waste the night [c.h.]

forty-eight

I laughed as Calum moved us dramatically across the dance floor, a smirk on his lips.

He'd forced me to dance with him about twenty minutes ago and had yet to give up. After they turned on a slow song, I intertwined my fingers behind his neck, his hands resting on my waist. 

I looked up at him and smiled softly, meeting his brown eyes. He just smiled as we swayed along with the music, leaning so his forehead was pressing against mine.

He sucked in a deep breath, looking into my eyes. "What's wrong?"

He just pulled a tight smile. "Nothing, baby."

"Last time you said that, we broke up."

He just chuckled and pulled back, not breaking our eye contact. "I'm just nervous is all. I'm about to tell my parents that I'm throwing away all their plans for me."

"I know," I said, my thumb brushing against his cheekbone as I smiled softly. "But it's worth it. Look at me, dating the most perfect boy in the world, chasing my dreams, and using my freedom."

"Oh, yeah, shove it in my face," he teased, rolling his eyes. "All you've done is turn into a bad girl."

"Oooh, sounds naughty," I smirked as he threw his head back in laughter. "Corrupted by a frat boy, how scandalous."

"I love you." He smiled at me, his eyes filled with absolutely adoration.

"I love you." I smiled, leaning up and kissing him softly.

Someone cleared their throat, Calum and I pulling apart. His mom stood there, a small smile on her face. "Mind if I cut in?"

"Of course not." I smiled, Calum kissing my cheek. 

I started to back away and Calum and his mom dancing and talked, giving him a small thumbs up. I backed into someone, a laugh falling from their mouth.

I turned around and faced Mr. Hood, an apology falling from my lips. "I am bent on making a horrible first impression, huh?"

He just smiled and put a hand out. "You're doing fine, sweetheart, dance with me?"

I took his hand, him putting one hand on my waist, the other holding mine and mine on his shoulder. We swayed slowly and awkwardly to the music, watching as Calum mumbled on to his mother.

His mom started shaking her head, starting to pull away. Calum's eyes widened as she opened her mouth, pointing her finger at him. They were talking in hushed voices, but people were starting to take notice.

Calum's eyes fell to me, practically begging for my help. I mumbled an apology to his father before moving over to him, his eyes starting to fill with tears. I grabbed his hand and pulled him to a room, closing the door behind us.

He let out a choked sob as I wrapped my arms around his shoulders. His put his hands over his face, pressing into my shoulder as he cried.

"They're never going to let me loose." He sobbed against me as my hands went into his hair.

I don't think I've ever seen Calum cry. I don't think anyone has ever seen Calum cry, period.

"I'm done with this, I can't do this anymore," he pulled back, meeting my eyes as tears fell down his face. "I can't have fucking anything, Al-"

"Hey, you have me, Cal, you have me," I said, taking his face in my hands, brushing the tears from his face. "If you need to get through college, run that damned frat house and graduate. Then, do what you want."

"I want to do what I want now."

His eyes fell behind me, quickly wiping his face before clearing his throat. "Mom."

I turned around and saw Calum's mom standing in the middle of the room, her eyes on us.

"Cal, baby, I didn't know it meant this much to you." His mom stepped forward.

"It's my future, Mom." He huffed, still standing behind me.

"With all due respect, Mrs. Hood, Calum's a really intelligent boy-"

"Yes, I know."

"Mom, let her finish."

"He's way too smart to be at a general university, he deserves to be somewhere where he can practice his, you know, smart stuff," I mumbled, struggling to find words. "Calum doesn't want to run a fraternity, he wants to study law. He doesn't want to be a business man, he wants to be a lawyer. He doesn't want to follow his father's company, he wants to create his own firm. He wants his freedom."

"Alex-" Calum started but I kept going.

"My parents were the same way you were, follow their path, follow their rules and I would be undoubtable successful but sometimes you have to kick the baby out the nest, you have to let them learn how to fly," I said to his mom. "I know you don't want your baby son to make mistakes and screw up his life just like my parents didn't want me to screw up mine but they had to realize that stripping me of my personality and freedom wasn't the right thing to do."

"Ally, baby-"

"I know how hard it has to be to watch your son take a path you might approve but goddammit, you have to, Mrs. Hood," I chuckled, running a hand through my hair. "This probably isn't my place to say anything but I love your son so much and he wants to follow a future that you don't like and I'm sorry, but you're going to have to get over it."

"Alex, shit." Calum breathed, resting his hands on my shoulders as I breathed deeply.

"You're right." His father said from behind me.

"What?" Calum gaped. 

"You're right," his mother repeated. "We've been restricting our son from doing what he wants and that's not right."

Calum's eyebrows raised in shock, turning to his dad. "Does that mean-"

"Yes, whatever you want," he said, setting his hands on his son's shoulders. "We'll support you."

Calum sighed deeply, taking my face and pressing kisses all over it. "I love you. I love you. I love you."

Joy pulled me into a hug and smiled softly. "That took a lot of courage, I can tell you love Cal a lot. Thank you."

I just pulled back, Calum intertwining our fingers. "Thank you."