Room 307: Chicago / Book 1 [Hemsworth | Styles]

Chapter 2

"LOOK WHAT YOU'VE BLOODY DONE NOW," he roared. I saw him fling the glass of whiskey and heard a smash as it hit the wall next to Liv's head. 

"Oh my god," I yelled, "Callum, what are you doing?!" I ran in front of him, putting myself between him and Liv. 

____

The room had a distinctly masculine smell. The walls were covered with baseball jerseys. A poster of some girl in a bikini. A football sat messily in a corner. My heart had a nervous flutter as I saw a pair of heavy-looking dumbells next to the football. Callum was holding a glass of some kind of alcohol in his left hand. 

Seriously, Kiara? It's just a male. You don't even know him. Losing control? Give me a break.

I kept trying to mentally prepare myself for the inevitable moment when I would have to look at him again. Kate began her usual tittering. 

"We can't believe what happened, we wanted to come over to be with you. So you weren't alone."

I turned around to see her hug him, arms wrapped around him. I stole a glance at his face, he seemed as uncomfortable as I felt breathless.

"Anything you need," Kate continued, "anything."

Almost as if he didn't even register her voice, I could feel Callum looking over to me. I let my hair fall into a fringe in front of my face. I was a mature young woman, not some teen fangirl unable to control herself.

I cleared my throat, "How are you feeling?"

I would show I could have a clear conversation with this human being without being inappropriately overwhelmed. 

You're in control, I told myself. 

My voice seemed to get through to him like Kate's could not. He completely brushed her aside as he took two steps towards me. I had a vision of him scooping me up into his arms, throwing me against the wall of his bedroom and pinning me down.

CONTROL. I screamed.

"I really don't know." His voice was gruff. Pained. And seductive.

Of course, you idiot. I told myself. How do you think someone feels when they lose their parents. Happy? Excited?  

"I'm sorry," was all I managed to say. The air between us seemed to throb with a naked energy.

Kate, not used to being ignored, once again attempted to reassert her presence in the room. "Callum, where do you want us to set up our stuff?" 

Before Callum could say anything else a girl stepped out from a door on the other side of the room. It was Liv, Sally Ferguson's daughter. She was stunning, petite features, long, straight black hair, a silk camisole that flowed around her waist. And she was Callum's girlfriend, I reminded myself. My self-esteem took several hits. 

"He probably won't need you to stay tonight," her voice was nasal and annoying. "Callum will have me, there's not really enough room for anyone else here."

I could not believe I thought Callum and I had a connection. He had a girlfriend. How could I even think I was remotely in his league. I was being ridiculous.

"Excuse me?" Kate's voice had grown in volume.

Knowing Kate's temper I quickly stepped in, "Liv, thank you, and sorry for all of this that has happened." I smiled in my usual bland way, feeling more like mud-brown Kiara than chocolate-brown Kiara. 

"No wait," Callum's deep voice sounded from behind me, I felt his heavy hand on my shoulder.

"AH," I jerked back. And tripped over a pillow that was on the floor. A shock. An actual, physical, shock had come from his contact. 

"Carpet static," he flashed a row of perfect, straight white teeth. He extended a hand to help me up. I could imagine how I looked, awkward and out of place, hair messed again and on all fours. I was hesitant to accept his offer. 

"Come on, Kiara, we're leaving." Kate grabbed my other hand before I could grab his.

"No, wait," Callum jumped in front of the door. "Please, Kiara, don't leave. I'm sorry, it was an accident-" 

"Shut up Callum, let them leave," Liv's petulant voice cut his apology short.

I saw his expression shift. Those immaculate ice-blue eyes turned hard and I watched an almost animal like ferocity occupy his features. His outstretched hand clenched into a fist. His golden knuckles turned bone white. Liv's face drained of colour. My own heart jolted with fear.

"It's fine, it's fine, we have to go anyway." I nervously rambled. "It was nice to meet you." This was the violent part of grieving. I wanted to be well away.

"LOOK WHAT YOU'VE BLOODY DONE NOW," he roared at Liv, who took several large steps back. I saw him fling the glass of whiskey and heard a smash as it hit the wall next to Liv's head. 

"Oh my god," I called out, "Callum, what are you doing?!" I ran in front of him, putting myself between him and Liv. Kate, for the first time in her life, was speechless.

Callum also froze. With the strong smell of alcohol still on his breath, I watched as his features relaxed. His eyes looked into mine and I saw tears beginning to form. For a moment, I saw a vulnerable human being, lost and confused and obviously in grief.

He then snapped out of our moment and roughly wiped away his tears. He regained his composure. "You should go now, Kiara."

Even as he said my name, I could not stop a purely physical reaction to his proximity. I realised his dismissal of me made my heart drop in its own way, a rejection? 

I looked back to Liv, "Do you want to come with us?" My voice sounded shaky. She did not seem safe here and this guy was clearly not in a stable frame of mind. 

She swept her hair back behind her shoulders and regained her composure as well. Callum had genuinely terrified her. "Go?" her voice was also shaky. "Go?" she repeated, "with you? No thanks."

Kate regained the ability to speak herself, "Have fun with your psychotic boyfriend then." She looked at Callum with a  look of disgust, "I am genuinely sorry about your loss, but you need to get help." 

She gestured for me to follow her as the dorm door swung open. The numbers 307 flashed by.

As quickly as I'd arrived, I was leaving. 

Confused, I just stumbled out of the room.

Who was this guy? Did I just imagine that connection? Was he insane? Would I ever see him again? 

Kate gestured at me to hurry up. 

He's unstable, I repeated to myself.

But there was a gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach that this would not be my first visit to Room 307. 

___

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