10:53 [calum hood]

29

➸ r i l e y

"So Cal," I started, smiling dumbly at my wall while clutching the phone to my ear.

"So Ry," he answered, chuckling at himself.

I hummed happily. "Do you know what today is?"

There was a long pause on the other line. "National Irish Day?"

"Well, yes, but..." I shook my head, laughing silently. "Do you know what else today is?"

"Why don't you tell me what else today is," he countered.

I flipped over on my bed so that I was laying on my back. "It's your birthday, you loser. You're eighteen!"

"Oh yeah, that too." We laughed together until it faded into silence. "I miss you."

"I miss you too, Cal. But on the bright side, there's only three more days until you come home, right?" I tried to sound positive but I honestly wanted him home now. Three days was much too long without him.

"That's true..." he trailed off, probably lost in thought. "I'm just nervous about her funeral. I'm supposed to give a speech and I don't want to choke up or something. That would be disrespectful, right?"

I giggled. "I'm pretty sure that wouldn't be disrespectful. I mean, you just lost someone really close to you. If you mess up no one's going to judge you."

"I love you," Calum sighed, and I could hear his smile through the phone.

"I love you more, Kiwi. Oh, and your present is right here waiting for you as soon as you get back," I teased. I didn't quite know what to get him, but I figured that since he was a huge music lover I would get him a record player equipped with a few Arctic Monkeys vinyls.

Calum grunted. "Don't provoke me, Ry. I might just hop on a plane to Newark right this very second."

"Okay," I answered smoothly, not seeing how this was a bad thing.

"Ugh, I love you," he said with frustration, chuckling afterwards.

"You might've mentioned that." I smiled. It was pointless conversations like these that caused me to fall even more in love with him.

I heard a voice yelling in the background of the line, and Calum yelled something back. "I have to go now, Mango. Mom needs me for something," he informed sadly.

"Alright, bye Kiwi. I love you."

"I love you more."

"To the moon and back?" I asked with a knowing smile.

"To the next galaxy and back," he answered before hanging up.

I threw my phone on my bed before getting up to change when it started ringing again. I groaned, checking the caller ID. It was Michael, which was strange because he never got up before 11:30 on weekends.

"Hey, Mike," I greeted.

"Riley, you need to come to Luke's house, like, ASAP. He's gone mad," Michael said urgently, sounding tired. I heard the shattering of glass coming from the line and Michael yelling, "Luke, put that down! Your parents are going to murder you!"

"I'll be over in ten?" I said tentatively, raising an eyebrow.

"Quick, please." I hung up and threw on the first sweatshirt I saw, pairing it with a pair of sweatpants. I left the house in a rush, jogging at a quick pace to Luke's house.

I knocked on the door a few times, ignoring the screaming that was undoubtedly from Michael. The door opened and Michael grabbed my arm, pulling me inside. I surveyed the living room, concluding that it looked like World War III had occurred.