"How did you even get that high of a score?" I asked, my eyes wide as I leaned over the arcade game Calum was now playing.
He shrugged. "Beginner's luck, I guess."
"You can't tell me that you haven't played this at least once before," I crossed my arms, trying to call him out. We were at the bowling alley/arcade in town and I had been mesmerized by the way he was beating every single game he played.
He threw back his head and groaned as he finally lost the pinball game he was on. "Fine. Ash and I used to come here a bunch when we first moved."
"Is something going on between you guys?"
Calum collected his tickets and pocketed them. "I don't know. He just seems preoccupied with Ellie which is fine because that gives me more time to spend with you." He flashed me a smile and I couldn't keep myself from melting.
I laced my fingers with his as we walked up to the prize counter. "You guys just seemed closer before we got together and I feel like it has something to do with me."
"No, Madison. It's not you," he squeezed my hand. "Now. What prize do you want?"
"Hmm," I searched the large selection in front of me and decided on a stuffed monkey, a bouncy ball and some candy.
"Good choices," Calum commented on our way out. The stereo was loud with Chris Brown when we got into his Honda and he quickly turned it down some. "I guess we were partying on the way here," he said with a laugh. "So I was going to ask you something and you can say no if you want. I would totally understand."
I had no idea what he was going to say and it made me somewhat nervous. We were already together so it wasn't to be his girlfriend. "Ok," I nodded.
"So my parents are going to this like fundraiser thing for my dad's company on Saturday. It's like a fancy party thing and I was wondering if you would be my date. Ashton and Ellie are going too, I think."
"Are you sure you want me to go to that?" I blinked at him.
"Why wouldn't I? You're my girlfriend, Madison." He turned to look at me as he pulled to a stop at a red light.
I shrugged. "I don't know. I just don't think I'm the type to go to those kind of things and I don't have anything to wear," I told him honestly. I didn't own a single dress or skirt and I had the feeling this party was going to filled with snobby rich people (not including Calum).
"What do you mean those kind of things? It's a fundraiser, Madison," Calum's voice had risen to an angry tone.
"I just mean that do you really want to bring me because I'm a cancer patient?" I rushed out my question in whisper as I looked down at my hands folded in my lap. Calum pulled to the side of the road and put on his hazard lights. "What are you doing? You can't do this, Calum!"
"I can do whatever I want," his voice was calm now as he turned to face me. He wiped the tear that started to fall down my cheek with him thumb, goosebumps forming on my skin from his touch. "Don't ever think you aren't wanted because of your cancer, ok?" He held my face in both of his hands now. "I wouldn't want to be at that fundraiser with anyone else and if you don't have a dress, we'll go and get one."
I nodded, my face still in his hands. "Thank you," I whispered.
"For what, Madison?" He cocked his head to the side.
"Making me feel special." I closed my eyes because I was somewhat embarrassed at the words I was saying.
"You deserve nothing less. Now will you go to this party and make it more bearable for me?"
"I'd love to," I told him, reopening my eyes to find his face centimeters from mine. Then he attached his lips to mine.
**********
"Ok he definitely likes you, Mads," Luke commented after Calum walked out of the chemo room.
I laughed. I hadn't told him and Michael about my relationship with Calum yet. The last time we talked about Calum I told them what he said about not wanting to get involved because of my cancer and they offered to kick his butt. I bet they noticed how we acted differently around each other now. "You're ridiculous, Luke."
"No he isn't. Did you see the way nurse boy checked you out?"
"Michael! He did not check me out," I discounted. "Do you see me right now? I'm hooked up to tubes and dressed in sweats."
"You still look good though," he shrugged.
"Oh my god," I shook my head at their ridiculousness. "If I tell you something you have to promise you won't make a big deal about it."
"You're fucking nurse boy?" Michael suggested. My eyes widened at his word choice.
"Oh my god, Mads! It's true," Luke interjected before I could say anything.
"No. That's not true. I am not doing that, but we are together."
"Why would you keep this from us?" Luke asked, pretending to be seriously offended.
"I don't know. I just wanted to be sure it was going to last longer than a day or two, I guess."
"Now we need to find us girlfriends," Michael said, slumping down in his chair.
I laughed. "Weren't you with that one girl?"
"Ehh, she broke up with me when she found out about the cancer," he shrugged.
I shook my head, "it's a cruel world."
"Yeah, but at least we'll always have each other," Luke smiled and we all nodded.
hi(: kind of a filler chapter, but I really like how it turned out. please vote and comment xx zoe
