Life Of The Party × CH

2

Instead of driving home, dad drove to the police station where he locked Calum up in a cell.

Dad repeatedly apologized for having to make the detour to the station.

"Dad, it's fine," I said, for what felt like the tenth time that night. "I get it, duty calls."

He sighed, "I'm just sorry that we didn't spend much time together tonight. That was the plan until this troublemaker showed up," he tilted his head towards Calum.

I glanced at Calum for a second, finding him rolling his eyes. I looked back at my dad.

"I just have some forms to fill out and call his parents and we're leaving, I promise," dad said. "You can wait here," he said, referring to the bench opposite of Calum's cell. "I'll be as quick as possible."

"Dad, it's okay," I reassuring him once more, "take your time."

"Alright, I'm going," he said as he hurried towards his office, leaving me alone in the hallway with Calum.

I walked over to the bench and sat down, getting out my phone and unlocking it, scrolling through my social media apps, trying to pass the time.

"Are you not going to talk to me?" Calum said.

"I just figured you weren't in the mood to talk, since, you know..." I say, trying not to state the obvious.

"Since I'm in jail?" he asks, putting air quotes around the word.

"Yeah," I say.

"This isn't my first time," he admits. "It's usually very boring in here, with no one to talk to. Plus, Mali might be a while."

"Mali?" I look at him, confused. "Isn't one of your parents supposed to pick you up?"

"They're out of town," he clarifies.

"Is that why you were drinking? Were you assuming you wouldn't get caught this way?"

"No. We were drinking as a celebration for graduating," he explains.

"Well congrats," I tease, "but now you're in jail because of it."

"This isn't even close to jail," he says.

"How would you know?"

"I wouldn't," he admits, "but I'm guessing criminals in jail don't get to talk to such pretty girls as punishment."

I open my mouth to speak before realizing what he'd said, and when I do, I quickly shut it, surprised with his directness.

He speaks again, moments later, ignoring his own comment as if it had never happened. "So Sunshine, I'm guessing you just got here today?"

"You guessed correctly."

"Why are you back?" he asks.

"I came to visit my dad," I say, "I also have an internship here for the summer."

"So then you'll be here for the summer?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Glad to hear that, cupcake," he smiles.

As I watch him through the bars of the cell, all I can think is how much he's changed. Way back when I used to live here, I knew Calum as a goofy sixteen-year old that was tall and lanky. He was shy as well, he barely talked to me unless we were alone.

I took one more good look at him. Now he was taller than before, but also more muscular. He wore a flannel over his shirt with the sleeves ripped off. His muscles really did take up most of my attention. His arms covered in tattoos.

His hair was more or less the same style, short and curly. His jawline was definitely more sculpted, his lips were the same plump pink I always knew. He used to be embarrassed by them because of how full they were. I blame that on the bullying. But in all honesty, his lips were beautiful, and if I hadn't had full lips of my own, I'd probably want Calum's.

He sat in his cell, on the floor, leaning against the wall, not really doing anything.

I wonder what he's thinking about, staring at the opposite wall of which he's leaning on.

My eyes trailed down his body. He wore skinny jeans. That was new to me. I had never seen Calum in skinny jeans.

They looked so good on him.

His legs were long and muscular. Clearly he hadn't quit soccer.

"See something you like?" I heard him say.

That's when my gaze met his. Had I really been admiring him for that long?

"Nothing in particular," I say.

"Whatever you say, princess," he chuckles, "But just to remind you, my eyes are up here," he says, pointing to his eyes with two fingers on his right hand.

"Ha, ha." I say, picking my phone back up. This conversation was clearly going nowhere, might as well save my breath.

"You've changed, Devin," he states, trying to regain my attention.

"How so?" I ask.

"You've gotten way hotter," he says. This makes me put my phone down. "Not that you weren't hot before," he continued, "I just assumed you couldn't get any more perfect."

"Seriously, Calum?" I say, "Flirting with me won't get you out of there."

"Who said I want to get out of here? I've got an incredible view," he winks, making me temporarily lower my gaze to my hands. Since when is he so good at flirting?!

"What's wrong, princess? Did I make you blush?" I look up, and he has the stupidest smirk on his face.

I roll my eyes. "In your dreams."

"Oh you're doing way more than blushing in my dreams," he says, standing up and leaning against the cell railing with his hands. He's staring right at me.

"So what? Now you're a fuckboy?" I ask. "What the hell happened while I was gone?"

"A lot actually," he says. "And assume what you want about me," he continues, "rumors aren't always true."

"Oh I'm sorry," I say, "I didn't mean to hurt the huge ego you've apparently grown." He's getting on my nerves. When did he become such an ass?

He chuckles, "It all comes back to the ego."

We go quiet for a few moments. I try to ignore our previous conversation whilst he just looks around his cell.

"You know," he starts, "if I wasn't in here, you'd already be mine."

I laugh, "You're dumb for even thinking of such a thing."

"Carter," he addresses me by my last name, "I was caught drinking, underaged, I'm already pretty dumb," he admits.

"Glad you owned up to it," I smile triumphantly.

"Always such a tease," he playfully rolls his eyes. "You never denied it," he says, "you just called me dumb."

"That's because you are," I joke.

He laughs, "So you would be with me?"

"I never said I would."

"You never said you wouldn't either," he argues.

"Glad we're on the same page," I say.

"So you're saying I'll have to find out myself?" he asks.

"Pretty much," I confirm.

"Great, where do I start?" He asks seriously.

I look up from my hands once more and raise an eyebrow at him. "Firstly, I would like to know where this all new badass Calum came from," I ask.

Calum chuckles as he flashes me a charming smile, "I thought you liked the bad boys, babe."