Babysitter | Calum Hood

28

Everything was a mess.

The dance floor was covered in ripped up streamers. Balloons were deflating into a pathetic pile of rubber and the DJ was already packing his equipment up to get the hell out of this high school trashcan.

My dress was a mess. There's dirt and pebbles caught in the tulle. Somehow, I didn't mind. I just waited inside the gymnasium, no music playing, only the sound of the staff placing chairs back on tables and the after Prom chatter from people who were still here.

Most of all, my head was a clutter of unfinished thoughts and confused feelings. After two minutes of sitting in complete silence, a cranky Michael stumbled out from the doors to smile widely at the sight of Calum and I sitting on the ground.

"Back together I see? I'm glad that my best friend's back with my favorite, small bean," Michael slurred, laughing a little bit after his nick name for me. He wasn't smashed, but he was somewhat tipsy.

Calum sighed loudly, pulling himself up and then lifting me softly from just his hand. He pulled me into a warm embrace, placing a kiss on my forehead. The kiss was tender, sweet, and lasted longer than I thought it would. He smiled at me before explaining that he should take Michael home and give me space and time to decide what I wanted from this relationship, if there even is one.

"Well what about you? You already know what you want?" I inquired while Ashton and Lindsay pushed their way through the doors to see us talking and standing so close. Luke pointed at us and laughed loudly, causing Michael to laugh and Ashton to groan.

Calum only nodded before saying, "I've always known that I want you. If you don't want me and realize you have a better option that isn't me, it's okay." Matt appeared from the doors and Calum looked over at him with a frown. "I want you to know that if there's somebody out there that makes you ten times happier than I ever could, I would let you go to see you be happy, even if it's with someone else."

With an awkward wave, he left me speechless on the sidewalk. Ashton asked if I needed a ride home but I shook my head and told him I needed to get something inside. That leads me to where I am now: standing idly on the dance floor, kicking up a black balloon, wondering why I feel as deflated as the party decoration does. I noticed Delia standing by the dance floor, ordering around the rest of the Student Council to stack up chairs and take down the Prom pictures background. Timidly, I stalked over.

I really shouldn't be doing this, but I really shouldn't be doing a lot of things, like, for example, tapping on Delia's shoulder while she was in the middle of screaming viciously at a waiter who dropped a plate. She whipped around furiously at me, but when she realized it was me, the killer scowl dissipated.

"Kendall?" Delia questioned in confusion. She had on a rose gold colored, tight fitted dress that flared out like a mermaid tail at the bottom. She looked gorgeous. Delia propped a hand onto her hip and tilted her head to the side. "Is there something you need?"

"Um, yeah. It's about," I trail off. Is this really going to help me? What would I gain from this? Delia motioned me to continue, telling me she was on a timed schedule. "It's about Calum."

I didn't know what sparked the fire that was me seeking answers. I just needed to know if it was a good idea that Calum and I should be together again. Last time, it ended in heartbreak and misunderstandings and if we were to move forward, I wanted to know if Calum and Delia ever did anything more than tutoring while we were dating.