End Up Here

we can kill some time, stay home

I spend my next few days sulking around at the fact that I'm going to have to be roommates with Maisy for three months. I try my best to keep up with packing but it's a pain knowing that it's for hell. Lia and I watch a movie every night, making the best of our last few days as roommates. The boys are coming back from San Francisco to spend the weekend here. There's only one problem with that. Calum has been too busy to FaceTime me at all. I get that they're recording an album, but I wish he'd try and find a little time to at least call. 

The week drags on, and finally, it's Friday. As Lia and I are sitting in the almost empty room listening to music, she begins to talk. "Luke has not stopped trying to talk to me all week. I've ignored his calls and messages but he doesn't get the fucking hint that I do not want to speak to him."

"Well, I guess I have the opposite problem. Calum has barely contacted me. I guess they're super busy up there."

"Luke's clearly not," she mumbles. "He wants to go to dinner tonight so I can 'hear him out.'"

"I don't know. Maybe it could be a good thing. What he did was completely horrible but it might be a good opportunity to get some closure about it. And free food so there's that."

She sighs. "You really think so?"

"Yeah. And I'll be with Calum tonight, so it would suck for you to be all alone."

"Okay. I'll text him back. We better be going to a really expensive place if he wants to get me back."

------------

At five o'clock, Calum texts me that the boys have arrived and I can come over whenever. Michael was already heading out to see a movie with Evie, and Luke is obviously going to be with Lia. He said that Ashton was still at the dorm but he'd try and kick him out so we could be alone.

Lia and I get ready for our nights. Since Calum and I are staying in, I opt for a more casual look. I grab my favorite black joggers and grey sweatshirt. I throw on some Vans and I'm good to go. Lia, however, has a different mentality. She's going for the expensive hoe look. She has on a cropped lacy black camisole. She paired that with black jeans and black heeled boots. Her hair and makeup are perfect and she looks like a badass that could kill Luke if he ever fucked up again. 

We decide that we're ready to leave and grab our things. When we head downstairs, there is a huge limo waiting outside for someone. Luke is nowhere to be seen, until he comes out the side door of the limo in a black tux. He has a bouquet of gardenias and a box of chocolate in his hands. 

"Wow. You look gorgeous." He walks up to her but she is still cold towards him.

"I'm allergic to gardenias," Lia says, with no emotion.

"Oh, okay. I'll throw them out." He walks over to the nearby garbage bin and throws them away. 

I raise my eyebrows. He's really committing to this. 

"Bye guys. Have fun! Don't try to kill him Lia." She gives a small smile to me and gets in the limo. Luke follows behind, closing the door for her. They speed off right after, and I head to Calum's dorm. 

I can't help but feel a little jealous that Luke is doing all of this for Lia, even if he was an asshole. I'm not a fancy girl. I don't need limos or expensive flowers, but the fact that Calum hasn't even FaceTimed me yet... I don't know. It makes me feel a little sad. 

I get to the dorm and knock on the door. To my surprise, it opens right away. "Cal!" I start. But then I realize it's... Ashton. 

"Oh, hey Ash. How was your first week recording?" I say just to be polite. Before he can answer, Calum gets to the door, pushes Ashton aside, and envelops me into a gigantic hug. 

"Supernova! I missed you!" As we pull apart, we give each other a kiss. Ashton walks back into the living room and sits on the couch. We head inside too, sitting down at the kitchen table. There's a tray of freshly baked brownies, and when I look back up at Calum he smiles. 

"Made these for you. Almost burned the place down. But I thought I should pay you back from when you made some for the picnic."

"Aw!" I squeeze his hand from across the table, staring into his eyes. We have a little moment just sitting there and appreciating each other. Out of nowhere, Ashton gets up and grabs at the brownies, taking a piece.

"These are fucking good bro. Like a real chef man."

"Thanks," Cal replies, chuckling awkwardly. We share a look.

Ashton continues, "So what are we three gonna do tonight? I was thinking we could play this new board game I got. It's really cool. Oh and we have some pizza rolls and-"

"I was thinking we could have a more chill kinda night. You know, I haven't seen Nova in a week and all..."

"Oh, yeah no problem. Let's watch a movie or something instead."

A brief silence ensues, until Ashton gets a notification on his phone. "Yoooo there's a Lil Nas X concert like five minutes from here! I'm gonna go to that. You guys wanna pull up?"

"I think we're good," I say quickly.

"Suit yourselves." He shrugs his shoulders, grabs his things, and walks out the door.

I turn back to Calum. "Finally, we're alone. I've missed you so much. I wish you would have FaceTimed me."

"I wish I could have too. But I've literally been working non stop. We have some demos of the album that I really wanna show you, if you'd like to hear."

My heart rate quickens. Could he have already recorded "End Up Here"? "Of course I wanna hear!"

Calum smiles, pulling out his phone. "I think you'll really like this first one." He presses play and my jaw drops when I begin to hear the melody of the song I wrote. But it sounds much more professional than I could have ever made it. Like something that could be on the radio. 

Without thinking, I lean over to him and we begin to kiss. Suddenly it feels like everything is going to be okay. We can make this work. When the song ends, we pull apart and I ask, "So what do you wanna do?"

"You."