American Love Affair (5 Seconds of Summer fan fiction)

Chapter 21

"Calum, just get in the fucking bus."  I groan, attempting to shove him through the door.

"No.  I need Belgian waffles.  And you have a truck driver mouth sometimes, Missy."

"Cal, I'm sorry we didn't get Belgian waffles, and I'm sorry I broke my promise, but it's time to go.  I forgot how strong you are...You wanna give me a little show?" 

"Yeah!  I work out, you know..."  Calum flexes his bicep and with one hand off of the door frame, I push him into the bus.

The doors close promptly behind us. 

"Wow. You tricked me," Calum crosses his arms over his chest.  "That's messed up."

"Cal, I had to.  We have to go to Italy now.  And of course I think you're in great shape."  I press his nose. 

"It's like four in the morning."  He whines like a child.

"It takes nine hours to get there.  Take a nap or something.  Are the other guys playing Xbox?"

"Yeah...so we can cuddle?"

"Mhmm," I nod. 

We are both still in our pajamas, all of us are, so we don't have to change out of jeans.  Calum's sweatpants feel soft against my legs and his tee shirt smells like it just came out of the laundry.  I fashion my legs so they are on top of Calum's, and he places his hand on my waist.  Tingles go down my spine, and it feels like my tank top isn't even there at all.  

"Are you tired?"  I ask, letting my eyes close for a moment.

"Yeah," he leans his cheek on the top of my head.

"Ugh, stop being so cute."  Michael contorts his face but sits down at the table with us.  "You guys make me want to throw up."

I can tell that Calum is rolling his eyes. 

"Did Luke and Ashton go to bed?" 

"Yeah, Ash was getting pre-tty grumpy if you ask me."

"I'm not grumpy, I'm tired and grumblesome!"  Ashton shouts from his bunk.

"That's not a word."  I hear Luke mumble. 

"You actually die ten days without sleep."  I say.  "And by the fourth day you start hallucinating widely.  Or maybe it's the fifth day."

"How do you know that?"  Calum breathes against the top of my head.

"I watch too many crime shows," I explain.  "But I think everyone knows that: humans need to sleep."

"Well thanks," Michael nods, mentally adding the fact to his archive.

"You're welcome."

"You're such a smarty pants," Calum grumbles.  "Look at me.  I'm Lee.  I graduated high school." 

I tilt my head and give him a quick peck on the lips, which shuts him up.  Michael leaves to get some rest, and I insist Calum do the same.  

"Fine," he says, defeated but also visibly exhausted. 

The other boys are already passed out, so they aren't disturbed when we crawl into his bunk.  He drapes his legs over mine, slings his arm around me, and rests his head on my collarbones.  I close my eyes and fall asleep too. 

We wake up in Milan, Italy.  My eyes flutter as the sunlight streams through the curtain.

"Calum.  Cal," I shake his chest.  "Get up." 

The bus has come to a stop, and I hear fans screaming outside.  Calum rolls out of the bed onto the bus floor and I swing my legs out of the bunk.  I flick open all the curtains.