Want You Back | c.h.

15.

"Calum grab the chairs!" Luke called to him as he carried the cooler towards the sand. Ashton had grabbed the towels and umbrella and Mikey had the games and beach toys.

Calum dug around in the trunk, loading himself down with the chairs and putting Duke on his leash before locking the car and following after his friends.

The beach was nearly empty, it was April and still a tad early for it to be too crowded, but in the distance he could see a few groups of people enjoying the perfect weather.

He sat the chairs down in the sand, unfolding them and setting them out for everyone. With them all placed, he took a seat, enjoying the feel of the warm sand squishing between his toes.

The waves lapped at his feet and he relaxed back into the chair content to just enjoy the sun as it warmed his skin.

Duke barked as he frolicked happily across the sand, dashing towards the water only to run away as it neared his paws. Calum laughed as he watched the pup play before standing and scooping him up.

Alright buddy, I'm gonna go for a dip, you stay here. He clipped Duke's leash to the umbrella and gave him some water. The dog sat in the shade and sprawled out, seemingly content to nap while Calum joined his friends.

He walked back out and into the water, when he could no longer comfortably stride he swam until he reached the rest of his group.

"I don't even remember the last time we had a beach day." Luke commented.

"I know right, I don't either. It's been too long for sure." Ash added.

"The girls seem to be enjoying themselves." Michael said, gesturing back towards the shore.

Cal felt a pain in his chest as he stared at his best friends significant others, wishing his Emi was among them.

He had been stuck on what to do about that situation for weeks. He'd even hunted down her boss, Cesare, who'd told him that Emi had not only lost her business but her home and he wasn't sure where she was staying.

The thought that the girl he loved more than life itself might be out there somewhere, alone and unsheltered was keeping him up at night.

He hated not knowing where she was, or at least not knowing that she was safe.

"Y'all wanna play a game of footy?" Calum heard himself ask, hoping to distract himself from further thoughts of Emerson.

"I could go for that." Ash responded and the others nodded along with him as they moved towards the shore. Calum ran ahead of everyone grabbing the soccer ball from the bag and beginning to juggle it between his feet.

The boys took positions across from each other and began kicking the ball back and forth, they were friendly at first but soon they were in an all out game of two on two.

Calum passed to Ashton as he did his best to avoid Luke, shoving him off and shooting towards their goal marker they'd drawn in the sand. Michael deflected the pass which sent the ball flying.

Calum jogged after it, wincing as he saw it bounce over two girls laid on their towels, just trying to soak in the sun.

"My bad ladies, I'm so—"

The words died in his mouth as he came face to face with Emerson once again. Surely this many happen-chance run ins had to be a sign.

"Emi, hi. I—It's so good to see you."

"It's really good to see you too, Cal." She said standing and extending her arms out to hand him the ball.

"Are you, are you back?" He asked, hoping her reply would be the one he desired.

"Yeah. Things didn't work out in New York, so I decided it was time to come home."

"I went back for you." He said. The words falling out of his mouth without permission.

"What?" She asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"To New York. We went back, I don't know, I guess about a month ago now, and I went to your restaurant. I had this whole elaborate plan about how I was going to save it. I was going to promote you on social media and throw an industry party and it was going to be a raging success and get food bloggers there and then you would be on your feet and stable."

Emerson stared back at him, she wasn't quite sure how to respond to his claims. He was so genuine in his enthusiasm she didn't doubt that he really had, had a plan.

"Guess we just couldn't hold on long enough." She smiled sadly, shifting her gaze to her toes as she played with them in the sand.

"I sent you a check. I'm so sorry, Emi. I swear I thought it would be enough. I knew you wouldn't take it from me so I came up with that whole food award thing."

"I knew that was you." She smirked up at him feeling her smile turn genuine.

"There's so much I want to tell you, Em.so much I want to talk about. Can we meet? Please? I promise I'll leave you alone if you hear me out and want nothing to do with me after."

She hesitated at his request, not sure she was ready or willing to hop back on the roller coaster that Calum Hood had been to her life. They had been younger then though, she reminded herself, and she had thought of him too often, for too long, to justify saying no.

"I'll go on your little date-"

"It doesn't have to be a date." He interrupted her.

"I'll go on your little date with you on one condition."

"And that his?" He said with great anticipation.

"No lies, and we have to answer each other's questions, even if they are hard."

"Done." He said immediately and she sat up straighter.

"You don't want to think it over?"

"There's nothing to think about, Em. I'm in. I'll pick you up tomorrow around three, does that work for you?"

"Yeah, actually." She said surprised. "It does, it's my day off."

"Perfect, I'll see you then Emi!" He called back to her as he grabbed his soccer ball and went running back to his friends.

An: happy?

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Be sure to check out my non-fanfic "Paper Parachute." Also, check out my friend Sprinting_Ginger 's works! If you like mine you'll like hers as we right very similarly!!

Ily
Sav 🖤