Tiny Voices (A Calum Hood fanfic)

chapter nineteen

-- Brooke's POV--

I sat in the park opposite Chloe's university waiting for her class to finish.

Life had moved pretty slowly, but also pretty quickly since Calum left. It had been about a month and a half since I'd seen him, but we kind of kept in touch. I texted Michael every so often, so I was getting semi- regular updates on how they were, which I appreciated, although I didn't like to admit as much.

I leaned back on my elbows and stared up at the blue, cloud dotted sky. An aeroplane left a trail behind it right in the centre of the sky.

I thought of Calum. I did that a lot actually, but in that moment, I wondered if it was Calum on that plane. I think they were already in Australia, actually, so I don't know why I thought of him. I sighed in response to my train of thought.

I closed my eyes and sighed again. I felt the cool breeze on my face, one which was normal for a May day in London. I concentrated on my breathing; the rhythmic, steady sound nearly putting me to sleep. Clearing my mind of all thoughts about anything, which you just needed to do every once in a while.

Then I felt a huge weight being dropped on my stomach and I made an involuntary "oof" noise, and I heard the sound of Chloe's laughter from above me. She had dropped her bags on top of me and lay down beside me.

"That was rude," I said, chucking the bag back at her and standing up. "C'mon, let's go get lunch or something."

Chloe picked up her stuff (almost as soon as she lay down she had to get back up again) and we walked over to our Kia.

We talked about the Voice Final which was coming up on Saturday (which I still couldn't believe I got through to) and what Chloe was doing in university etc. General friend talk really until we got to this little cafe we always went to for lunch. We ordered our usuals and sat down and just continued our conversation, as we normally do.

Halfway through lunch, my phone rang. I looked down at my phone and saw a contact picture I wasn't expecting to see again. I let it ring because I was so shocked.

"Who is it, Brooke?" asked Chloe, biting into her sandwich, entirely oblivious to my facial reaction to my phone.

"I-" I struggled to speak. "It's Calum."

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--Calum's POV--

Beep beep. Beep beep. Beep beep. The phone had been ringing for a good 20 seconds now and Brooke still hadn't picked up. I shrugged my shoulders in response to Michael's raised eyebrows.

"Dude, she's not picking up," I said, defeated. The noise in my ear seemed to get louder and louder with each time she didn't pick up the ring, like it was intruding all of my thoughts and making me incapable of thinking about anything else other than that stupid noise.

"Just keep on the line until it kicks you off it," he whispered.

The noise was driving me insane. I'd rather she declined the call rather than just not pick up. I needed to talk to her, though. Other than the simple fact that I really missed hearing her voice, I actually did have something to tell her. Well, ask her. I hope sh-

"Hello?" said the nervous, yet happy voice I hadn't heard in 2 months; said the voice which I hear in my dreams; said the voice I thought I'd never hear again. I was rendered speechless, yet again, by Brooke. Her voice brought back so many memories...

"Hi," I managed. Michael head snapped up from his phone screen, and a huge smile played across his face once he realised she had finally picked up. I didn't know what say - I didn't expect that hearing her voice would have such an effect on me.

"Um, what's up?" she said flatly. I cleared my throat.

"Not much, just...sitting," I replied. I heard Brooke laugh faintly on the other side of the line. Then I remembered that what I just said was an inside joke we shared. Brooke then cleared her throat, presumably to stop herself from laughing.

"Calum, why'd you call?" she said. I didn't know if I should tell her that I missed her. would that mess everything up?

So, I didn't. I didn't tell her the things I thought I would; I didn't tell her that I miss holding her, that I miss her falling asleep in the exact same position on me, I didn't tell her that I'd been watching The Voice and that I was so proud of her for getting through to the final. I didn't tell her any of the things that my heart was screaming.

"Uh," I struggled. "Remember ages ago I invited you to my sister's wedding? Well, it's in like two weeks and she booked you plane tickets and everything, but I'd completely forgotten about it until she mentioned it the other day," I paused. There was no response from the other end of the line.

"I mean, you don't have to go if you don't want to, I was just asked to tell you," I said. I felt defeated and unwelcome in the conversation which I had started.

Michael was inches away from me (he was almost as nervous as I was about the phonecall) and he gave me the thumbs up after my "speech" to Brooke. Again, he raised his eyebrows waiting for a response and again I shrugged my shoulders in return. We waited.

"I'd love to if I'm welcome," she said. What?! My face lit up.

"You're always welcome," I said quietly.

"Thanks," she said quickly. And we both just stayed on the line for a few seconds, not saying anything.

"Uh, okay then, I'll text you or something later on," I said.

"Perfect, talk to you later," she said.

"Yeah, see you," I replied and she hung up. I almost said 'love you' out of habit, and thank god I didn't - it was a strange enough conversation as it was.

"Well??" asked Michael expectantly.

"She said she's coming," I said. Michael smirked and slunk back into his chair, clearly pleased at the outcome of the phone call. And I must say, I was as well.

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ayyyYY lmao

brooke luv him or else i will ok byE

hope this wasn't entirely shitty saying u had to wait so long for it soz x