REMEMBER // Calum Hood

Sixty one // ignore

Calum's POV

"Cal, bro" I look away from the window and tilt my head up to face Ashton "Hello, Earth calling"

I watch my friend wave his hands in front of me like he's been trying to call my attention for a while now. I mumble a quiet "Sorry" and ask what he was talking about, when in reality I didn't even notice that he had arrived from the store. This morning, after I made him go back to my place, Ashton said something about going out with Luke and invited me to tag along. We both know he was only being a good friend, because Ash could see it in my face that I wasn't going anywhere. I don't want to see people or be seen, I don't want to pretend I'm fine or make small talk with strangers. Georgia is the only one I want to see and talk to, but at the same time, I want to punch the wall in front of me.

"Quit watching the grass grow, let's watch a movie or something" He suggests, nodding his head towards the TV room but I don't move from my spot by the window

"She hasn't come home yet" I tell him as an explanation to why I'm sitting here all day "She got off work five hours ago and she still hasn't come home"

"Have you tried her phone?" He asks, a slight frown forming on his forehead while Ash looks out the window as well

I spent the night here. A horrible, lonely and sleepless night, where only my body was in Ash's house because my mind was still back at mine, with Georgia. Never have I thought I would willingly spend the night away from her when all I could think about - while I was on tour - was having her in my arms until I fell asleep.

"No, hm, we are not-" I stop midsentence to correct myself "I'm not talking to her"

Gia is talking to me, or at least she's trying to. My phone was running out of battery and that's why I needed a charger - since Ash had forgotten his in the studio. Georgia sent me a couple of texts this morning after I didn't answer her calls, and even though I didn't plan to reply these texts, I still wanted - needed - to know what they said. This isn't a plan to punish her - believe me, it physically pains me to ignore her - but I'm still so fucking pissed that I'm afraid I'll say something I regret. Again.

"Then why should she come to your house if you're ignoring her?" Ashton asks like it's the most obvious thing in the world

"What do you mean why, Ash? Her things are at my place, I-... I- I'm fucking pissed but I need to know that she's okay, that she's safe"

I watch Ash raise his hands in the air as if saying "calm down" and only then, I realize I had raised voice. Sighing, I run my hands through my hair, feeling Ashton pat my back in support. I feel like a ticking bomb, ready to blow out at any moment now if I don't see Georgia walking inside my house in the next couple of minutes. It's 8p.m. now. From my spot by the window I watched the sun set, giving place for the chilly night air and still, no signs of Gia.

"Mate, if you were really worried about her, you would've swallowed your pride a long time ago and would've at least sent her a text. You're doing this because you want to control her and it's easier if you know she's inside your house" He accuses, using that authoritarian tone that reminds me of my father

"Oh no, Ashton, not you too" I groan out of frustration "I just want to take care of her, is that so wrong? For fucks sake, I told her 'Georgia take the car', so she doesn't have to catch the bus, but does she listen to me? No, of course she doesn't. Now, she's out there and I-"

"Calum, listen to yourself, bro" Ashton lets out a dry laugh "You say she's out there like it's a zombie apocalypse, but she's probably just at her apartment, which is where SHE calls it home. Georgia has her own place, she doesn't live here, this is your house and I doubt she's gonna come back here to wait until you decide to talk to her"