never again | calum hood

seven

"We should write about love at first sight!" Natalie squealed.

"But I've never felt that", I said quickly.

"You sure?" She blinked a few times.

"Um, yeah. I'm positive", I answered and she shrugged. We had been working, or at least trying to, on our English assignment for at least an hour, but we couldn't figure out what we were going to write about so the page was still blank.

Mr. Langdon had told us to write about "how we felt", and at first I wanted to write about my still unclear feelings for Adelaide - without saying her name, of course - but it'd be completely inappropriate and rude to write about something that Natalie didn't care about.

"Why did he made us write about this? It's impossible for two people to feel the same way at the same time", I complained.

"Not if they're somehow, you know, connected", Natalie shrugged.

"I don't think that's the case", I muttered, and then felt terrible about it. Natalie looked extremely offended by my comment, and I felt like a jerk, she was just trying to make this work so we could actually write about something and I was acting like a complete asshole. "I'm sorry", I sighed.

"It's fine", she plainly said.

We stayed quiet for what felt like hours, until she finally spoke again.

"What do you see in her?" She asked.

"In who?" Of course I knew who she was talking about, but I wasn't just gonna spill it out.

"In Elizabeth", she rolled her eyes. "In Adelaide, you idiot."

"Oh", I said and she motioned for me to continue talking. "I honestly don't know what you're talking ab-"

"Oh, c'mon. Everyone notices it, Calum", she snapped.

"There's nothing to notice", I said awkwardly. I was staring to get really nervous, and maybe upset, I didn't like the idea of people thinking, and maybe talking, about my possible feelings for Adelaide when not even I knew what they were.

Natalie put her hand on my leg. "You know", she started, "I don't think she'd be right for you", I felt the urge to get out of my room and run. "You should find someone more your type, and then you could forget about her", she started moving her hand up my thigh and I stopped it grabbing her arm. "I could help you with that".

Wait, what the fuck? Girls had never come throw themselves on me often, this was weird as shit.

"Natalie, what are you doing?" I asked quickly.

"Why don't you just forget about her for a few minutes?" She pressed further, she leaned closer to me, only making me try to get as far as the bed would let me. Awesome idea, Calum. Working on your bed.

"Natalie, we should really start our paper", I let out a short laugh and awkwardly tried to stand up from the bed, but she got closer and somehow managed to sit on my lap, one leg on each side of me. "Natalie, get off, please", I said.

"No", she giggled. "Are you seriously gonna turn down this?" She looked down at my lap and smirked, giving me chills, not the good kind. She started kissing my neck harshly, running her hands through my torso, and I just stayed still, my hands as far from her body as possible. I really didn't like what was happening, and I probably should have, because that's what every seventeen year old boy wants, but I didn't want it, I didn't want it from her.

"Natalie", I pushed her shoulders as softly as I could, but she just grabbed my hands and moved them down her sides, until they were resting on her waist.

"C'mon, Calum. Just let go", she said with her lips still on my neck. She moved her lips down to my collar bone and I had to bite my lip to stop myself from moaning, not because I was enjoying the whole situation but because that was kind of my weak spot. It wasn't my fault.

"Okay, enough", I tried again, but she just kept kissing me, she kissed my jaw once and then pressed her lips to mine. I didn't even have time to react when the door bursted open.

"We brought sushi!" Luke yelled, and I felt something hit the floor. I looked at the door and saw Adelaide standing right beside him, both of them looking completely startled. Maybe even disgusted.

Natalie got off of me and fixed her hair quickly, a huge grin on her face, as if she was proud of Luke and Adelaide finding us like that. Of course she was proud, she was probably hoping for this to happen.

"Oh God", Luke said after a while.

"Hi guys!" Natalie gushed but no one replied.

Silence filled the room, I looked down and saw at least fifty rolls of sushi spread on the floor, I looked at Luke who was completely horrified, he made a few faces at me, probably trying to tell me something, but I couldn't understand anything.

"Uh", Adelaide spoke first. "I think I need to go", she turned around and I heard her going downstairs, I got up quickly from the bed and reached her right before she closed the door.

"Adelaide", I said nervously.

She turned around and I couldn't figure out the look on her face, she seemed a bit disappointed and mad, and maybe even sad.

"I'm sorry", I said, I wasn't sure what I was apologizing for, but it felt like the right thing to say.

"There's nothing to be sorry about", she shook her head quickly. "We should've knocked first, it was our fault, I'm sorry we ruined the moment".

"No, no, no, I didn't want it to happen in the first place", I began. "Natalie literally-"

"Calum, you don't need to explain anything", she smiled a little, but it didn't seem real. "We're friends, remember? I've got a boyfriend".

And it was true, I didn't have to explain, Adelaide and I were absolutely nothing, I could make out with any girl that I wanted and she wouldn't have the right to complain about any of it. But still, everything felt so wrong. I didn't want her to see me like that, ever, and much less with one of her best friends.

"You're right", I nodded. "But I'm still sorry", I said regretting it instantly.

"There's no reason for you to be. It's no big deal", she nodded looking down.

"But you guys brought sushi", I shrugged. I didn't want her to leave, not after all of that.

"Calum", she frowned. "Just leave it. I'll see you tomorrow at school, okay?" She kissed my cheek, surprising me a little.

"Okay." I said quietly. She nodded and quickly shut the door behind her.

I turned around and let myself fall to the floor, hitting my head against the door a few times with my eyes closed. This was all so messed up. I felt steps coming down the stairs and opened my eyes again.

"Cal, are you okay?" Natalie pouted. I wanted to yell at her and just kick her out of my house, but of course I couldn't do that.

"Oh, I'm great. Thanks for asking", I gave snapped.

"I think you should go", Luke said before I could. I swear he can read my mind sometimes.

"Nah, I think I'll stay. Plus, we got sushi", she shrugged.

"You should leave", I said sharply. "Right now".

"What?" She laughed awkwardly. "You're such a tease".

I stood up and walked over to her. I was so stupidly mad, I just wanted to yell at her.

"You, should, go", I spoke as slowly as I could and opened the door, motioning for her to get out of my fucking house.

She looked at me, then at Luke and then just sighed. "You're seriously gonna get your heart broken, Calum". She stepped out and I slammed the door behind her.