Out Of Breath // Calum Hood

Chapter four ► the park.

"You're mad." I said, shaking my head at her.

"Are you seriously telling me you've never jumped off this high before?"

I couldn't help but smile slightly as I pushed my legs to make myself go as high as her. "There's a first for everything right?"

"That's the spirit!" She laughed.

After pushing myself a few more times we were swinging in sync, at the same height. "Ready?" She asked.

I breathed out. "Yeah."

"One."

I braced myself, hooking my right arm in front of the chain.

"Two."

I looked at her, her red hair covering her face from the wind force. "Three."

We both swung to the top and I pushed myself off the swing, smiling as I hit the padded ground about two feet away from the swingset, I couldn't help but let my smile grow when she landed next to me with a thud.

"You alright?" I asked.

She laughed, pulling her hair from covering her eyes. "Yeah, you?"

I nod and look up at the sky. Although it was a perfect summer day, no one was at the park. The odd old couple would walk by every now and then but other than that it was silent, peaceful.

"I really want to know why there's no one at the park." She said.

I frowned, "I'm glad I'm not the only one who realized because it is slightly worrying giving that it's hot and sunny."

"Maybe everyone died."

I laughed. "Apocalypse."

"Imagine if you were the only person living." She wondered.

I stayed silent, not knowing what to say.

"I'd hate it." She said quietly.

I looked at her, her green eyes twinkling in the sun. "So would I." I muttered.

She cleared her throat and stood up. 

 "Come on." She said, outstretching her  hand to help me up.

I took it and she pulled me up, "What?"

"Let's go for a walk." She smiled.

I stuck my hands in my jean pockets as we began to walk towards the wood at the back of the park. 

"So tell me about yourself." 

I looked at her before looking down at my feet, kicking the soil beneath me. "Well, I like music."

She stayed silent. 

"I write a lot of songs."

She stayed silent which made me frown, however, I just continued.

"I like apples, I'm socially awkward, I like cheddar cheese and my favourite colour is baby blue."

"They were probably some of the most random facts someone has ever told me." She laughed.

I smiled and looked down. "So you write songs huh?"

I nod and look up, straight ahead. "Yeah. It's my escape from the real world."

"What makes you want to escape?" She asked, pursing her lips.

"Everything." I muttered.

"Want to see my escape?" She asked.

I smiled. "Sure."

She took my hand and entwined our fingers before leading me up a flight of pebbled stairs leading to a field which had various flowers scattered around it in little groups.

She lead me up to a sycamore tree before sitting down on the grass at the bottom of the trunk.

"This is your escape?" I asked, looked around the field.

She nods and pats the space next to her. "Family life at home has been pretty hectic since we moved."

"Where did you move from?" I asked.

"Cornwall."

"Woah, big change." 

She nods and tucks her her red hair behind her ears. "Tell me about it." She scoffed.

"Why?"

"What other reason other than my dad being promoted."

I smirked. "What?" She asked, smiling and obviously catching my smirk.

"How cliché is that?"

She laughed. "You have no idea how much that occurred to me when I boarded the plane."

I laughed and looked at her. "But, I guess it's a good thing." I muttered.

She looked at me and smiled. "I know." She whispered.

I looked away, feeling the uprising of heat feature on my cheeks. "So what are you afraid of?"

I frowned at the floor. "The usual, spiders-"

"No. I mean what really scares you Calum? You were too scared to talk to me, you weren't going to call. Why?"

"What makes you so sure I wasn't going to call?"

"I'm exactly like you Calum. I let people come to me."

I looked at her, she was braiding a bit of her hair. "I called in the end though."

She looked at me. "You're scared of rejection."

I shook my head. "I'm scared of commitment."

"Why?"

"It always ends in heartbreak."

She laughed through her nose and picked a flower from the ground. "What makes you think it always ends in heartbreak?"

"Because that's the way my mind works."

"Someday, someone will prove you wrong."

"Good luck to them."

I could feel her gaze on me. "You're a very stubborn person aren't you?"

I scratched the palm of my hand. "Yes."

"I think for one day right, just one day," She shifted her body to look at me. "Let go. Completely lose control."

I looked at her. "Once you lose control it's hard to regain it."

"Well since you're a very stubborn person I find it very liberating that you're actually considering it."

"Who said I was considering it?"

She smirked. "Your eyes. They lit up at the thought of being free from your fears."

I sighed and shook my head. "You're a tough girl."

She smiled slightly. "What do you mean?"

"You're brave. I'm not."

She stood up. "Come on."

I stood up and brushed the dirt off of my bum. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see." She smiled.

☆

I know this is short and all but I sort of wanted to start the story off slow before I went into loads of detail with what happens with India and Calum.

Also, I just want to say that I know Calum is probably nothing like this but just go with it yeah? Haha.

+ I hope the story isn't that confusing as well. It's literally not that hard to understand if you're following properly. Sorry. It will become more clear as the story goes on. 

Last thing - exams are pretty hectic around this time so updates are slow and stuff but I'm having an operation this week so hopefully with my time off I can update a couple of times.

I ALSO WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE SUPPORT ALREADY. I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH. :)

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