Meet You There | Calum Hood

50

An: posting a little early bc today's been shit. Enjoy the end of book one!-Sav

"Coach called us all into a meeting this morning." Holland mumbled into Calum's chest. His hand brushed through her long blonde hair as his chest rose and fell evenly with his breathing. They'd settled into a kind of normal over the past few weeks. While Holland's free time was basically non existent, Calum was willing to be there for her when she was free and it was working for them. Even if she still refused to put a label on it. Long distance relationship is what Lexi has called it.

"Any clue what it's about?"

"Supposedly this fucking virus."

"Ugh, don't remind me." He said kissing her shoulder. "The label is freaking me out about the album drop and tour." He said, his hand rubbing at his eyes.

"I just hope this doesn't ruin everything." She said sadly.

"I'm sure it'll be fine Holls. This virus will blow over, the world will go back to normal, and come August you'll be an Olympic gold medalist." He said, his breath hot on her ear before he kissed her cheek.

"I guess only time will tell." She said sadly, kissing him softly before rolling out of bed and changing into her gym clothes.

"Come here." Cal called just as her hand reached for the door.

She turned back with smile and laughed at his grabby hands as she leaned down to kiss him.

"Can't think of a better way to wake up."

"You're about to go right back to sleep!" She argued and he only kissed her again.

"I'll be here when you get back from practice." He told her.

"Hopefully coach will be short." She replied to him as she grabbed her bag from the floor and actually made it out the door this time.

Lexi met her in the living room and they headed for the gym together.

"What do you think he's gonna say?" Lexi asked her.

"I have no clue. I just hope it's good news. It's our senior season." Holland said.

"I know but I'm worried. The stuff I've been reading about the virus...it's not good." She told her cautiously.

"I know."

Lexi held open the gym door and the girls walked into the gym, stopping short when they saw their coach's face. Coach Waller, their typically stoic and strong coach looked near tears and Holland felt her stomach drop.

"Coach? Coach is everything okay?" Holland asked.

"You girls just take a seat and we'll talk as a team when everyone gets here."

"Do you want us to stretch out...or?" Holland asked, her confusion written all over her faces

"No, no. You can just sit in the first row of bleachers here." He said, gesturing to the small bleacher set in the gym.

Lexi and Holland shared a look but did as he had asked and waited with baited breath as the rest of their team all trickled in and filled the seats around them.

"Ladies, as you know COVID-19 is rapidly spreading throughout our country and the rest of the world. Unfortunately, due to the current predictions for COVID cases the NCAA has made the difficult decision to cancel the rest of our season, effective immediately."

Holland's ears rang, her face was flush, and she felt nauseous. Surely she had misheard him. There was no way her collegiate gymnastics career was just...over.

The girls around her all seemed to be in similar states of disbelief and shock. The four seniors on the team, Holland and Lexi included, practically in tears at the realization that they would never again get to compete for UCLA.

Cancelling the season seemed so final. Surely this virus would pass in a matter of weeks and their season could be salvaged, it couldn't really just end like this. There was no closure. No sense of finality. No senior night, no chance to show her skills and prepare herself before nationals and worlds and the olympics.

Would there even be an Olympics? Surely so.

The word couldn't just come to a screeching halt. Practically every doctor in the world was on the case to cure this mess and that meant that by the time her trials came around the world would be back to normal, right?

She didn't know what to think or how to feel as she departed the gym and redirected herself back to her dorm. Back to her Calum.

She didn't know how to be Holland Mayfield in a world where gymnastics was cancelled. Could she even practice now? Were they allowed to use the facilities?

If competitions were being cancelled what did that mean for classes?

Her brain was a jumble of chaotic thoughts and feelings she couldn't decipher alone and she knew the only thing in the world she wanted at that moment was to be in Calum's arms. She needed him to reassure her that things would be okay.

Lexi walked beside her, she seemed to be in the same state of disarray as Holland and neither seemed to have the energy for small talk.

They silently trudged up the step and through the door of their dorm, Lexi disappearing to, Holland suspected, call Drew, while Holland sought solace in Calum.

He rolled over and threw his arm around her as soon as she fell beside him in her bed.

"I didn't expect you back so soon." He said, turning to face her. "What happened?" He rushed out at the sight of her.

"Our season...it's just...over." She said, her eyes watering as she managed to get the words out.

"What? What do you mean it's over you guys have only had three competitions." He said sitting up.

"I know. With the virus I guess the NCAA decided sports are too risky right now.they've cancelled all spring sports and championships. The president of UCLA  is supposed to issue a statement tonight to tell us what will happen as far as classes but everyone seems to think we're going to be sent home."

"Wait, so you're not gonna be in LA anymore?" He asked, sitting up and panic taking over his face.

"I-I don't know. If I'm still allowed to train I'll
probably have to go to wherever will take me in. Hopefully it'll just be for a few weeks until I can join up with the team and once I make the National team I'll be wherever with them and my plan will be back on track." She said, spitballing.

"And if that's cancelled too?"

"I—I don't know." She admitted.

"Whatever happens, with school, with gymnastic, with all of it I just need you to know one thing." He said, reaching forward, his hand cupping her cheek.

"I love you Holland and come hell or high water I'm going to be here for you, for us. Whatever you need, whatever it takes. I'm not giving up on us."

The End.

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An: the description/intro for MORE the sequel to Meet You There is now posted on my profile! I hope you'll join me for the rest of Holland & Calum's story!

Thank you for coming this far with me!
Ily,
Sav 🖤