Downtown Idea

23. Nice2KnoU

I needed an exit. I needed to get away from this situation. I needed to go. Crystal was not enough to hide behind.

"Hey Crystal," I heard Calum's voice and everything in me just died. I was having weird flashbacks to the last time I saw him. He yelled at me. "Who's...hiding behind you?" He laughed and peaked around her at me. He stopped laughing when he recognized me.

"Hi," I said awkwardly moving out from behind Crystal, who was very confused.

"Hey," He said again looking at me like I was some kind of ghost, "I thought you'd be here."

"Yeah...well it's my brother's birthday so..." I glanced around, looking anywhere but at him, looking for an escape route. If I could fine Zoe I could excuse myself and go talk to her, but I didn't see her anywhere.

"You guys know each other?" Bryanna asked looking amused. The awkwardness between us was abounding.

"Yeah Reece was in Downtown Idea," Calum said, very obviously not wanting to mention the unpleasantness that went down between us, "They toured with us for ROWYSO."

"Oh yeah that's right!" Bryanna said gasping suddenly, "I remember Downtown Idea. You guys were pretty good."

I laughed and shook my head, "We were not, but thanks." I scrunched up my nose and Calum shrugged.

"I thought you guys were pretty good." He said like it was the most important thing in the world. I shrugged back at him and Crystal suddenly cleared her throat.

"Well, I'm gonna go find Michael!" She said looking to Bryanna, who nodded and made up some excuse to leave too. Why were they doing this? I was left alone with Calum. I have posed nude in front of people I didn't even know and I swear to god this moment was more awkward than that.

"So how have you been?" Calum asked scratching his head nervously. I noticed in that second that his hair was blond. It was so strikingly different than his natural color that I wasn't really sure how I had missed it until now.

"Uh, I've been good. Going all of the place and staying busy," I nodded casually, wanting to tell him that he didn't have to stand here and talk to me. He was just being polite because we'd been left alone. Honestly I wouldn't be offended if he just turned and walked off to talk to someone else. "What about you?"

"Oh you know," he shrugged and pursed his lips like that was all he was gonna say. I did know because I followed 5sos almost religiously, trying to keep up with him, but the last couple months had made it difficult. Once their tour ended they kinda dropped off the social media plane. "So do you have any plans for the year?"

"Not completely." I said plainly, the awkward was getting worse. I mean we weren't really that close of friends to begin with. Yeah, we stuck our tongues down each other's throats a lot, but we didn't really know each other. "I'm sure you've got your year worked out."

"Yeah pretty much. We've got plans for a new record and a new tour," He nodded and took a painfully awkward sip from his drink, "It should be good."

"I hope so." I said smiling politely. I really didn't think it could get much worse than that, but then it was quiet between us. Neither of us were saying anything. We were just standing there looking at each other and pretending it wasn't horrible.

"So this is the worst conversation I've ever had in my whole life." He said suddenly. I let out a laugh out of nowhere and I slapped my hand over my mouth quickly.

"I agree." I said nodding, "You don't have to keep trying if you don't want to." I waved him off and he scrunched up his face.

"Well, I wanna talk to you, Reece," He said rolling his eyes, "I mean, we used to be kinda close."