want to talk about what was going on as I wasn't entirely sure of it myself. Something had just shifted inside of me, and Calum was all I could think about. How we once were so close and how we'd turned into strangers instead.

"Answer me, Ella", Parker insisted, his face dead serious. He wasn't going to let it go this time, I could tell, but what was there to say? Well, there was the truth, but the truth seemed awfully complicated, but lying wouldn't get me anywhere, so I took a deep breath and started talking.

"You remember that guy in the coffee shop last saturday?" I asked. Parker nodded, raising his eyebrows. He didn't really get the best first impression of Calum, but it didn't matter now. "Well, we know each other... Or we used to, but things happened and, yeah, it's a long story." Then I just shrugged. There wasn't that much more to the story.

"Oh", Parker mumbled, his face falling into a frown. I don't think that he knew what to say, so that's where he'd decided to just kind of change the subject which I was thankful for. "Well, I think I know exactly what you need!" He said as his face lit up.

"And what's that?" I answered, not quite sure that whatever he was thinking of would work, but I'd still let him talk.

"Something else to think about," he answered, "so we're going out. Tonight. You might as well go get ready."

Going out? It actually didn't sound too bad. I barely knew anyone in the area other than Parker, and Calum I guess, so I didn't really go out that much at the moment. Maybe it would actually be nice. Just maybe.

It was at least half past seven as we finally got out the door. Parker had been shouting at me for the past hour because I might have taken a bit too long to get ready.