Monster Among Men [cth au]

05

Harlow

Oh my goodness, what have I gotten myself into? I'm getting coffee with Calum after he ruined my book? Okay I guess Lynn's confidence or something is finally rubbing off on me? I don't know.

During the drive to my apartment I started getting a little anxious, especially since Calum was behind be the whole time. This boy I just met is going to know where I live. What if everything goes terribly wrong and he shows up at my doorstep one day?

I part my car and Calum parks beside me. I watch as he quickly gets out of the car and comes over to me as I get out of mine. "You live here? In this building?" He asks a little surprised.

"Uhm...yeah, why?" I bite my lip as we walk in together.

"Because I live here too." He chuckles "I've never seen you though."

My eyes widen and I feel a blush on my cheeks. He lives here? In my building? How could I have not seen him before?

"Well, I stay in a lot, I usually only leave my apartment when I have to, like for work or groceries, or for Roman." I mumble and we step in the elevator together.

"Roman?" His eyebrows furrow in confusion. "My dog" I giggle softly

He smiles and nods, we get off the elevator and go down the hallway to my room. "I live on the floor above you by the way, so weird that we live in the same place." He chuckles

"Uhm yeah." I mumble and get to my door and quickly unlock it and Roman runs instantly to the us and he's extremely excited. "Oh my goodness! Hello sweet boy, have you been good this morning?" I pet my dog as Calum and I walk inside my apartment.

Roman comes over to Calum and attempts jumping on him and my eyes widen "Ro! Stop!"

"No, it's fine love, he's just excited" Calum laughs and pets Roman "Hey Roman, I'm Calum, you're such a good boy, isn't that right?" I watch in amusement as Calum baby talks my dog, it's kinda cute honestly.

"Well, um I've gotta walk him around a bit outside and then we can go." I mumble shyly and I watch as Calum's gaze diverts to me. "Okay."

...

"What kinda coffee do you drink?" Calum asks me as he drives. So far this drive has been pretty quiet and awkward, and Calum's music choice is...interesting? Very loud and angry sounding. Some of it also sounds really sad, but who am I to judge? I still listen to One Direction.

"Um I don't know...I like it hot or cold, I like creamer, no black coffee. That's just...ew." I give him a small smile and he laughs "So you basically just like that sweet shit that doesn't even taste like coffee?"

"No!" I laugh "I like it to still taste like coffee, just a little more sweet."

"I see" he responds with a smile and parks at the corner in front of the small coffee shop. I've never been to this one, Sugarplum Coffee House, the name is adorable though.

"You been here before babe?" He asks while watching me glance at the shop.

"Um, no, but the name is very cute." I bite my lip. "You're very cute too, but it's a nice place, good coffee, good cakes and shit." He says to me casually.

Cute? Me? No. I mean...I don't know? I feel my cheeks grow warm at his words. We get out of his car and walk in together, I'm not too surprised when I see he avoids opening the door for me, I don't mind, but he seems to be on a roll with his kind of "kindness." He's not been too extremely rude like yesterday and earlier. I suppose he is genuine.

Calum

Fuck I cannot wait to fuck her, such a good girl, with a little feisty side. I know if I wanna get what I want I have to play nice, at least a little. I bet she likes my attitude though, probably has dreamt of a "bad boy" and is living her teenage dream.

Despite wanting to get in her bed, she actually is pretty nice honestly. Very shy and kinda socially awkward which confuses me because I bet she has tons of friends. She's hot and reads books and has a dog. I dunno, it's still a little weird to me that we live in the same apartment complex.

If I knew this chick lived in the same building I'd have already slept with her multiple times. How could I have never seen her? Probably because she seems to hide in that fucking hoodie.

We sit at one of the booths across from one another and I watch as she awkwardly looks down at the table, avoiding my gaze.

"Who are you?" I ask her and her head snaps up in utter confusion.

"Um...Harlow?" Her eyebrows furrow and I chuckle.

"Let me rephrase that, who are you, meaning what do you like? How old are you? What don't you like? Hobbies? Music? Uh alcoholic beverages? Kinks?" I smirk, watching her cheeks turn a light pink shade, for what seems like the thousandth time today alone.

"W-well...um I'm 20, I obviously work at Tim's and The Dusty Covers, you met Roman...I don't really have any friends except for Lynn, but she lives far, far away...um I don't really have family either, never have, but I have Helena. I don't have or have ever had a boyfriend." She looks away from me

"People kinda keep their distance and I've grown up like that. I've never drank any alcoholic beverage before, I read and write every day. As for music, I love Jaymes Young and Harry Styles."

I nod at her answers. "You can't possibly have no friends or family. And you skipped a question love." I chuckle

"I am an orphan, my family left me when I was a young child and I moved around in foster homes my entire life. Nobody wanted me I guess, and I do have a friend. Lynn, and I suppose Helena too, she was my social worker." She shrugs, I notice she's becoming a little more comfortable, which is a relief.

"Oh, fuck I'm sorry...that must've sucked growing up....but any kinks?"

She giggles and rolls her eyes, "it used to bother me, but I'm twenty years old and I'm pretty content, and I purposely skipped that one Calum, it is none of your business.

"So the you do have kinks?" My smirk grows deeper

"No! I didn't say that!" She covers her face while I laugh