Calum's eyes kept darting around the empty room, ears ringing, and his fingers fidgeting until he finally took out the box of cigarettes from his pocket.
He frowned at the box, knowing he shouldn't have a smoke, but he just couldn't help it. Calum was anxious, alone, and stressed.
He then heard Ashton's voice echo in his head "just call me anytime"...
So that's what Calum did, he put the cigarettes down and pulled out his phone to facetime Ashton. The boy answered his call fairly quickly.
"Hey Calum!" he smiled cheerily.
"Hey.." Calum's voice barely came out as a whisper. Ashton frowned when realizing Calum looked terrible, and exhausted with bags under his eyes.
"You okay bud? You don't look so good."
"Y-yeah, I'm fine.." Calum replied, voice cracking. He didn't even look at the screen, too embarrassed to admit he needed help.
Ashton sat down on his couch and watched Calum curiously, "What's up? Why did you call?"
It was quiet for a while, before Calum sighed. "Just wanted to hear your voice." And then Calum immediately regretted what he said.
Ashton's gonna know you like him, you dumbass. He thought to himself.
"Cal what's going on, you never call me like this?" Ashton questions, starting to worry.
Calum swallowed his pride and spilled his guts to Ashton. "You said I could call..i-if I needed help...I need help. I'm trying so hard not to, but I just really want a smoke right now. I can't take it anymore.."
Ashton watched as his friend slowly broke down, only thinking of one way he could fix it. "Come over."
"What?" Calum asked looking up.
"You live right next to me, just come over. And leave your cigarettes there." Ashton says calmly.
Calum was reluctant at first but he agreed. "O-ok.."
"I'll see you soon." Ashton smiled and hung up.
Calum got up and left to Ashton's house empty handed, except for his phone in his hand. He walked down the street and knocked on Ashton's front door.
Just from the short walk, Calum had already put himself down to the point where he was on the verge of tears. So when the door opened and he saw Ashton, silent tears poured down his cheeks.
Ashton opened his arms wide, "Come here.."
Calum nodded his head and collapsed into Ashton's tight embrace. They stood there in the doorway for a while, Ashton gently rocking them back and forth.
"It's okay baby, it'll be alright..." Ashton mumbled.
Baby? Calum thought, and his heart swelled a little. But besides that, he whimpered into his best friend's chest.
Ashton started to stroke the back of his head, as he felt Calum's tears soak into his t-shirt. "Let's go sit down, yeah?"
"Yeah.." Calum whispered slowly pulling away. Ashton grabbed a hold of his hand and lead him to the couch, and Calum couldn't help but smile small to himself.
Ashton sat down, and Calum carefully laid himself on top of Ashton. The older boy was quick to embrace Calum in his arms again. "You only smoke when things are really bad..you wanna tell me what's wrong?"
"I..I don't know. I messed up the bass and lyrics to the song in our last concert, and then I saw someone on twitter say I was just letting you guys down. I don't wanna let anyone down..and I'm still anxious from all the fans mobbing us."
Ashton sighed, "Are you kidding me Cal? You're the most talented bass player I know. You didn't let anyone down..Is there anything else on your mind?"
Calum sniffled, not wanting to admit the last part. "I was so lonely..just sitting in my living room in the dark. And I started remembering people were pointing out I had gained weight in recent pictures of me with my shirt off..I know it's dumb but I-I don't like the way I look.."
Ashton tensed a bit, angry that people would say such a thing. He started rubbing up and down Calum's sides. "Don't you dare say that, I think your body is beautiful."
"And that's why I really wanted to smoke-..wait what?" Calum looks up at Ashton.
Ashton bit his lip, "I think your body is beautiful..."
Calum's cheeks heated up with blush, "Stop. You can't say that kind of stuff to me."
"Why not? It's true." Ashton questioned, still rubbing Calum's sides.
"B-because, I'll...I'll do this." Calum sat up, grabbing the sides of Ashton's face and kissed his lips.
Calum then pulled away, waiting for Ashton's reaction, fear pooling in his stomach. But much to his surprise, Ashton glanced down at his lips and pulled him into another kiss.
And not to sound sappy, but this kiss was filled with the most emotion and love the two boys could muster. Ashton wanted Calum to feel how much he cared about him, and Calum wanted to show Ashton how long he had been hiding his true feelings for him.
"I really like you."
"I really like you too."
"Kiss me again?" Calum was almost scared to ask.
"Okay." Ashton connected their lips once again.
And the two of them stayed like that for a while, Ashton taking note of how Calum tasted.
Like strawberries and cigarettes.
