Right Now

8.

I walk into the school building in a wonderful mood. Mainly because I'm early and because maybe Calum and I can actually get along now.

I open my locker and put my bag neatly inside and I shut it, facing a glaring Gorgy and a worried Ashton. "Where did you go last night?" She asks me with her hands on her hips.

"I walked home." I say and crossed my arms.

"Liar." She says and crosses her arms.

"I am not." I say and frown. Never really been too mad at my best friends, but right now I am pissed.

"I know you weren't at home. I called your mom." She says and I gasp.

"What! You called my mom? What the hell did you do that for, what did you say?" I ask her and I feel my chest tighten.

"I asked her if you were there because you disappeared off that face of the planet. Emily, where did you go?" She asks.

"Clearly it doesn't matter, I'm gonna die when I get home." I say. I see Luke, Michael, and Calum walking toward us and she steps in front of me to train my attention back to her

"Who'd you go home with? Did you finally get laid?" She asks with a growing smile.

"No, I didn't." I say and scowl. The trio stops beside us and I cross my arms.

"Where then?" Ashton asks with a worried tone.

Calum rolls his eyes. "She went home with me." He says and leans on the lockers. "She was mad because you people forgot her. She spent the night at my house."

Ashton looks over at me with a dark expression in his eyes and he squints. "Did you guys... "

"I slept in the floor, big guy," Calum says and stands up straight. "Don't worry, I didn't steal your girlfriend. But, it wouldn't be too hard, I probably could. Would you even notice past the blonde you took home?" Calum asks in a taunting and questioning tone. His entire attitude changing from the one I saw last night back to his usual one.

"Fuck you. She's a grown ass girl, she should be able to take care of herself." Ashton says harshly and leaves as he pushes past us.

"I'm not his girlfriend." I say and I frown.

"Tell him that, because clearly he doesn't know." Calum says.

"Don't be rude, Calum." I say and he goes to protest, but I stop him. "You were being a dick."

"Whatever. Next time find another place to crash. yeah?" He says harshly and I sigh.

***

I sit in my lab spot and I doodle in my notebook. I'm dreading Calum coming to class, I didn't want to see him. As I think this, the door opens and he walks in, slowly walking over and sitting next to me. He doesn't say anything and neither do I. He leaves me speechless, I don't ever know what to do.

As the tardy bell rings, the teacher shut the lights off and puts on a film. I lay my head down on the table and close my eyes. 

A few minutes later, when I had finally drowned out the animals sounds from the film and the soft whispers from my classmates, I feel poking on my forehead. I slowly peel open my eyes and see Calum is eye level with me. His head laying down on the table, too. "Did you not sleep good last night?" He asks me and I shrug.

"I did. I'm just sleepy now." I mumble and close my eyes again. I thought he was mad at me? I flinch when I feel him elbow me.

"Lift your head up." He says and I do, opening my eyes. He lays his hoodie down and I smile softly, putting my arms under the hoodie and laying my cheek against the soft fabric. I notice he is wearing a blue shirt.

"That's two, now." I say.

"I'm gonna need that one back, though." He says.

"I dunno," I mumble. "I kinda like this one." 

"Can I get the other one, then?" He asks.

"No, you can have this one back later." I mumble and close my eyes.

I sit at the lunch table and we are all quiet. ''Are you mad at me?" Ashton asks me and I frown, shaking my head. "Are you sure?"

"I'm not mad." I say, even though I am a little mad. "Did you really call my mom?" I ask Gorgy, who seems a little sad, or worried, her boyfriend didn't show up today.

"Yeah." She says nervously. "She didn't sound upset."

"Of course she didn't." I mutter, and cross my arms, laying my head on them. God, she is going to snuff out my existence from the planet when I get home.

"Hey, where'd you get the hoodie?" She asks me and I slowly being my eyes up.

"Long story." I say. I feel like I could die when the trio sits down at our table.

"Hey, we all chill now?" Luke asks and Ashton smiles, nodding. Ashton doesn't hold grudges, he moves on and forgives.

Calum, on the other hand, still looks annoyed. "Am I ever going to get that back?" He asks me, his eyebrows raised.

"After school. Leave me alone." I mumble into the sleeve, not looking up to make eye contact with anyone.

There is a loud crash behind me and I jump, turning to look. A freshmen girl is laying in the ground and all her stuff and her lunch is on the ground around her, the table of girls who tripped her smile brightly. Laughter erupts everywhere and I quickly stand and run to her. "Stop laughing!" I say loudly and they all slowly stop. "Come on, babe, stand up.'' I say softly and I help the girl up. She looks away, blinking she eyes plenty enough times for me to know she is going to cry.

I lead her out of the lunch room and as soon as we are out, she burst into tears. "It's alright, " I say. "Do you have any extra clothes?" I ask her and she shakes her head.

I lead her to my locker, but on the inside I have nothing. I take off the shirt I wear under the hoodie and I hand her the shirt.

"Thank you." She says and wipes her eyes. "At least it doesn't have spaghetti on it." She says with a small laugh.

"Don't let them bother you," I say to her. "They are all bitches anyway." I hate it when people are bullied, it made me feel awful.

"Thank you, again." She says. "I'll give the shirt back."

I nod and she goes to the bathroom and I go back to the cafeteria. I pick up her books and her backpack, setting them on a nearby table and a scrawny girl scrambles over to get them as I send glares to the table that did that to her.

I sit back at my table and Ashton, Gorgy, Luke and Michael don't look concerned. Calum looks confused. "Why did you help her?" He asks me and they look at him.

"Someone had to." I say and shrug.

"But, it's not your problem, so why should you?" He asks me and I shrug.

"Someone has to and it might as well be me. There's not enough kindness." I say. He doesn't say anything back but he smiles and leans on me, as if to say good job.