Everyone proceeded to prepare for the upcoming show, apart from Calum who stood pressed against a wall with his eyes glued to Sienna. Sienna didn't know he was watching her of course. She continued to revive her muscle memory for playing guitar as Luke laughingly coached her through any mistakes she made.
Calum was struggling to move past the shock that Sienna could play—that they shared another passion—that he didn't notice Ashton had joined him until he spoke.
"Mate, I think you've got a little drool." Ashton teased, crossing his arms over his chest happily.
Calum let out a laugh as he threw a playful punch to Ashton's shoulder. The pair of them turned their attention back to Sienna as she found her rhythm again. Calum noted how excited Luke was to help her and smiled softly at the realization.
"She's good." Ashton spoke up again, but this time Calum left his gaze on Sienna.
"She's fucking incredible." Calum breathed out, shaking his head slightly as he watched Sienna grow more confident in her playing all the while making it look effortless.
"I can't believe she never told us she could play." Ashton admitted. "Especially you, with you two dating and all." He added, glancing sideways at Calum to catch his reaction.
"I know, right? I-" Calum blurted out before stopping abruptly. For a moment he processed what had just happened, then slowly looked over to a grinning Ashton.
"It wasn't hard to notice the change in you two." Ashton admitted with a content shrug. "You stopped brooding and she's glowing again." He continued. "Although I wasn't entirely sure you were official...until now." He added. "Calum Hood is dating. Has hell frozen over as well?"
Calum dropped his head in defeat with a laugh and a roll of his eyes.
"Alright, let's get it over with." Calum insisted. "Come on," He encouraged with a sigh. "Let's hear all the "I told you so" bullshit."
""Dating's not for me.""Ashton jumped at Calum's offer and instantly began quoting Calum's own words to him. ""I don't do relationships." I just sit and pine over the girl I want with my aggressively furrowed eyebrows."
Calum snapped his head up to glare at Ashton.
"There's no need to bring my eyebrows into this." He said as seriously as he could manage before a grin broke through. For a moment, he contemplated whether he even needed to ask the question on his mind and ultimately decided it was necessary. "I know I'm a dick and a shitty friend for even asking this, but could you-"
"It's not my secret to tell." Ashton told him. "You got your girl, man." He patted Calum's shoulder. "I'm happy for you."
"Seriously?" Calum asked in surprise. "All that time spent bitching at me and now you're just...happy?"
"I bitched at you for your own good." Ashton laughed. "And it obviously worked since you finally told her how you feel." He added. "I'm your friend. Of course I'm glad that you've found someone who makes you happy." He said like it should have been obvious. "I see the way two you are together and...I've never seen you like this." He admitted with a smile and a glance toward Sienna. His smile perked up as he looked at her. "The two of you are happy. So, I'm happy." After a moment, he looked back to Calum. "I'll have to find a new hobby. I'll have a lot of free time now that I don't have to bitch at you every day."
~~~~~~
Sienna and Calum were wide awake despite how physically tired they both were from the show. They laid tangled up together in Sienna's bunk in a peaceful silence. Sienna ran her fingers through Calum's hair as Calum studied the newly forming calluses on Sienna's fingers.
YOU ARE READING
Dirty Little Secret // C.H.
Fanfiction"We can't tell anyone." She told him. "Luke would kill us." "Don't worry, babe." Calum smirked. "It'll be our dirty little secret."
