Beside You | Calum Hood

30

3:29 a.m.

Skyler's POV

    "Why don't you ever listen?" Her shouts fill my ears, "It's your fault he's gone!"

    "M-mom," I choke.

    "No, I can't take it anymore! I can't take you!" She smashes the plate in her hands against the hardwood floor, "I don't know how anyone can stick around you! Those-- Those boys, shouldn't have to deal with all of your god damn problems!"

    "You're lying, Calum, he-he wouldn't--"

    "Wouldn't what? Leave you? I'm pretty sure that if they were given the chance they would!"

"No!"

"He's only letting you stay because he has too! Calum can never love a broken girl like you," Her words echo in my head, making me feel dizzy as she takes another plate, but this time instead of chucking it at the ground, she aims for my head.

    I shoot up from the bed, panting heavily and sobbing. It wasn't real, yet the pain was there. As I try to control my breathing, a pair of arms pull me into their chest.

    "Sky, calm down, baby," Calum assures me, "It was just a dream, it was just a dream." I pull away from his hold and run my hands over my face,

    "You're here?" I swallow holding back another sob.

    "I never left, Sky, I never will," He kisses my forehead, letting his lips linger. His fingers brush over the cold silver around my ring finger before taking my hand in his completely.

    "She said you're only here because you have to be," I choke, "That no one could ever love me."

    "Who the hell—" He stops, "No, Skyler, listen to me," Calum takes my face in his hands and looks me in the eyes, "Don't listen to what she says." His jaw clenches knowing that the person in my dream was my own mom,

"So many people love you, Skyler, so many. She was blind for not seeing how much my love grew for you as we grew up, and look at us now," He says, motioning to the ring on my finger.

    "She hurt me, Cal," I mutter, "She hurt me and it felt so real."

    "No one's here to hurt you, Sky," Calum promises, "I love you, isn't that real enough?"

Calum's POV

    After Skyler woke up from her nightmare, I couldn't go back to sleep. So when her breathing became steady, I decide to walk down stairs into the kitchen in need of caffeine. When I turn on the lights to the kitchen I jump, not expecting to see my sister leaning against the wall with her arms crossed.

    "Jesus, Mali," I mutter shaking my head as I pull out two mugs from the cabinet, knowing she would want one as well,

"Don't do that to me. What are you doing up anyways?" I ask, harsher then I wanted to sound as I poured the liquid in the two mugs.

    "I came here to ask the exact same thing," She pushes herself from the wall and walks to me offering her a cup which she happily takes, "What's wrong little brother?" I sigh leaning back on the counter and taking a sip of my coffee,

    "It's nothing, Mali, really," I assure her, "Sky, she just had a bad dream, that's all."

    "Don't give me that shit, Calum. I can tell there's something else you're not telling me," She scoffs, setting her cup down and places herself right in front of me, "Cal, look at me." I shift my head up, and stare into her eyes,

"I'm you're sister, it's my job to make sure your okay," She says, "Now what's wrong with Skyler?"

    "Skyler was saying things in her sleep," I furrow my eyebrows, trying to remember what she was saying, "She was saying shit like no one loves her and just kept screaming in pain," I swallow back the lump in my throat as tears begin to form in my eyes,

"She was hurting her, Mali, and I couldn't do anything to stop it." I drop my head, as Mali pulls me in to her arms.

    "You were there."

    "What?" I sniffle.

    "I said, you were there for her, Calum, and that's the biggest thing you could've done, don't you think?" She points out, "She hasn't had anyone there for her in almost 4 years, but now you're here and you're engaged so now Skyler won't have anything to worry about because she'll have you, Cal, wrapped around her finger." She pulls away, leaving a soft kiss on my cheek.

    "Thank you, Mal."

    "I love you, Calum. Now please just go back to bed, you need it," Mali yawns as she walks back up the stairs and to her room.

    "I love you too." I call after her quietly.

    Shortly after my talk with my sister, I find myself walking back upstairs into my bedroom. As I walk into the dark room, I look over at Skyler in her restful state. A light smile forms on my face as I slide back into bed wrap my arms around her body, pulling her close. The scent of her hair overtaking my nose, as I nuzzle my face into her neck as she adjusts to my position and interlaces our fingers together pulling my hand up and kissing my knuckles of my cold hands.

A smile plays on my lips, and I can't help but begin to sing to her softly,

So look at me in the eye, is anyone there at all?

Is anyone there at all? Cause I'm not leaving

8:30 a.m.

    My phone buzzes on the nightstand next to me, and startles me awake. I groan softly, rubbing my eyes as I grab the phone looking at the notification.

@michaelgclifford tagged you in a photo

Unlocking my phone, I open the app and tap on Michael's post to see a picture of me hugging Skyler from behind, beaming at each other as the ring on Skyler's finger shines brightly, reflecting the light of the flash. I look down at the caption and chuckle softly.

Calum finally doing something right, congrats buddy (Does this mean I have to wear a tux now?)

    "Morning, Hood," Skyler says groggily from behind me. I turn on my side to meet my fiancé's gaze, and grin before kissing her briefly,

    "Hey there, future Mrs. Hood," I gush, "Can we just elope right now? I don't think I can wait another second to call you my wife." She giggles and leans her head on my shoulder,

    "Eager are we?"

    "Very," I smirk against her lips, "Merry Christmas, Skyler."

    "Merry Christmas, Cal-Pal."

__________________________________________

K so I'm currently flipping out because 100 days of waiting for SLFL turned into 12 (!!!!!!!)

I feel like as it gets closer and closer I'm hyperventilating more and more XD

PEACE OUT

- Amber xx

DON'T BE A SILENT READER, I WANNA HEAR YOUR VOICES AND KNOW THAT YOURE ALIVE SO COMMENT, VOTE, AND FOLLLOOOOW