yes, sir ↝ cth

21

C A L U M

Silence is rarely ever comforting, especially when your mind can only focus on one thing in particular. But even with the noise from the TV projecting, I couldn't force myself to focus on anything but the thoughts in my head.

"Calum, you know she'll call if she needs to." My friend Ashton's voice sounded as he came back from his kitchen, two beer bottles in his hands, one of which he handed to me as he took his seat. I promptly took the bottle, immediatly taking a drink given Ashton's kindness had resulted in him already removing the bottle caps.

"I fuckin' know, dude." I told him with a sigh falling from my lips as I looked back down at my phone. The lockscreen was blank, no texts or calls, and it almost made me more anxious. "I can't have her getting hurt, though."

"I get that," He said, a dry chuckle following his words as he tipped his bottle back and took a sip of the beer in his hand. "But you're doing no one any favors by getting stressed about it."

"It's not like I can turn a goddamn switch and stop being stressed, Ash. I care about her, okay? I'm gonna get nervous when she's out places and I'm not with her." I bite back, illiciting a raise of Ashton's eyebrows and a head shake to ultimately express the form of disappointment he was feeling.

"Dude, she's fucking young," He starts, and I could tell that wasn't the end of it. There's no way it was, I knew he was going to rationalize what he could given the circumstances, but the last thing I needed was for him to point out the obvious like I wasn't already aware.

"Fuck, I know." I rub my hand over my eyes and shake my head before I run my hand back over my hair.

The both of us stay silent for a minute. Though the TV continues to produce it's noise, almost making the room feel more empty than if it wasn't there.

"I know she's young. I know that she wants to go to parties and she can, of course she can, but I really don't like that Luke kid who invited her." I mumble, bringing my beer bottle back to my lips.

"Listen, Cal, it's not like it's any easier on her. She's a fucking high school student and she still going to do the things that high schoolers do."

Of course I knew that. I didn't want to hold her back from being a high schooler. I knew that our specific situation was going to be a challenge.

"I know. But high schoolers still do stupid things at parties. And girls like her could be taken advantage of so easily there, I don't want anything to happen to her. And that fucking Luke kid might do just that."

"Why?" Ashton furrows his eyebrows and I almost couldn't believe he was asking me that question. "Because, what? He's older than her? So are you, Cal. You're older than he is, even. Just trust she'll be safe, she said she'd call you if anything happened."

I paused for a moment, knowing that he was right, of course. Ashton always seemed to be right and I hated it just as much as I appreciated it, so I kept my mouth shut on the situation and nodded. "Okay, yeah. I get it. Just keep the TV volume low so I can hear if she calls, yeah?"

Ash nodded, taking a swig from his beer as we moved on in conversation and watched whatever he decided to put on.

Still, though, I was thinking about Annabeth. I kept my nerves in the back of my mind as the night progressed and as it did, I did come to feel more comfortable. I knew she was responsible. I knew that if she felt unsafe, even if she didn't call me, she'd contact someone she trusted. So I sat on Ashton's couch and drank as we bantered and kept occupied.

As it had gotten later, I'd finished a second beer bottle in the passing time. After tipping the bottle all the way back and realizing it was empty, I glanced quickly at my phone, only this time I wasn't actively looking for notifications on my lockscreen, just the time.

"Okay, I'm gonna grab another beer, you want one?" I asked Ashton as I pushed myself up from my seat, holding my empty bottle and grabbing his from him once he nodded.

I rinsed them in the sink and pulled two bottles from his fridge, making my way back toward the living room when a noise I had yet to hear all night started. The second it began, though, I didn't pay it much mind. It wasn't until I got closer and could hear it more clearly over the TV's noise that I recognized it as my phone's ringtone. My eyes widened a bit once I noticed Annabeth's caller ID.

It had gotten late, and if it wasn't for her previously telling me she'd text after getting dropped off at her house by Luke, my nerves wouldn't have kickstarted the way they did.

I picked the phone up as fast as possible and answered it before immediately speaking, "Hey, hey, is everything okay? Are you still at the party?"

—

a/n;

anyway i lowkey heavily fuck w ~stressed~ cashton energy & i hope you all do to even though it's written like garbage SKSGDFK

also lol this is short but the next one p r o b a b l y wont be im just trying to write for y'all 😌

this one is kinda supposed to be a filler because i had the idea but like ,,, my brain is bad at expanding on it yknowsjkf

anywho! ty very much for still reading!