Meet You There | Calum Hood

45

Calum left Holland's room feeling dejected but his sadness quickly turned to anger as he saw her coach approaching through the parking lot.

"Nice of you to show up to pretend you care about her." He said harshly, though he didn't remember giving his brain permission to speak his inner thoughts.

"Excuse me?" Coach Waller replied. "Perhaps you have me mistaken, who are you?"

"I'm Calum. Calum Hood. Holland's boyfriend, or well, thanks to you, her ex boyfriend."

"Ah, surprised to see you here then."

"When you love someone you can't just turn your feelings off because their coach decides you aren't allowed to be together. How do you even get off doing that to her? She's not just a gymnastics robot you know? She's a fucking person." Calum said, exasperated.

"I'm sorry if you were affected by the way I run my team."

"Which sucks by the way. You didn't even know what was going on with her. I bet yesterday was completely shocking to you."

"What are you talking about?"

"She's got an eating disorder. She's had an eating disorder. Lexi has been practically force feeding her as long as I've known her. She's so obsessed with being perfect, with trying to be someone she's not because you've put it in her head that's she's not already perfect."

"I—I just tried to explain the challenges that she would face as an older and taller gymnast attempting to compete at the Olympic level." Her coach replied easily, like it was no big deal.

"Well congrats, your way of "coaching" landed her in the hospital. I hope you're fucking happy."

"Look son, I'm sorry you're upset but I am not to blame for Holland's current situation."

"Of course you're are! When you're a coach you agree to take care of your athletes, did she look taken care of when she blacked out? I don't fucking think so. And the worst of this is that if she hadn't been forced to break up with me, maybe I would've known what was going on with her, or hell, maybe she wouldn't have stopped eating completely because she wouldn't have been so fucking miserable. So yes, yes it is at least partially your fault."

"That's all just your theory though. I have simply coached an athlete who aspires for greatness."

"You've ruined her fucking life!" Calum yelled back, no longer able to control his anger.

"What else was I supposed to think? Huh?" The coach asked him, no longer trying to move past him towards the hospital entrance but instead stepping to the side to continue his conversation, though it had become more of a screaming match, with Calum. "My star gymnast starts showing up to practices at the last minute. She stops putting in extra time in the gym. She becomes withdrawn, her grades slip and she starts messing up skills she's had down since she was twelve, and then Lexi comes in with a magazine that's got her face splashed across the front page with some rockstar boy. Obviously, you appeared to be the connecting link between all of the things I was noticing."

"Wait, Lexi brought you the magazine?" Calum asked, fixated on that small detail that was confusing him.

"Yeah, she came in and when I asked about it she said she wanted me to see it in person before I heard about it from anyone else."

Calum's eyes furrowed. Did Holland know about this? It seemed doubtful but he still had to wonder.

"Look, I'm sorry about things between you and Holland. If what you're saying is true and she can train and you two can do whatever without it affecting her, then I have no problems with it. My only concerns are for Holland the athlete. I don't care what she does in her personal time as long as it doesn't affect her performance on the mat. If I misjudged the situation I apologize but you have to see where I was coming from. Now, I've got to go speak with her doctor and wait for her parents to show up. I hope if we meet again it will be under more civil circumstances."

Calum stood slightly shell-shocked as the dark haired man strode away. The conversation hadn't gone anything like he'd expected.

Had Lexi shown the coach the article to throw him off of finding out about Holland's eating disorder? Had she simply wanted to break them up or get Holls in trouble?

He didn't know what to think but the information seemed pertinent and he was pretty sure she needed to know but she had already sent him away for once that day, he didn't think he had it in him to hear her dismiss him again.

He wavered in his decision. To go upstairs and tell her what he'd heard or to go home and give them some time apart.

Ultimately he decided it was best not to rile her up again while she was already weak and so he departed the hospital but he didn't go home. Instead, he found himself making the drive to Ashton's home. If anyone would know what to do, he could count on his best friend.

"Ash?" He called after letting himself in with the pin pad combination.

"Cal?"

He followed the sound of Ashton's voice down to his basement studio.

"Hey, KayKay." Calum greeted the dark haired girl who was seated on the couch before reaching forward to pet Penny who strained in her arms trying to get to him. "You mind if I borrow Ash for a minute? It's important." He said, his voice strained.

Something about his demeanor must have told her it was serious because she quickly nodded and headed upstairs, Penny in her arms.

"What's up? I thought I'd see you last night after the showcase but maybe it's a good thing I didn't?" He asked, his eyebrow raised.

"Not exactly." Calum replied and Ashton's face fell.

"Fuck. What happened?"

"Holland blacked out on the mat. She had to go to the hospital they kept her overnight to give her fluids and she's supposed to get released later today."

"Holy fuck, Cal."

"Yeah, um, she's got some health issues but anyways that's not what I came to talk to you about." He said, shaking his head and trying to get them back on topic. "I ran into her coach when I was leaving the hospital this morning. He didn't know about her health stuff and just assumed that her recent athletic changes were because of me and that's why he insisted she break up with me. But that's still not the main issue, her best friend is the one who showed him the article. She's the one that got Holland in trouble and I don't think Holland knows that. I think there might have been some kind of, like, motivation, behind it. I don't know how to feel because up until this point I've really liked Lexi but if she basically sabotaged our relationship..." his words died out.

"So what exactly do you think she was trying to do?"

"I don't know, maybe cover up Holland's health issues? Maybe sabotage Holls completely?" Calum wondered aloud.

"Those are some pretty major accusations Cal. I think you have to talk to her about it." Ash told him.

"She's already broken up with me and then today she just... I don't know if she'd even listen to me if I tried to tell her."

"You'll never know if you don't try buddy. She's going home for the holidays soon and we're flying out to Australia. You really gonna be okay halfway around the world if you don't get this off your chest?"

An: soooo

Why did Lexi show coach the article?

What should Cal do?

What will Holland think if she finds out?

Let me know!
Ily,
Sav🖤