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⚡︎⟡₊ ⊹
calum sits next to you in the living room, eyes glued to the tv, the quiet hum of his favorite show playing in the background. he's totally absorbed, and though he insists it's the best thing he's ever seen, you're struggling to pay attention.
your mind's elsewhere, tangled in a mess of emotions.
fall break's nearly over, and tomorrow calum will be on his way back. guilt gnaws at you, knowing you've spent most of the week wrapped up in this teasing game with him, all in some twisted effort to get back at harry.
ashton, sitting on your other side, nudges you, his look anything but subtle.
he's grown close to calum these past few days too, and he's been vocal about how wrong it is to play with the kiwi boy's feelings.
by now, the whole group's caught on to the little game you and harry are playing. only a few have called you out, but ashton's made his stance clear.
you frown back at him, watching as he looks down at his phone and angles it so you can see.
serena's texted, asking if you'd all like to go to the movies—one last outing before calum leaves.
you turn to said boy, gently tapping his hand.
his warm, dark eyes meet yours, and the familiar fluttering in your stomach returns.
"serena wants to know if you're up for a movie night before you head off?"
he only hesitates a second before nodding, a soft smile tugging at his lips.
you squeeze his hand and lean your head against his shoulder, trying to tune back into the show. but the rapid pounding of your heart—and the weight of unspoken words—make focusing nearly impossible.
✰
the movie theater is just a short walk from your house, so you, ashton, and calum arrive early. the three of you sit at a table outside, an uneasy silence settling over you.
despite your best efforts, your thoughts keep drifting to everything that's happened recently.
the bruise around your eye is fading, but headaches still strike at random, and sleep has been scarce, leaving you on edge.
calum's visit has also unearthed memories you'd tried to bury, memories that make you feel as if you're drowning in your own past.
you're jolted from your thoughts by a gentle touch on your back.
it's just liam, arriving with a soft smile.
"sorry, love. didn't mean to startle you." he laughs, but you only manage a weak smile in return, and he catches the tension in your eyes.
something breaks within you.
maybe it's the weight of everything you've been holding back, maybe it's the warmth in liam's gaze. either way, you find yourself clutching his wrist, murmuring to calum that you'll be right back.
