stranger \\ cth

"this is our story."

"baby?" he said, eyes scanning over her every feature, his arm wrapped around her waist and their legs intertwined in an impossible knot. his head felt heavy against his pillow.

she tossed sightly in their bed, eyes heavy and tired. she let out a soft and content sigh. "mhm?"

"i really am sorry."

she sighed, rubbing her sore eyes before sitting up. "calum thomas," she said, sternly.

"i know, i know" he smiles gently, "you hate it when i apologize. i know."

"then baby why do you keep doing it?" ella shook her head. she would never figure this boy out. "you know i'll always forgive you. and quit acting like it was solely your fault." she placed her hand on his neck, just below the jaw. their foreheads touched. "you don't have to be sorry anymore."

"i know, i just can't help it. i can't bear to ever lose you again." he admitted.

"fuck hood," her lips jetting out to his cheek, kissing them softly before she adjusted her body and rested her head against his chest. "what makes you think i'm ever going to leave?"

"i don't know, i guess i just can't help but assume the worst. assume that somehow i'm going to screw this up again. screw you up." he placed one hand on her head and ran his fingers though her hair.

it has been several months since their first kiss. and even longer since their fight. and their first text message felt like an eternity ago to calum.

the two were inseparable. ella had managed to wrap up her final year at uni, and was taking online classes to get the remaining credits. calum was in full swing balancing mode, as five seconds of summer had released their third album, and he had the most amazing girl by his side. ella ended up coming with the band for the remaining part of the tour (and bree and somehow managed to tag along as well), and when it was over, the two returned to sydney. back to where it all started.

"well if you screw me up, i might just have to screw you over with me. then we can be screwed up together," ella giggled, kissing him.

calum smilied, eyes full of adoration for the girl that had his heart. "mmmmm. i like the sound of that."

-

"are you happy?"

"every single time i see him, it's like i just float straight up and nothing can bring me down. he brings out the best in me without even trying." ella sighed, happy. "connor, i love him."

connor's heart beat for his sister. she had been through so much. too much. she had felt pain and hurt and betrayal, and calum had delivered to her the one thing she needed most: stability. she needed a constant in her life. she needed someone to be there for her, and who would never leave. connor could only hope that calum was there to stay. he wasn't sure if he could handle picking up the broken pieces of his sister that calum would leave behind, if he were ever to abandon ella.

"i just don't want this to be like last time," connor sighed, running his fingers through ella's hair.

"it's not. cal would never hurt me like jonas did."

connor cringed at the mention of that name. jonas was a bad guy. ella met him at her first year at uni. she was vulnerable and innocent and jonas tore every thread of purity away from her.