Cynical Romantics (Completed)

Chapter Nineteen

"We picked out a name for the band today" I tell Calum as we cuddle on his sofa.

"Are you going to tell me or should I guess?" he asks.

"Guess. It's a song from the best band ever" I hint at him.

"Ummm... Damned if I do ya?" he asks, knowing that it's my favourite song by All Time Low.

"Close, but no. It also features one of the best female singers" I say, knowing that it might be a stretch considering ATL has dueted with a few female singers.

"Backseat Serenade!" Calum exclaims excitedly.

"Yeah" I reply, smiling at the thought of my band.

"Your video was amazing. Maybe one day we can both be in famous bands and tour together" he says, being surprisingly serious.

"I feel like we wouldn't have the same fans. Your basically a pop band while my bands a lot heavier" I remind him, knowing how much he hates being called a pop band.

"Hey I'm just as punk rock as you!" he whines, making me burst into laughter.

"Calum you're basically a puppy! There's no way you're more punk rock than I am" I tell him, still dying from laughter.

"Whatever cuddle with someone else" Calum says as he gets off of the couch, but I know he's not really mad. He heads to the kitchen to refill his glass of water and I wrap my arms around his waist and rest my head on his back.

"You know you love me" I tell him with a smirk. Calum chuckles and finally turns around to face me.

"You know that girls asks guy dance is coming up in a few weeks" he randomly mentions. As if I didn't know. All the girls have been going ballistic over who they're going to ask, but to be honest it's not my scene. I don't do formal dances and I definitely do not do the whole 'getting a date for a dance' thing either.

"How could I not of heard of it?" I ask.

"Well yeah, Janea Webster asked me to it and I said yes" he tells me, looking down. I suddenly drop my hands from his sides. There's something in his demeanour that seems off, yet I can't put my finger on it. Calum shouldn't feel bad about not going with me. If I really wanted to go I would of asked him weeks ago.

"That sounds great if only you weren't going with the slutiest girl in school" I make sure to add. Although Janea doesn't sound like the name of a plastic girl, there is no girl faker than her. I will never be able to understand the attractiveness of being fake, but then again, being well liked in high school is overrated.

This girl practically sleeps with her hair in fake curls, fake eyelashes, and make up plastered on her face. I always wondered where girls got the time to do all of this considering I wake up 30 minutes before school starts. Those 30 minutes usually consist of me picking out whatever the fuck I see first in my closet, brushing my teeth and shit, then eating breakfast while waiting for Calum to show up to walk to school.

"She's nice at times" Calum defends her. Of course he would. He's the star soccer player, she's the cheerleading captain, a match made in heaven right? I'm actually really surprised they haven't dated before this.

"You're fine with this right? Cause we've never talked about us" Calum reminds me, as if it wasn't on my mind whenever we cuddled, or he'd kiss my cheek, or hold my hand.

"Why wouldn't I be fine? When it comes to our relationship there's nothing to talk about. Yeah we've kissed and stuff, but I like you being my best friend, I've never hand one of those, even when my parents were still around" I tell him. I guess I always tended to be alone, but it never took a huge toll on me, besides the whole depression and anxiety issue that only grew over the years.

"Good cause I don't think I could handle a committed relationship, but I'd never want to hurt you" he confesses. Again with another cliché. When does the most popular boy at school ever want a committed relationship? But it's also something we have in common.

"I think I might ask Michael to the dance" I tell him, thinking about how jealous Michael told me Calum gets when I'm with him. Calum's smile turns into a frown as he looks at me again.

"I thought you didn't like Michael" he states in confusion, trying to figure out where I'm coming from.

"He's still a close friend Cal, plus he likes me, so why not go with him?" I reply with a shrug even though the last thing I want to do is go to this cheesy Sadie Hawkins dance.

"Then I think you should do it" he says, although I swear I could cut the sexual tension with a knife. I know we both don't want to be in a committed relationship, especially with each other, but talking about other potential relationships is still awkward considering we've basically told each other our true feelings.

"Good. I'll ask him tomorrow" I tell him as I rummage through the drawers to make popcorn.

***

"Michael!" I ran out of breath to the blonde boy.

"Yea. Hey Alex, what's up?" he asks, shoving his hands into his pockets. Although Michael was the one who told me to go for Calum, I can tell that he's still trying to get used to the idea. We still talk, but not as much as before I told him I liked Calum.

"I was wondering if you'd like to go to the end of the year dance with me" I straight up tell him. By the looks of it, he's pretty shocked. Especially since I didn't write it on a poster board or on the top of a pizza lid like every other girl who has asked someone.

"Yeah I'd love to, but why didn't you ask Cal?" he asks.

"Cal and I are better as best friends. I mean we're both not ready for a committed relationship, you know?" I explain.

"Are you sure?" he asks again, making me chuckle.

"It really sounds like you don't want to go with me" I tell him.

"No I do, but I'm just a second choice since you're not going with Cal" he replies with a shrug.

"No you're not. If I wanted to go with Calum I would of asked him as soon as I found out about the dance. I'm not even sure if I want to go and that's why I asked you. I know if it's terrible we could at least go home and have fun doing nothing" I assure him. Being my closest friend aside from Calum, Michael knows that I'm being honest.

"Sounds like a plan" he says with a smile now plastered on his face. I wrap my arm around his as we continue walking to his locker.

"Any plans after school?" I ask, in hopes that Michael could come over. I haven't hung out with him in a while and I guess it made me realise that I'm spending too much time with Calum.

"Nothing at the moment, but it looks like a pretty girl's gonna ask me to come to her house" he cheekily says back with a wink.

"Oh then looks like I should be going" I sarcastically mess with him, pretending to walk away, only to be pulled back by a strong arm.

"I'm talking about you Lex" he says once we're face to face. I break out a smile, finally getting used to his nickname for me.

"Good cause that would've been awkward" I tell him as we walk hand and hand to Calum's locker before walking home.

Calum wasn't getting his things from his locker. As soon as he comes into view I see him kissing a girl against it. She's in my English class. I'm pretty sure her name's Darcy, but she's one of those girls who never participates in discussions.

"Hey Cal should we head home or do you want us to wait as you swap saliva?" I ask rudly, but in a best friend manner. Calum smirks against the girls lips as he turns towards me.

"I'm actually heading to Darcy's house now so you can go without me. Wait did you say we?" he asks, now looking at Michael and I with our fingers interlocked.

"Yeah I asked him to the dance and now we're just going to hang" I explain with a shrug, even though I know Calum would get jealous.

"Okay. Have fun, I'll see you in the morning" Calum says before planting a kiss on my check then turning towards Darcy.