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It was a race against time. How quickly could Calum get inside the house, and how much longer before Mia's lungs would be engulfed in smoke. "Please, please you have to let me in. My wife is in there." Calum exclaimed. "Sir, we're trying to put out the smoke, you need to move away." The fireman said.
Calum was losing his mind, he couldn't stand it. Mia wasn't out, the baby wasn't out, nothing else mattered except for his two girls. "Fuck fuck fuck." Calum yelled. He pulled off some shirt fabric, covered his mouth and nose and rushed inside. "Sir, you can't go in there. Calum—"
"Calum...Calum wake up." He quickly rose out of his sleep, which resulted in him hitting Ariana's head in full force. "Fuck." she swore as she fell to the ground. They both were gripping their foreheads swearing to the fullest. "What the fuck, what were you doing." Calum asked. "Waking you up, you were screaming in your sleep." She said. Calum got up to go to the fridge and grabbed to bags of frozen veggies.
He handed one to her and took his place back on the couch, laying down and keeping his eyes closed as he let the frozen bag of corn cool him off. "Sorry...should've warned you I don't sleep very well." He said. "I wasn't sleeping, it's 6 in the afternoon." Ariana said. She took her place on the floor, laying on back with the bag of frozen peas just sitting on her forehead. Neither of them knew how to combat the now awkward silence, so Ariana just blurted out what she had on her mind. "So...who's Mia?"
"No one you need to know." Calum said. "Is she your girlfriend?" Ariana asked. "No, she's not, and I'm not having small talk with you." Calum said. "Considering you're "housing" me, I need something to keep me occupied. There's nothing to do here but sit and talk." Calum rolled his eyes. "Let me remind you that I'm only housing you because you'd pretty much die anywhere else since you can't go home." Calum said harshly.
"Are you always so moody when you first wake up?" Ariana said sadly. "Only to spoiled rich brats." Ariana scoffed and threw the frozen peas at Calum. He just chuckled. "Unless you want a giant knot on your head, you'll want this back." He tossed it back to her. She let it hit the ground before realizing he was right and went back in her previous position. "You're one to talk you know." Ariana said. "Talk about what?"
"Being rich and spoiled. You live in a $1600 a month apartment, that's clearly been renovated to your liking." Ariana said. "It's called saving. It's this thing you do when you don't grow up with a silver spoon up your ass and have to work for you money." Calum said. "You're such a dick." Ariana said. "Tell me something I don't know princess."
"Don't call me that." Ariana crossed her arms over her chest in annoyance. "Why, does it bother you?" Calum asked, chucking lightly. "Yes, because you mean it in a derogatory way." Ariana said. "Then I'm gonna keep calling you that, princess." Ariana groaned aloud. "Alright, I'll answer one question, if you answer one of mine." Ariana gasped and scurried her way to the couch. She got on her knees and rested her hands on Calum's arm. "I'm listening." Calum rolled his eyes, even though they were still closed.
"What made Luke so angry at you?" Calum opened his eyes and looked at Ariana, with a soft expression on his face. "Nothing in particular. He wanted to have sex and I didn't. He tried to force me into it and hold me down, but I...I grabbed the lamp next to the bed and hit him upside the head." Calum's eyes were wide. "That's nothing in particular?" Calum said. "I don't know. Usually i'd just do what he said and let him, but this time I didn't want to."
"Shit...I don't even know what to say. He really hurt you." Calum usually didn't feel bad for women and men in these situations because they always went back, even when the signs were still there, but something was different about Ariana. His blood boiled knowing that Luke not only physically abused her, but practically raped her. "Okay, it's my turn." Ariana said, with a big smile plastered on her face.
"Chose wisely." Calum reminded her. She took a minute to think before gasping once more. "I've got it." He mentally gaged at how excited she was. "I'm assuming Mia was your girlfriend, so how did you two break up? Was it a big fight? Did she move away? Did you move away?" Ariana asked. "You sure you wanna know?" Calum asked smirking. "I want all the details, don't leave out anything." Ariana said.
"She died, in a fire." Ariana's jaw dropped and Calum bursted into a fit of laughter. "That's not funny." Ariana exclaimed. "It's fucking hilarious." Calum said, clutching his stomach. "Your girlfriend died and you find that funny?" Ariana asked. "No, you're reaction to the answer is funny. I told you to choose wisely but I knew you'd ask about her, and since I said only one question, I'm done entertaining you for the day." Calum said.
"No fair, you tricked me." Ariana pouted. "You tricked yourself princess." Calum said. Ariana frowned at her nickname Calum has given her. Though it sounded heavenly coming from his mouth, she knew it came from a place of hate. "Are you seriously gonna call me that?" Ariana asked. "It's either that or spoiled brat. They mean the same thing." He said. Ariana sighed as she got up and took herself to Calum's room, not wanting to deal with him anymore that night.
-
"Psst...Calum, wake up." Calum opened one eye and saw Ariana standing over him, dressed. "What the hell are you doing?" Calum asked. "I have to go to station, I have class today, but I don't wanna walk alone." Calum groaned as he grabbed a pillow and covered his face. "Why are you doing this to me?" He whined. "It's not that far, come on please?" Ariana begged. Calum groaned as he pulled himself off the couch.
"It's my fucking day off, and I'm up at the ass crack of dawn to walk you to the fucking station. You owe me big time." He said. Ariana smiled as Calum put on a hoodie and shoes. "Let's go." He said. Ariana walked behind him as they left the apartment building. "Chicago is so beautiful this time of day." Ariana said. "When the thieves, prostitutes and robbers are out?" Calum said.
"No, when you can see the sunrise and the skylight from the super tall buildings. Reminds me of New York." Ariana said. "I wouldn't know, i've never been." Calum said. "I don't think you'd like it. You seem like a small city type of guy, but then again, you're very uptight and mean like the men there." Ariana giggled. "You're still sleeping at my apartment, in my bed remember." Calum said.
"I know, you keep reminding me of how much of a burden I am." Ariana huffed. Calum sighed, feeling bad for how he made her feel. He wasn't intending to, but he also isn't the type of guy to just welcome a stranger into his house with open arms, something in him just snapped. "You get to New York often?" Calum asked. "A couple times a year. We go for New Years, one time in the summer, in November for the Thanksgiving Day Parade and during Christmas." Ariana said.
"Sounds like fun. Maybe i'll give it a try sometime." Ariana could tell he was being genuine and smiled at him. "I feel like a dad walking their kid to the bus stop." Calum said. "Because of our height?" Ariana asked. "And our age." He said. "I'm only 19." Ariana said. "I'm 28." Ariana stopped in her tracks and let her jaw hang. Calum rolled his eyes as he walked back to where she was standing and lightly closed her mouth. "You'll catch something with your mouth open like that." He teased.
"You're 28? You look like you're 23." Ariana said. "I will take that as a compliment." Calum laughed. They made it to the train station and waited for the train to arrive. "Thanks for walking me. Sorry I had to inconvenience you on your day off, and by being in your space. I'm sure I can try to convince my friend to let me stay with her if you really want me gone." She said sadly. Again, usually Calum would say yes. He'd jump at the opportunity to kick Ariana out and get his space back, but for some reason, he felt differently.
"What time are you done with school, i'll meet you back here to come and get you." He said. Ariana had the widest grin on her face. "I'm done at 5, so I won't be back until around 8. Is that okay?"
"It's fine." Calum said. When the train pulled up, the two departed without saying a word, but wishing they had, for the long day they'd spend apart.
