Cynical Romantics (Completed)

Chapter Sixteen

After eating dinner Michael drops me of at home and bids me goodnight.

"So..." Karen asks. The minute she heard the door open, she dashes to meet me, waiting for Michael to give me a kiss on the cheek then leave.

"I think I like Calum!" I say excitedly, causing her to hug me in response.

"I'm so glad. He's such a good boy" she tells me for what seems like the millionth time.

"Yeah. I'm going to go get ready for bed now" I tell her as I head upstairs.

"What about Calum?!" she asks as she runs toward the staircase I'm at.

"I'll talk to him when we walk to school" I tell her, amused at how she's more excited by this 'crush' than I am.

"Okay! I'll check back on you tomorrow!" she adds as I walk in my room.

After showering and getting ready for bed, Karen calls me from downstairs.

"What's up?" I ask once I see her at the end of the staircase again.

"You have someone to see you at the door!" she says excitedly, making me instantly know who's there. I run down the stairs, but take a second to calm myself down before approaching him.

"What are you doing here?" I ask as if I'm annoyed at him, when in reality I'm as giddy as a schoolgirl. I hear Karen laugh in the background before heading back to her study to write.

"I'm here... to say... well like..." he mumbles.

"Gosh Calum spit it out!" I yell.

Calum takes a deep breath before continuing. "I don't know what's up with you and Michael... and like I thought we had a cute moment and stuff when you slept over and like I really like you... I know you don't like-" he says before I cut him off with a kiss, similar to what he did at the sleepover, but this time it lasts longer. At first he's shocked, but his hands soon find their way around my waist as mine do the same.

"Took you long enough" I whisper against his lips.

"What?" he asks, taken aback from the kiss.

"I haven't trusted someone as much as I trust you and that's something I can't let go. I used to be scared of getting close to someone, but you changed that" I finally telling him, letting him know what a big influence he's had on my life in such a short amount of time.

"I'm glad I can be here for you. You deserve to have someone to trust, someone you can love, and I'll try my best to be that person for you" he tells me as he holds both my hands.

"Do you want to come in? I know we have school tomorrow, but you can sleep over" I tell him, remembering Karen's suggestion.

"Sure" he replies with a smile. He grabs my hand as we walk upstairs, sending jolts across my body. Is this what it's supposed to feel like when you like someone? "You like me right?" he asks once we enter my room, causing me to erupt in laughter.

"Did that kiss just fly over your head?" I ask in between my laughs.

"You can't blame me for wondering, the last time we kissed you ended up going on a date with Michael!" he defends himself. "Where is Michael anyway?" he asks.

"He's at home. He said he noticed how I didn't like him and then I told him about you" I explain.

"I'm pretty sure my best mate already knows about me" he says sarcastically.

"No, now he knows that I have these weird feelings around you?" I say, unintentionally making it sound more like a question while trying to find the right words to say. Let's just say words are not my friends.

"Weird feelings?" he asks.

"You know, like when you have the urge to throw up and punch a wall just from thinking about that person?" I try to verbalize.

"That's probably one of the most original yet strangest analogy I've ever heard for liking someone. It sounds like you hate me!" he says while laughing at my inability to express how I feel.

"Shut up! I'm glad you find so much amusement from my analogies!" I yell as I grab the closest pillow to hit him with.

"Sorry, but it's cute" he admits as we sit on my bed.

"No it's not. It makes me look stupid" I groan, suddenly remembering the most embarrassing things I've said to people. I swear I'm better off being alone and secluded than trying to form a sentence after a long conversation.

"I don't find you stupid, especially considering all the honors classes you take" he says in attempt to comfort me. I shrug and pretend to brush it off as nothing, though it's one of my most ashamed habits.

"So did you just come over to tell me you didn't want me around Michael?" I ask, remembering bits of what he was trying to say when he arrived.

"No. I came to tell you that I'm always going to be here for you, whether you're with me or Michael" he informs me, reaching over to hold my hand.

"Honestly, I don't even know if I can be with anyone. I know I have nothing to fear, but stuff like that hasn't even crossed my mind ever since my mom died" I confess.

"I understand, and don't feel like I'm forcing you to do anything you don't want. But know that I'll be here for you and would love to have the opportunity to become your friend before I win your heart" he says, adding a wink at his last statement.

"I'd love that."