Stuck in the Middle (Two Stories in One) [Calum Hood & Luke Hemmings AU]

1. Calum

The roar of waves crashing against the shore was silenced by the glass separating Calum from the ocean, the white sand in between a smooth carpet creating a pathway. He watched the water recede before rushing back once again, glittering in a purplish-orange hue under the setting sun, but Calum could still feel his skin warming at the mere sight of the sun above them, slowly descending, before begging to be submerged in the coolness of the water. The waves colliding with the shore was muted, replaced by the sound of his friends roaming the beach house, finding rooms to settle in, and making plans as they unpacked. His own luggage was near the bed, waiting to be unloaded, and Calum swept his gaze over the ocean in the distance one last time before turning around with a sigh.

His actions were slow, leisurely opening up his suitcases and pulling out his things to put away. The nap he'd taken on the near three hour flight from New York to Florida had only seemed to tire him out more, but Calum knew his exhaustion came not from lack of sleep, but because of how busy and overwhelming life had suddenly become. The knowledge of a hectic schedule soon becoming a new normal for him sank heavily in Calum's bones, and while he thought he was ready for the responsibilities that came with soon becoming the CEO of his parents' multi-million dollar company, Calum knew he wasn't ready for the additional arrangement that came with it.

As he put away a few shirts on hangers into the closet, a knock sounded on the white door of the bedroom, and he stepped out of the closet, glancing to his right to see Sloane lingering by the doorway. The first thing he noticed—the first thing anyone noticed, really, upon looking at Sloane—where her bright blue eyes, which stood out against her olive skin tone and dark hair. She looked at him, almost hesitant, with an apologetic smile tilting at her lips. "Hey, sorry, uh, just wanted to let you know we're heading to the beach in, like, an hour. Right after sunset."

For a moment, all Calum could do was take in the nervous energy radiating from Sloane, and he felt a prickle of guilt shoot through him. They were friends, had been for years despite college keeping them in different states, and to see her appear so small in front of him when she was one of the most confident people when she wanted to be felt wrong. There were occasions Calum had seen Sloane shrink into herself; because of him had never been one he wanted to see.

So he nodded, hoping his tone didn't come off as edgy as it had lately. "Okay, thanks." His dark eyes then dropped lower, taking in the way she was wringing her fingers, noticing the rings she wore and the lack of one. He couldn't help the slight upwards tilt of his lips. "You're not wearing the ring."

It was an honest observation, one he found truthfully amusing as Sloane's own gaze dropped to her hand. Fortunately, she picked up on his subtle humorous tone. "Yeah, no, uh—" Sloane cut off with a gentle chuckle, blue eyes meeting brown. "Our parents aren't here so, you know, I'm not gonna put it on." Her throat worked as she asked cautiously, "You're good with that, right?" She knew he was, but her need for double checking spoke for her consideration of others as well as her precision in other matters Calum knew would come in handy.

His small smile widened with half of a laugh, eyebrows raising in amusement as he went back to the bed to grab more clothes. He told her in all honesty, "I've got nothin' against it, Sloane."

If she didn't want to wear the diamond ring his parents picked out to signify their engagement—their arranged engagement—while they were on their vacation, away from the prying eyes of both of their parents, investors, the works, then that was fine with Calum. He didn't blame her for it. Kind of encouraged it, actually. As he picked up some folded sweats and brought them over to the dresser, Calum added lowly as an afterthought, "We're free until we're not."

It was a reminder, not that Sloane needed one, he knew, of their agreement before they'd come to Florida: that there would be no mention of the engagement, of the impending wedding, impending merging of their companies. It was a topic that neither of them were too keen on discussing, and if they could spend their time in Florida ignoring a situation they knew would be right there, waiting for them, when they got back to New York, then that's how they'd deal with it.

He heard Sloane let out a slow breath through her nose. "Fair enough," was all she said before giving the door frame a departing tap and walking down the hall, leaving Calum alone with his thoughts and items still needing to be put away.