Negative Space (Calum Hood A.U.)

Chapter 14 - The System

Calum's POV

"I didn't know you had a boyfriend!" I exclaimed, walking back and forth in front of Jackson and Malia. We're now in Jackson's room, and they're both seated on the bed.

Malia retorted, "You never asked!" Right, I didn't. I only assumed she never dated because, well, we had history. I refused to believe she fell in love with someone other than me.

Wow, Cal, talk about hypocrisy.

"Did you two date as well?" Jackson muttered beside Malia and I was about to answer when Malia beat me to it.

She snorted, "What? No! Calum's my bestfriend! Our relationship has been nothing but platonic." Well, ouch. Why did she deny that we were more than just platonic?

Unless, what Ashton and I were thinking is correct. Malia doesn't remember.

It still fucking hurts.

I cleared my throat and reached for a chair on Jackson's desk. I turned it around and sat. "So how did this happen?" I gestured at the two and Malia instantly blushed.

"I was on vacation in Minesotta for spring break and uh I bumped into her in the grocery. That's it." Jackson briefly explained. So that's that?! He only bumped into her, how the fuck did they date. Jackson better fucking elaborate-

"You didn't bump into me! You dropped a dozen packs of bacon on me." I turned to see Malia glaring at Jackson.

"It was an accident!" Jackson defended.

"Even though!" Malia retorted.

Now I'm just looking back and forth at the arguing ex-couple.

"Are you still mad at me about that?!" Jackson answered back. 

Man, I didn't think Jackson would be this childish towards a girl. I've always thought he was this casanova and shit, but seeing him like this with Malia changes a lot of things.

"Yes. I had a bump for weeks!" Oh my God. From one to ten, how awkward is this for me? Eleven.

"It wasn't even you who I dropped those bacons!" Okay, wait what?

"It was my body, still! My head fucking hurt!"

"Hannah didn't seem to mind!" Jackson knows Hannah? So that means he knows about Malia's situation?

"Wait, you know Hannah?" I interrupted and they both looked at me.

"You met her, too? She's kind of a pain in the ass, huh?" Okay, I am so confused right now. I guess their relationship is much deeper than I thought.

When Jackson noticed my confused expression, he chuckled at me. "Hannah's actually the one I met, not Malia. When I asked her out, she was Hannah and in the middle of the date, she switched back to Malia, she was utterly confused."

"How did you react?" I curiously asked. I mean, if I was in his position, I would be seriously freaked, hell I freaked out the first time I met Hannah as well.

"Jackson almost shit his pants." Malia spoke slowly. Her hand rested on Jackson's shoulder which startled him a bit but calmed down when she saw Malia's expression.

Okay, now what's happening to Malia?

"I did not shit my pants! I was shocked, yes, but not to the point that I'll shit my pants." He defended, holding Malia's hand. "Are you okay?"

"It's uh, they're fighting." Malia briefly said. Who's fighting?

"Hannah and Ethan, again?! I bet Hannah wants to come out, huh?" How are they talking about this so calmly and so normal? This is far from normal.