Shy // Calum Hood

*•Fresh air•*

Calum's P.O.V.
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My fingers tingled from the cold atmosphere as I rubbed them together in attempt at warming them up. Placing my headphones in, I watched intently as my breath turned into clouds of smoke from the crisp air. I had come out to sit on top of our family garage again, however this time I couldn't sleep for a different reason. Finally instead of nightmares from my past, my mind was occupied by something else . . . or at least someone else.
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I could not seem to distract my attention from that Bailey girl. She's all I thought about lately and I wasn't sure why. I mean, I wouldn't go as far as calling it a crush . . . We didn't know each other nearly enough for that.
More a fascination. She fascinated me. Everything about her was so intriguing, I'd never met anybody who was like me, I'd never met anyone as shy, never mind even more shy than me.
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I used to speak all the time, so I felt alright speaking to people if I felt as though I could trust them. It was clearly a different story for her though. she still wasn't sure enough to talk to me, but I could change that. I will change that. I wanted to be friends with her, I really did.
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Quiet sniffles drew me away from my thoughts as I became confused, was somebody else out here? I squinted my eyes to try and get a better view through the darkness of the early hour, only to see nothing. The sniffles were growing louder. I clambered down from the rooftop and crouched down in a prickly bush by the edge of the road.
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The breaking lamp post was not working in my favour, it's light had been fading for the past month and now it barley made a difference against the night sky. I peered through the leaves and my chocolate brown eyes met with a girl. Squinting, I leaned further forward and I finally came into the realisation of who it was, Bailey. Bailey was who else was up at this crazy hour.
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Almost as quickly as I had recognised her, she had disappeared round the bend. I scrambled myself out of the bush and padded my way slowly behind her. Did she live around here? I certainly had never seen her before. Her small body was clearer to see in the slightly better lit up road we were now making our way along, and I could only desperately hope she wouldn't turn around.
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She seemed to be pretty assertive of where her destination was, making swift turns in all the right places. I pondered over all the possible places she could be leading to, and when she took the last left down the next old lane I knew exactly where her mind was set on being.
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I praised myself silently on my detective skills when Bailey opened the rusty yellow gate to the park. Moments after her, I gripped on to the cool metal and pushed the gate open. To my dismay it created an extremely loud screech, causing Bailey's head to instantly snap around in panic. Her delicate features seemed shocked as she saw me there watching her. I must seem ridiculously creepy to her right now, great. Nice one Calum.
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A rough hand lifted to the back of my neck, as it rubbed the skin awkwardly.
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"Hey, erm sorry, I just, I was up and I saw you and was curious to where you were going I guess." I blurted out straight away.
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She swallowed evidently and peered at me, unsure.
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"It was weird, I'm sorry, I should just go . . ." I turned to leave before her angelic voice stopped me.
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"Wait!" She squeaked. I turned back around immediately, and even in the poor lighting I could see the blush creep against her cheeks.
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I took a small step closer to her and waited for her to continue.
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She sighed harshly and I watched her hands play about together awkwardly.
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"It's not . . . It's not . . ." She stammered out in a hushed tone. I watched as her little face screwed up in annoyance at her inability to speak to me.
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I took another step closer and took a deep breath myself.
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"It's alright, just take it slow." I encouraged, knowing exactly how she was feeling.
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She nodded shyly before her chipped black fingernails dug into her velvet soft skin.
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". . . It isn't weird. I don't mind." She breathed out.
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I gave her a goofy grin and she smiled back in return.
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"Thank god, I'm not a stalker I swear." I chuckled, trying to ease her nerves.
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A small giggle escaped her lips and she everted her eyes from mine, fiddling with the bottom of her t-shirt. I plodded over to one of the swings and perched myself on the wonky rubber seat, moving my hand to tap the swing next to me, signalling for her to join me. She obliged and sunk down onto the swing.
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"So why are you out at this time?" I asked, desperate for her to ease up around me.
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She bit her lip roughly and in the new found light I could see her cheeks shimmering softly.
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"Have you been crying? Are you alright?" I blurted out, letting curiosity take over.
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". . . I'm . . . I'm okay thanks." She smiled at me.
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"Are you sure?" I pressed in disbelief.
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She nodded her head slowly, confirming that she was indeed okay.
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I didn't fall for it at all. I wasn't an idiot, people don't cry because they're 'okay', but I nodded anyway, not wanting her to feel pressurised by me in the slightest.
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Bailey's P.O.V.
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"So why are you up?" I changed the subject timidly. I felt a lot more relaxed around him now, I knew he wasn't going to hurt me like the others.
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"I'm always up at this time." He shrugged as if it was casual to be awake at two AM every morning.
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I nodded awkwardly, unsure of how to have a normal conversation with him.
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"You want to play twenty questions?" He turned and faced me, still grinning.
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I nodded again and smiled sweetly in return.
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"Okay so Bailey, what's your last name?"
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"Rovers." I giggled at how little he knew me.
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"Well?" He raised a bushy eyebrow.
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"Well. . .?" I repeated.
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"Do you not want to know mine?"
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A blush crept onto my cheeks as I looked away from his gaze.
"I know it." I mumbled embarrassed.
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"What, how?"
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I continued to not make eye contact and thought back to where I'd heard it.
"I saw it on your maths book the other day . . . and some of the other kids shout about you to me." I was blushing furiously now, he probably thought I was a total loser.
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"They do it to me too, don't be embarrassed about it, they're all ass holes."
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I nodded in reply, unsure how to retaliate.
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"I'm serious, the way they treat you is horrible."
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I shrugged nonchalantly, "I'm used to it, my old school was the same."
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"Okay, that leads to my next question, how many schools have you attended?"
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"Four primary's, five secondary's."
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"I've only gone to one of each!"
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Calum's P.O.V.
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We'd been playing twenty questions for so long it was beginning to lighten around us. I hadn't laughed this hard in a very long time and it felt amazing. I almost forgot how happy it makes you feel.
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"Alright, alright, it's your go." I calmed down my hysterical state and wiped of the clear, stray tear rolling off her cheek from her own laughter.
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She slowly became mute and stared deep into my eyes.
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"Why don't you talk to anyone?"
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"Why don't you?" I fired back immediately, almost like a reflex. My chest became tense and my throat tight. I glanced down at my now clammy hands, and moved them to grip onto the freezing metal chains that were supporting the swing, in attempt at cooling them down.
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"Sorry . . . I just, don't like taking about it."
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"It's fine, I understand." I plucked up the courage to face her again, only to find her not angry at my outburst, but smiling.
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Her phone vibrated lightly and the screen lit up the musky atmosphere. I wandered who would be messaging her at this time, especially since it caused a petrified expression to overtake Bailey's face.
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"I really need to get home." She panicked.
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"It's fine, I know a quick way." I offered before we rushed off back and left to our own homes with an awkward wave goodbye.