Monster Among Men [cth au]

010

Calum

"Um...what?" The words stumble from Harlow's mouth slowly and I shrug.

"I'm just sayin, you said you have no plans, I don't ever have shit to do, well...I work tonight, but that's not until later."

She bites her lip and shrugs. Come on babe, yes or no. Why's it so difficult for her to speak?

"Angel, you're doing it again. Use your words, I know you can." I remind her.

I watch as her cheeks turn pink, once again and I smirk. "I-I don't know Calum..." she mumbles while avoiding my gaze.

"What's wrong?" I sigh and watch her intently and I can practically see the words wanting to roll off her tongue but she stays silent. "Harlow? I asked you a question, answer me please." I huff and see her sink down into the bed, making her look even smaller than she is.

"I don't wanna sleep with you." She squeaks out almost inaudibly. I raise an eyebrow at her "what?"

I watch as she takes a deep breath "I don't wanna sleep with you Calum, and no I don't mean just sleeping with you, I mean sleeping with you."

I feel a pang in my chest at her words, not because she's rejecting sex, but because she automatically assumes that's what I'm trying to get out of her. Yes, that's what I was trying to do at first which doesn't make any fucking sense now that I actually think about it...but that's besides the fact.

"I—I'm not trying to fuck you Harlow." I stutter and feel anxious for the first time. What's this weird uneasy feeling in my stomach? I don't fucking understand this shit.

"You're not?" She looks up at me confused and I shake my head "N-no...that would be wrong."

"That's not what you were saying yesterday...or the day before either" she mumbles softly to herself, actually sounding quite upset. I frown as she starts to untangle herself from me, I don't stop her because she looks uncomfortable.

"Harlow..." I sit up and call her name.

"Calum, I think you should just go home...please." She avoids my gaze and I open my mouth to argue but no words come out.

What? Go home?

"I—okay...I'll see ya." I mumble and get up and leave the room, making my way out and grabbing my shoes.

What was that? I just left and now I'm sitting in my living room wondering what the fuck has happened to me in the past 48 hours of knowing this hoodie-wearing, braided-hair-wearing, quiet, innocent girl.

I went from scoping her, to thinking she was a prude bitch, to wanting to fuck her, to intimidating her, to taking her on a coffee date thing, and then I spent the night at her place...which also happens to be on the floor below me...and then I still didn't sleep with her, but I did sleep with her, and then when she asked me to leave I did with no arguing. What the fuck?

Harlow

What just happened? The past two days have been a complete blur and that's extremely crazy and overwhelming for me. My life is normal. I work at the grocery store and the book store. I have a sweet dog that's my best friend. I have my actual best friend that I've know for years because of tumblr. I live in my apartment, and it's pretty nice, cozy place. And then, all of a sudden something...or rather someone, has crashed into my boring life and his name is Calum. He was, is, what I always wanted to avoid and now it seems, just from our mere hours of knowing each other, our lives are already way too entangled than what we both had in mind.

Last night was...nice? Obviously I was extremely anxious about the entire situation at first, but for some reason, this angry man has a strange calmness about his presence and I think that's why he is so intimidating.

Nothing he did or said last night was really bad either, and yeah, I can't say much especially with my lack of knowledge about Calum, but as a quiet, outcast, I like to think I can kinda read people a little better than an average, actually socialized person. When you're the quiet kid you tend to listen and with listening comes learning and the way people talk and/or approach me or others usually tells me everything I need to know about someone.

I can tell that Calum is usually scary intimidating boy I met at Tim's and that coffee date, Breakfast Club-watching boy is totally out of his comfort zone. I wonder if he's ever had a real girlfriend? I wonder if the bad boy thing is an act to just get girls because he so craves something real deep down inside himself?

I don't know.

...
To: Harlow ;)
hey. i know i literally just left your place, and i'm kinda not used to this sorta thing? but i just wanted to apologize if i made you uncomfortable or some shit like that, i would really like to chill with you again love...again, i'm sorry :/
...

My phone dings and I see the text from Calum and I furrow my eyebrows, what the heck?

...
To: Calum
It's okay Calum, I was, still am, just a bit confused and would prefer this, whatever this is?? To be respectful and yeah, you've just been sending very mixed signals.
To: Harlow ;)
Again, i'm sorry about that. i don't really know wtf my deal is honestly, i'm hella confused babe, but i know for a fact, despite only knowing you for as little as i have, i am interested, and i swear it's beyond the fucking and let me tell you, as crazy as my usual habits sound to you, not just being interested in that kinda uh idk confuses and low key scares the fuck out of me
To: Calum
and that's okay. if you are so keen to this idea, which boggles my mind btw, why don't we start over? I feel as if our start had been somewhat of an unfortunate mishap
To: Harlow ;)
i'd like that.
...

Whoa, what just happened? What does this mean?