Sweater Weather ~ Calum Hood

•7•Won't touch a drop•

-Calum-

"That was amazing!" Ebony cheered as we finished singing 'End up Here', which was the last of the songs that we had chosen to play at the gig tonight.
"Tonight's gonna be amazing!" Michael shouted.
"It really is" Ashton agreed. "Speaking of, Ebony why don't you come along?" He suggested. Michael scoffed but I ignored him as I looked at her with hope in my eyes, praying she would accept.
"Oh, I mean are you sure?" She stuttered.
"Of course I am, Or I wouldn't have asked" Ashton chuckled.
"Pleaaaseee" I begged, pouting. She looked at me with a sparkle in her eyes, and slightly smiled as she shrugged her shoulders.
"Why not?"
"Great" Michael huffed under his breath. I wondered what had caused him to act such a way, and immediately made the mental note to talk to him about it soon.

We all began to leave, as Luke's mum would be back soon.
"I'll walk you home" I offered Ebony and she vigorously shook her head.
"Yes" I chuckled.
"No Calum, you can't, I mean I'm not going home" she said causing me to look at her confusedly.
"What?"
"I mean, I need to go to the shop first" she spoke with uncertainty, and so I knew she was trying to cover something up.
"Okay, well I need to go to the corner shop anyway to meet my Mum there, you can come with me?" I suggested and she nodded.

-Ebony-

Taking Calum home with me would be a bad idea considering some of my Mum's 'friends' were probably already there. In a way, Ashton saved time tonight, because otherwise I would have no where to go whilst my Mum has her 'party'. Plus, the pout on Calum's fave was too adorable to ignore when he begged me to go.

"Here we are" Calum said as we stopped outside the shop. I entered the building with Calum trailing behind and I immediately noticed Joy working at the till serving a customer.
"Joy!" I shouted without thinking. She looked at me and waved.
"Please may I talk to you?" I needed a cover up to make Calum think I really did need to come here, but all he did was look at me like I was crazy.

Joy finished putting the money into the till and walked over to Calum and I.
"Hi Mum" Calum greeted the woman and she embraced him into a hug. I stood there in shock, Mum?

I should have seen it before really, they both share the same beautiful brown orbs, and the pair also both have dark dark hair, and the same shaped features upon their magnificent faces.

"Hey guys, I didn't know you knew Ebony Calum" Joy smiled at her apparent son.
"Yeeeah,  we go to the same school" he looked at me and frowned. "How do you two know each other?" He asked still seeming as confused as ever.
"Oh Ebony is my number one customer" she winked at me, and I was forever grateful that she didn't mention the actual reason I always came here.
"I- I have to go" I stuttered and began to walk away.
"Wait, I thought you wanted to talk to me?" Joy stopped me by putting her hand on my wrist, and I immediately flinched, just like I did when Calum touched me.
"It doesn't matter anymore" I pulled my arm away from her looking down at my feet.
"Ebony" she dragged out my name, just like my mother used to when I was younger. I stared into her eyes, and tried not to let the tears fall out of my eyes, Joy seemed to sense my upset, as she pulled me to one side and told Calum to go home.
"Go see if your father is home, and take these with you" she pointed towards some boxes over on the left side of the store, and Calum did as he was told, still wearing a confused expression upon his poor face.

"What's the matter dear?" Joy set a hot cup of tea in front of me as I shuffled on the blue chair that was placed inside of the back room. Joy had asked someone to cover for 10 minutes whilst she talked to me.
"I'm fine Joy, really" I lied, taking a first sip of the beverage in front of me. The warm liquid oozed it's way down my throat and warmed up my whole body as it traveled into my stomach.
"No you aren't, I saw the troubled look in your eyes, what's bothering you?" Calum's Mum would make an excellent interrogator, and I hated her for that. I let out a huge sigh. If I told Joy, then someone would know, and I vowed never to tell anyone about it, ever. However Joy's kind eyes were reeling me in, and making me think that maybe someone did care after all.
"Look you don't have to tell me now okay? But just know that you can" she gave me a hug, and it was one of the best hugs I'd ever gotten from somebody.
"Thankyou" I said as salty liquid began pouring from my eyes.
"It's okay, don't cry" she squeezed me tighter and I also wrapped my arms around the kind lady. It wasn't that I was upset anymore, I just wasn't used to someone showing such kindness towards me, and if they did I usually shoved it away. But not Joy.