Begin Again // Calum Hood

Chapter 18.

I felt my eyes open and then an immediate pain in my head. It wasn't an immense headache, just an annoying pain. I looked around Calum's room for a while before remembering that I had indeed fallen asleep here. My head was still spinning from the agreement I made last night, but I knew in the end it would be fine. I sat up and walked out the door to see Calum on the couch, his hair messy from sleep, on his phone with the tv as background noise. I spoke a simple "Good morning" received a mumble and a nod in my direction. I looked at my phone and saw that I had unententionally slept until eleven. I texted Michael a short greeting and trudged into the bathroom to tame the mess of hair on my head. After a few attempts of brushing it, I decided to just throw it up in a ponytail. I walked out and made my way to the kitchen for something to fill my stomach and possibly make my headache lessen.

"Cal, you hungry?" I chirped as I opened the fridge.

"Uh, I just woke up and I probably have morning breath but yeah. Sure." His voice was still in that groggy, morning voice state. He got up from the couch and came over to me. He grabbed my waist and turned me around. He pressed his hips against mine.

"Oh shit! Sorry, sorry! I forgot." I could feel myself blushing. "I meant actually hungry. Like needing food hungry. This is going to take some getting used to." He sighed and let go of my waist.

"You little tease." He smirked.

"Your hair does look hot like that, though." I ran my fingers through his messy hair a few times to perfectly sculpt it. "And the morning voice? Pretty hot." I nodded.

"I feel like a kid who's getting a pep talk from his coach."

"I definitely feel like a coach." I turned back to the fridge. "But really, you want anything? I was going to make food.' I glimpsed at him.

"Yeah I do. I'm still the other hungry, though." He grew a mischevious smile.

"Well, I'm going to make some cereal. You have fun by yourself."

"You're no fun, you know that?" He playfully pushed me and walked back to the couch. I grabbed the milk out of the fridge and searched for the right cereal.

"Just a heads up, I haven't seen Michael in a while so I was thinking about having him over." I took the ideal box off the shelf. "Don't get hungry today." I chuckled at my own words. "We have to make a new saying. This one is just weird." I picked a bowl and poured some cereal in.

"I was actually just thinking about that." He angled himself so he was facing me on the couch."I haven't come up with any." He paused. "Since it's just the two of us here all the time, why don't we just, you know, ask?" He shrugged.

"That's fair.' I poured the milk and retrieved a spoon. I brought my bowl over to the couch.

"So no phrase? Just asking?" He raised his eyebrows.

"Just asking." I mumbled before shoveling cereal into my mouth.

"Sounds easy enough."

"Okay now that that's set, did you hear what I said about Michael? No asking today." I pointed my spoon at him.

"Yeah, I get it, I'm just a piece of meat to you." He fake scoffed.

"That's what this relationship is founded on. You're a horny piece of meat."

"That's mean. I wasn't going to ask you anyway."

"Yes, you were. You were probably going to ask after I finished my cereal, weren't you?" He looked away, full of guilt. "You were!" I giggled and kicked his leg.

"Let's say I was. What would you have said?"

"I would have said no. I'm a mess right now. I need to shower."

"Oh, you're fine." He looked me up and down. "Yeah, you'd be fine." His eyes found mine again.

"If you're trying to subliminally make me give in, it's not going to work." He intently stared at me. "Calum! It's not going to work!" I stood up. "I'm going to take a shower." I walked into my room to fetch some clothes. Calum followed into the doorway. I ventured through my closet.

"Showers waste so much water. Two people showering? Even more water." He put his back to the door frame.

"Calum Hood, you are not showering with me." It finally entered in my mind that I had never had the nerve to talk so openly to a guy about this. It was always tip-toeing around the subject until the conversation got so painfully awkward that the topic had to be dropped.

"But Amber, the planet." He slightly pouted.

"But Calum, I need to get clean." I picked out clothes and passed him into the bathroom.

"We can both shower! It would be so effective." He trailed behind me.

"We both know that wouldn't happen." I smiled and shut the door on him.

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I got back from a late class and Michael had agreed to come over after he got done with work, which ended at 9. I camped out on the couch, TV on for background noise, with my laptop mindlessly scrolling through the internet while Calum was in his room doing God knows what. I looked at my phone to see the time, 8:30 pm.

"Hey Cal, Michael's coming over in half an hour." I informed him so he wouldn't be surprised when he showed up.

"Alright well I might head out. Haven't decided yet." He mumbled.

We kept our positions and next thing I knew, Michael's shift was over and I received a text.

"Sorry babe, I miss you like crazy but I'm exhausted and feel like shit. I don't want to get you sick so I have to take a rain check on hanging out tonight :("

I took a long sigh at the message. We hadn't seen each other in so long, it didn't even seem like we were together anymore. I felt a sudden sadness come over me. I missed him too but I felt like there was nothing else I could do. I started to tap a reply.

"Miss you too Mikey. Maybe we could do it long distance style and Skype? I just want to see your face at this point." Send.

I was aware it sounded needy, but I wanted to exaggerate my point. I arose from the couch with my laptop and went into my room, gently shutting the door. I laid on my bed in an attempt to relax. I closed my eyes and heard my door creak open.

"You okay? Is Michael coming?" Calum whispered.

"Yeah and no. He said he felt sick and doesn't want to get me sick." I took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. "I miss him Calum. It sounds stupid because it's not like we live miles and miles away, I just haven't seen him in so long." I paused. "He's probably dyed his hair a new color by now." I smiled at the thought.

"Oh. I'm sorry Amber." Calum strode over to my bedside and sat down. He stroked his hand up and down my leg to comfort me. He kept his eyes forward but my eyes innocently trailed down him. He looked over at the bed, bit the inside of his mouth, and looked away. He was clearly deeply thinking about something. "I'll leave you alone." He mumbled and stood up. I received a text from Michael agreeing to the Skype date as Calum shut the door. I was trying to get myself happy for the arrangement, but couldn't bring my mind off wondering what Calum was thinking. I opened up Skype and set up the call as Michael answered. And as I jokingly suspected, his hair had changed to a bright red. It was partly hidden by a grey hoodie but I could see it all the same. His eyes lit up as soon as he saw me. I'm sure mine did the same.

"Hi." He spoke in his low, raspy voice.

hey there

i added a pic of frat boy calum bc relevant to this fic you're welcome

this chapter has been written for a while but I couldn't figure out how to finish it.

YES MICHAEL AT THE END IS SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE HOW HE WAS IN HIS VIDEO GAME STREAM EARLIER BC HE WAS SO CUDDLY AND CUTE

ok just saying this update doesn't mean I'll update regularly, it just means that I got bored ok