Cynical Romantics (Completed)

Chapter Twelve

"What's your fucking problem?" I ask Calum as soon as we are alone making popcorn for the movie as Ashton, who arrived later, and Michael talk in the living room.

"Excuse me?" he asks, taken aback by my sudden change in disposition.

"You fucking kiss me and act as if nothing fucking happened?" I tell him, moving my arms for emphasis.

"Well maybe it's because right after you didn't say a word and then started snogging Michael right in front of me!" he yells back, pointing to where Michael lies behind the wall.

"You didn't say anything either! I don't know what game you're playing Calum but I'm not playing along" I yell as I grab the microwave popcorn and walk into the living room.

I hear Calum let out a mix between a sigh and a 'urg!' before walking behind me and sitting down next to me. Michael sits on the other side of me, grabbing the hot popcorn as Ashton slides the movie in the DVD player.

"What movie are we watchin'?" I ask as the adds start playing.

"The woman in black" Ashton replies with a smirk.

"Shit" I accidentally say outload, causing them all the giggle.

"It's ok Lex, I'm here" Michael says, using his nickname for my nickname, as he grabs my hand to hold.

I nod and look over a Calum who seemed unaffected by Michael's words. I knew it. If he liked me, he'd at least show the tiniest bit of jealousy, instead he was talking to Ashton who sat beside him.

"Okay, be quiet now it's starting!" Michael says as he presses play.

I immediately feel scared by the kids in the movie and hug my legs to my chest for support. I refuse, and I repeat, refuse to give in and cuddle with Michael from my cowardliness. I'm not going to be that girl. I jolt from the next scary event and feel Calum chuckle beside me as he puts his arm around me for support.

I leave it there and even slightly lean on him since we are all squished on the sofa, but Michael still has a firm grip on my hand. After I felt a little better, I take Calum's arm and literally move it from around me.

"I was just trying to be nice" he mumbles, just loud enough for me to hear.

"I told you I'm not going to play along" I whisper in his ear so they don't hear as well.

"I'm not playing some game Alex!" he whisper yells in my ear.

"Then what the fuck happened earlier!" I mimic his tone.

"Guys! Whatever you're talking about can wait till the end of the movie!" Ashton yells at us as he throws the pillow he was sitting on at us.

We all go back to watching the movie, but I have to admit, I'm a fucking wuss when it comes to scary movies. Michael soon lets go of my hand, making me feel more exposed to everything going on. As the woman appears again I slightly jump, grab onto Calum, and hide my head in his chest. I feel his warm chest moving up and down quickly, well I'm glad this is so amusing to him! Ah sarcasm. I look up at him and see him smiling down at me. He raises his eyebrows in question and I roll my eyes and physically lift his arm up to wrap around me. Well before I did say I wouldn't cuddle with Michael from my cowardliness right?

As soon as the next scary part happens, I hide my head in Calum's chest and Calum hides behind my hair.

"Wimps" I hear Ashton say from the end. I look over at Michael and see that he's really into the movie, although he looks pretty scared to. I wrap my arms around Calum's waist and see that he's still looking at me. I remove one hand to tilt his chin up and continue watching the movie before placing it around his waist once again. He chuckles and starts playing with my hair with one hand as the other still lies around me. I'm not even that scared anymore, it felt manageable, it felt safe. Wait what? Safe? I shake the feeling and continue watching.

The movie soon ends and now it's time for me to go home. You know the home next the door where I could be murdered on my way or haunted by a ghost in my room since I have no clue if anyone has died there? Yeah, that home.

"Hey do you want to sleep over here like the boys?" Calum asks, making me realize I'm still on his chest with our arms around each other. I quickly get off and brush it off as if it never happened.

"Are you sure?" I ask, even though I'm sure I don't want to go back to my place.

"Positive. We can all sleep in the living room so you don't get scared" Ashton tells me with a wink.

"Thanks" I say, a bit too harshly at Ashton.

"Here we'll go up to my room and find something for you to wear" Calum offers, even though he does have a sister. Well I guess cause she's gone, she'd hate for him to go through her stuff without permission.

"So what's this game you think I'm playing?" he asks once we're alone in his room.

"I'm not too sure, but there has to be something. You wouldn't willingly kiss me for no reason" I point out.

"Well what is the usual reason someone kisses another person?" he rhetorically asks.

"Yeah but you don't like me in that way. I've been nothing but a bitch to you ever since I arrived" I tell him.

"Why is it so hard for you to accept that someone likes you? I've seen how you act with Michael and even though he's making it plain as day that he likes you and wants to be with you, you still act as if it's not true!" he points out.

"So you kissed me because of Michael?" I ask, shocked.

"Wait what? No! I kissed you because I was caught up in the moment" he finally admits.

"So you don't like me" I conclude.

"I never said that" he mumbles in a voice just above a whisper.

"You don't like me Calum. You like that I'm a challenge. If I suddenly start opening up to you, all those feelings will go away! You don't know me." I mention, knowing it's true. I've watched way too many TV shows to know that this is a harsh fact.

"It's not like that Alex. I've seen two sides of you, the tough side, and the sweet, sensitive side. I love both, but I want to get to know the real you" he explains, sitting next to me and taking my hand in his. I roughly pull away and stand up from his bed.

"This is the real me Calum. And I'm sorry but I can't develop those kind of feelings for anyone." I remind him as well as myself.

"Why not?" he pesters.

"Because there's no point. There's no such thing as love, there will always be someone better. No one will ever see me as the girl of their dreams. I don't want to waste my time with it" I tell him. He sighs in response as he passes me his navy blue sweatpants and black shirt to sleep in. "Thanks" I mumble out as I walk past him to the bathroom to put on the clothes.