Meet You There | Calum Hood

46

Holland was being released from the hospital at five that afternoon, or at least that's what her brother Evan's text said to Calum.

He read it quickly and his decision was made. He couldn't keep secrets from her, even if they weren't together.

He parked his SUV in the parking structure for the hospital and made the trek to her room. He wandered down the long hallway and rapped softly on the door before stepping in, her eyes snapping up quickly to meet his.

The smile that was previously etched across her face fell suddenly and she stopped mid greeting when she saw it was his figure filling the doorway.

"Cal, what are you doing here?" He felt a sense of dejavu, and not in a good way. He had a strong feeling he'd be leaving her room in much the same state as he had the day before.

He gave a soft smile and glanced to the window, acknowledging quickly her parents and brother who were seated there.

"Hi, Calum." Holland's mother, Amy said.

"Hi, Mrs. Mayfield. Do you...do you guys mind if I talk to Holls for a minute? I promise I'll be quick."

"Sure thing, sweetie. I think we could all use a bite to eat, anyways. We'll just run down to the cafeteria. You kids take your time." She smiled and squeezed his forearm as she passed. Her dad clapped his hand on Calum's back and then they were gone and it was only Calum and Holland left in the room.

His tongue traced across his top lip and he blew out a puff of air.

His throat felt dry but he had no choice but to talk to her now, he was already here and she was looking at him expectantly.

"I, I um, I found something out and I couldn't just hold this information and not share it with you. I know I'm not welcome here so just hear me out and I'll go, okay?" He finally got out.

"Cal, it's not—"

"It's fine, Holland. Just hear me out." He said stopping her, not sure that his heart could take hearing her words again as she tried to soften the blow of hit heartbreak.

She gave a small nod.

"I ran into your coach on my way out yesterday."

"Okay?" She questioned, her eyes hard and searching his face as she wondered where he was going with this.

"I kind of got into it with him. I was hurt and angry and it kind of all just came out but he let it slip how he found out about the tabloid thing so fast."

Her eyebrows raised and her hand moved wildly as she encouraged him to continue.

"Holls he found out about us because of Lexi."

"What?" The word fell from her lips in a sharp staccato fashion.

"He said he noticed some changes in your practices and he didn't know what was causing it until Lexi came in with the magazine. He said she told him she wanted him to hear it from him and not someone else."

"What else?" Holland pressed, her voice a sad mix of betrayed and despair.

"I—I don't know. That's all he said, Holls."

Her eyes were dropped, focused on her fidgeting hands that rested on the top of the hospital blanket as his words seeped into her brain.

Lexi? Of all people, her best friend? But Lexi wouldn't do something to hurt her intentionally, right?

Nothing made sense. Her mind was a jumbled mess and she couldn't figure out a way to sort out all the things she was thinking at the moment.

"Are you okay?" Calum asked, raking his hand across the top of his head. The short hairs there prickling his skin. "Fuck don't answer that. Of course you aren't."

The silence lingered and the air in the room seemed to dissipate.

"Is there anything I can do?" He finally asked, desperate to ease the tension.

"I—I don—" her words were halted as the door opened, the pairs eyes sweeping over to whoever was entering.

If the room had felt tense before it was only magnified as Lexi came through the door. A wide smile on her face until she read the room.

"What? What's going on?" She asked, her head on a swivel as she looked from Calum to Holland and back again.

Holland was the first to speak up.

"When coach found out about Calum..." she said, her voice shaking but not from sadness, no, she was angry, furious and it was the most frightening Calum had ever seen her.

"What are you talking about?" Lexi said. Stepping all the way into the room and situating herself at the end of Holland's bed.

"Did you show Coach Waller the article about me and Calum?" Holland's word were slow and concise.

Lexi's eyes seemed to fly open in realization.

"Woah, woah, wait. There's been some kind of mix-up."

"Has there?" Holland asked pointedly.

"Yes, Holland!" Lexi practically screamed.

Calum leaned awkwardly against the wall feeling a bit like an intruder in the midst of the girl quarrel.

"I'm your best friend, Holland. I can't believe you would even insinuate that I like plotted against you or tried to break you guys up or whatever it is you're thinking you're wrong."

"Then explain it to me, because right now I don't know what the fuck to believe and I don't think I can handle one more bad thing, Lex." Holland said, her voice finally cracking.

"I—I went to practice that day. You'd been gone with Cal and I knew how important he was becoming to you and I saw that article on the newsstand in the student center and I knew if Waller saw it it would be a shit show. I had it to show you, Coach just happened to see me first and he took it from my hands and then their wasn't much I could do. He asked if that's what was throwing you off at practice and I said I wasn't sure because I didn't want him digging deeper and finding out about this and I didn't know he'd make you break up with Cal and I'm sorry, Holls. I'm so fucking sorry."

Lexi words hung in the air, Holland's eyes moving wildly as she decided whether or not to believe her best friend.

"You swear that's how it happened?"

"Yes, Holls, of course. I would never try to hurt you. I'm so sorry. I was trying to do the least amount of damage I had no idea he would take things so far and by the time I realized, the damage was already done.

Calum's eyes widened when he saw that Holland's gaze had shifted and her beautiful blue eyes were now solely trained on him.

She arched her eyebrow, almost as if to ask if he believed Lexi's story. Frankly, he wasn't sure exactly what he believed but the story seemed plausible enough and the girl had already been through so much. For her sake he hoped it were true and he hoped even more for his sake that her coach's words about their relationship to him would still ring true in the new year.

An: so how do we feel about Lexi's explanation?

Is it true?

What about the coach saying as long as the relationship didn't effect gymnastics he would allow it?

Will he honor that?

Cal's beaded home to Australia and Holland's headed to San Diego. How will two weeks apart effect them?

Let me know!

If you aren't already reading Sprinting_Ginger 's books you should do that. Her Ashton book updates on opposite days from mine!

I love you,
Sav 🖤