Meet You There | Calum Hood

17

"God, I'm so glad to see you." Calum said through the open car window.

"I know. I hate that I was so busy this week. I'm sorry." Holland said making a pouty face as she climbed into his passenger seat.

Since making their relationship official they had decided to proceed a little more cautiously as far as being seen together in public. They had been lucky so far, but luck could only last so long where the paparazzi were concerned. In an effort to be a bit more discreet she had met Calum in the private parking garage her car was parked in.

"You look nice." Calum said approvingly, his eyes scanning the white crop top and black shorts she wore with slip on vans, leaning over to kiss her for the first time in six days. "Fuck, I've been thinking about that all week."

"Oh really?" She teased.

"Mmm." He hummed. "So, we aren't going to my house. I hope that's okay."

"Oh?"

"Luke, the singer of my band?" He asked, looking over to Holland and she nodded. "His girlfriend wanted to have a get together for everyone before we leave. I hope it's okay that we go."

"Yeah, that's fine. I can finally put some names to some faces." She mused and he reached across the console to take her hand in his. He tangled their fingers and lifted their hands to press a kiss to the back of her hand.

He wouldn't say it out loud, but he hated the thought of being away from her already. He had never been so emotionally torn about leaving for tour. He was only just getting to really know her and he hated that he had to be gone for so long. It didn't help that their conflicting schedules already made it hard to see each other when they were in the same town. He dreaded what adding constantly changing cities would do to them but for their sake he hoped he was wrong. He had to believe that the things he was feeling were real and that this brand new relationship stood a fighting chance.

He drove into the hills and past the other exuberant homes on Luke's street before pulling up to his friend's gate and entering the code he knew well into the key pad.

The iron gate slid back and he pulled his Range Rover through and parked, running around the front of the SUV to open Holland's door for her.

"Thanks."

He smiled and her and grabbed her hand, nervousness practically radiated off of her and he slung his arm around her shoulder and kissed the top of her head.

"Just be yourself, they'll love you, I promise. They're all great people."

She gave a hesitant nod but held tightly to the hand that hung loosely over her shoulder as they entered the house.

"Hey!" A light voice called from around the corner just out of their sight. "Cal is that you?"

"Yep, and I brought a guest." He said, steering he and Holland around a corner where the house opened up to a large kitchen and living room.

"Oh my gosh, hi! You must be Holland!" The girl, dark haired and a few inches shorter than Holland squealed.

"Um, yeah, hi." She said nervously looking from the girl to the other five people scattered around the room.

"I'm Sierra, I'm Luke's girlfriend. We've heard a lot about you from Calum."

"Good things, I hope." Holland quipped, ribbing Calum playfully as he grinned.

"Nah, he told us all your dirty secrets." A man with brownish blonde hair said as he grabbed a drink from the refrigerator and she felt her concern showing on her face. What had he told them?

"That's Ashton, ignore him." Calum said with a chuckle.

"Shit, yeah sorry, I was being sarcastic. Take anything I say with a grain of salt, really." The man said.

"That one is Luke." Calum told her, pointing to a man with longer blonde curls engrossed in conversation in the living room. "And Michael is the one with the dog on his lap."

"The girl with the blonde hair is Michael's fiance, Crystal and the dark haired girl is Ashton's girlfriend, KayKay. Think you can remember all of that?"

"I'll try. I'm usually pretty good with names."

"You'll be great. Come on." He said, tugging on her hand and taking her to join the others.

She said hello politely as she sat next to Calum, looking to him for help on how to not be completely awkward.

"So you go to UCLA?" The blonde girl, Crystal, asked her.

"Yeah, I'm graduating in the spring. Exercise Science and Business."

"That's awesome."

"Thanks." She smiled, grateful someone had spoke to her before she thought too much and clammed up.

"Cal, says you do gymnastics?" KayKay asked as Ashton sat beside her and threw his arm around her shoulder naturally.

"Yeah, I'm the team captain."

"She's gonna be in the Olympics." Calum told his friends excitedly.

"Woah, woah. I might get to go to the Olympics. I'm a hopeful but I have to do well at World's and get chosen by the committee. It's still a long shot right now." She clarified but her heart swelled at the way Calum had spoken of her with such pride.

His friends, true to what he had told her, were very easy to get along with. They all seemed to be content in their relationships and Holland wondered if someday she would feel as comfortable around them as they all seemed to be around each other.

She really hoped she would.

They stayed out on Luke and Sierra's deck for a long time. Calum's friends taking the opportunity to tell her their favorite embarrassing stories about him in much the same way her friends had shared with him when she had brought him to the tailgate.

"You about ready to get out of here?" He asked her a while later. She was curled into his side as they gazed out at the valley below. The sun had just set casting a warm glow on everything in sight and the couples had broken off to enjoy the time they had left together before the boys had to leave the following morning.

"I don't want to go home." She told him, her eyes locked on his.

"I was hoping you might say something like that." He murmured against her ear.  "Can you stay with me? I'll take you by your place and let you get a bag."

"I like the sound of that. I've got practice at nine but you have to be at the airport at six right? I should have time to take you and make it over without any issues."

"Perfect." He said, lifting her off of his lap and standing to his feet.

They said their goodbyes and the boys determined where they would meet the next morning. Holland was surprised when everyone hugged her goodbye, but touched that they were making an effort to include her before she and Calum headed for his car.

"I can't believe we only have like ten hours before you have to be at the airport." Holland sighed as Calum pulled out of Luke's driveway and headed for her apartment building.

"I  know. I hate I have to leave when we're just really figuring this out."

"I really like you, Calum."

He squeezed her hand. "For tonight, can we just forget that I'm leaving tomorrow?"

AN: Aw she met his band mates.

Tomorrow there shall be smut. I swear. I kept getting distracted but I promise this time.

ILY

Sav🖤