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"No way, that sounds disgusting." Calum exclaimed. Meredith just laughed as Ariana cowered in the corner. "It was hilarious." Meredith giggled. "No it was not, that was the worst day of my life." Ariana said as she clutched onto Calum's arm. "Awe, it's okay princess. We've all had our fair share of pissing ourselves in the fourth grade." Calum teased, laughing right along with Meredith.
"Don't laugh, it's not funny." Ariana smiled. "Okay, fine. But I'm holding that over your head forever." Calum said. "No way, I don't have anything to hold over you." Ariana argues. "I don't have any embarrassing stories." Calum said. "You have to have at least one, everyone has that one moment in elementary school when they completely made a fool of themselves." Meredith said.
"Maybe when I fell off the swing and broke my ankle, but other than that, I live an embarrassing free life. Sorry to disappoint." Calum said. "I don't buy it." The girls said in unison. "I do have one...but I don't think I can tell it right now." Calum said. "You can't play that card, you have to tell us." Ariana said. Calum rolled his eyes at his girl before kissing her forehead. "Maybe some other time." He said. Ariana could feel his mood change and instantly wanted to know what was wrong, but she knew he wouldn't tell him, not with Meredith around anyway.
As Meredith and Calum talked more about Ariana's embarrassing moments and shitty ex boyfriend's, it dawned on Ariana that she was falling in love with Calum and yet, she knew nothing about him other than surface level things. The only deep thing he ever told her was about how Mia died and that she was his girlfriend, but other than that, she knew nothing.
"You know it's so crazy how Luke died. I never pictured him for a gang member." Meredith said. Ariana's eyes went wide, knowing Calum's secret while Calum was a cool as ever. "I guess you never really know someone as much as you think. I know I didn't know that about him, and we've been neighbors since he was 18." Calum said.
"So, I hear you're coming to Ari's party tomorrow." Meredith said. "Any advice on how to deal with her parents?" Calum asked. "I'd say as long as you're on her mom's good side, you should be fine. Her dad might seem like he's in charge because he's a businessman, but her mom is top dog in the Grande household." Meredith said.
"Guess I'll have to try a little harder to get her to like me after our meeting this morning." Calum chuckled. Calum turned to see Ariana's reaction, but frowned when he saw how she was hardly paying any attention. "Princess, everything alright?" Calum asked. He tucked his finger under her chin and turned her head to face him. "Yeah, I'm fine." Ariana lied.
"You've been silent the whole time baby."
"Just not as hungry as I thought." Calum kissed her forehead and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "As much as I hate to admit it, you guys are kind of cute." Meredith said. Ariana gave a soft smile as she cuddled into Calum's side the rest of the meal. While they finished up, Calum heard a commotion.
"I just need to talk to my friend...I saw his car outside, I know he's in there...Just give me a second, it's important." He heard. "Who's being so loud." Meredith asked. Calum turned to see Miriam trying to fight through a bunch of waiters. "Oh fuck." Calum mumbled. "What's wrong Cal." Ariana got up and saw Miriam as well and crossed her arms over her chest.
"What is she doing here?" Ariana said annoyed. "I don't know, I'm just gonna go make sure she's alright." Calum said. "What, no. She could be on drugs or something." Ariana said, pulling him back. "It's fine Ariana, she must need something if she came all this way to find me." Calum said. Ariana pouted as Calum went to check on his friend.
"Who is that?" Meredith asked. "His friend Miriam. Something does rub me right about her, but she's his friend so I have to be nice." Ariana said. As the girls talked, Calum approached Miriam as quickly as possible. "Miriam relax, I'm right here." Calum said. "I need to talk to you right now." She said dragging him outside. "Miriam slow down, what is this about?" Calum asked.
"Look, you need to stop seeing that girl." She said. Calum shook his head in disbelief. "What are you talking about?" Calum asked. "Your girlfriend, you need to stop talking to her." Miriam said. "Okay, before I walk away from this absurd conversation, I'm gonna give you a chance to explain yourself." Calum said.
"I can't get into it right now, just now I'm trying to do you a favor." Miriam said. "What about her is so bad? She makes me happy, it's nothing like what Mia and I had-"
"Her family is trouble Calum." Miriam blurted out. Calum sighed as he rubbed his temples. "And how would you know that?" He asked. "Just trust me, you'll be avoiding a lot of problems if you just listen to me and drop this girl." Miriam said. "I'm not dropping her, and you're not making any sense—"
"Would you stop being some lovesick idiot for this fucking child and listen to me?" Miriam shouted. "Excuse me?" Miriam and Calum turned to see Ariana and Meredith, both girls with their arms crossed over their chests. "Speak of the bitch." Miriam mumbled, only Ariana heard her. "If anyone is a bitch, it's you. Why can't you just leave me and my boyfriend alone?"
"Why don't you go wait in the car and let the grownups handle this." Miriam said. "I've been trying to be nice to you since you're Calum's friend, but now," Ariana approached Miriam, standing in her face. "I'm over it." Miriam shook her head and laughed. "Oh, I'm so scared. What are you gonna do, tell daddy someone was being mean to you."
"Knock it off you two." Calum said breaking them up. "Don't do this Miriam, I'm sure it's not that big of a deal, and whatever you say it is, I can handle myself." Calum said. "What was she even talking about?" Ariana asked. "Wouldn't you like to know?" Miriam said. "Doesn't matter what she said, all that matters is you two need to stop fighting, you both mean a lot to me." Calum said.
"I'm not sticking around for whatever storm comes with her in your life. Don't say I didn't warn you Cal." Miriam put up her hood and walked away, Calum hurt as his only best friend left, was abandoning him. "I'm gonna go wait in the car." Meredith said. "Calum, you okay?" Ariana said. "M'fine. Let's just go." He said. He didn't say another word as they walked to the car and drove off in silence.
