Right Now

44

I hang up the streamers for the auction and smile at Calum, who is so busy. He is sitting in a chair watching me while eating a bag of chips. Busy, right?

"This one over here is kinda low, baby." He says and points off to the side with a smirk. I groan and sit at the top of my ladder.

"Maybe if I had a big strong boyfriend to help me, this wouldn't be happening." I say and smile.

"I swear to God, Hood, you are the laziest man I've ever come across." Ashton says and he fixes the side Calum pointed to. Ashton and I are speaking again, but it's a little awkward. He never explained what he said at my door and I didn't ask.

"Take your shirt off!" He calls over to Ashton, who turns around with a seductive look, raising the edge of his shirt up to reveal his chest.

"Quit messing around!" Whitney calls as she drops a box on the ground.

"Yes, your highness." Ashton says and she scowls. I hear the door open as I go to pin the last of the streamers up.

"Hey, we haven't set up yet, come back in a couple hours." Whitney says.

"I'm here to see a couple friends." The voice says and everything moves in slow motion. Ashton darkly saying his name, me turning to fast in the ladder. I nearly fall and I scream.

"Emily, be careful!" Calum says as he steadies the ladder and I put my hands on the wall, not looking down.

"Stay exactly where you're at." Ashton warns me, pointing a finger at me. 

"I-I see who it is." I say, still not looking down. I quickly crawl down the ladder and stand beside Calum, trying to find an out from the situation. My head was spinning and Ashton had taken a stance in front of us

"Well, you gonna give an old friend a hug?" Laiken asks me with that same old twisted look in his eyes. The one he always had. The dead eyes, the cruel curl to his smile. It made me want to puke,

"Dude." Ashton says as he stares at him.

"No, actually, I have things to do. I have check in with my mom and I'll see you all later." I force the words out and quickly walk to the door.

"I'll be looking for you later, Emily. It was good to see you!" Laiken calls after me and I bolt outside with Calum and Ashton calling after me.

Calum

I knew something was wrong the minute the guy stepped in the door. She was fine until he spoke to her, and I want to know why. Ashton didn't seem happy to see him. Whitney looked over at me and I knew she felt the tension, too. I wish someone would explain shit to me.

"What are you doing down here?" Ashton asks him.

"I figured I'd stop by the auction thing. My friend told me about it." He says.

"You should leave."

"We both know I won't be doing that. Our girl just had her big day."

"Our girl, what the fuck?" I frown and glare at the dude. "Who are you?" A couple other people walk in the door. Charlie, Gorgy and some others, carrying boxes. Gorgy does the same things Emily does. She drops the box, fumbles with some words and then walks out. Charlie doesn't say a word but the two boys make eye contact but the look isn't pleasing.

"What the hell is going in here? What is wrong with all of you guys." Whitney asks and turns to Laiken, who only smiles.

"Nothing, I'll see you guys later." He says, who calmly walks out the door

"Is anyone else uncomfortable. or is that just me?" I ask and Whitney nods.

Emily

I walk into the cafeteria and I spot Luke and Michael standing where I told them to meet me. They both sit at the table as soon as I near them. "Let's make a deal and that deal stays between us, got it?" I say and they both nod. "There is gonna be a guy there. Looks a lot like the devil, do not let him buy me. One of you buy me, but I swear to God, don't let him buy me. And you can't tell Calum." I say.