Shy // Calum Hood

*• Help •*

Bailey's P.O.V.
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Repetitive knocking at my door caused me to let out a monstrous sigh. Normally I just ignored the door, it was one of my worst fears, answering to a complete stranger, I couldn't see anything worse.
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I had been ignoring it like usual but this person would not leave, and due to myself being the only one in the house, this was down to me.
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I took a deep breath, telling myself to grow up before carefully opening the door.
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I was shocked at who had knocked, I watched in confusion as he looked up to me with pleading, teary eyes.
". . . Ash?" I whispered, my hand still gripping the door.
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"I'm sorry, I can go, it's just I really needed some help." He murmured, sniffling slightly.
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"No, no come in!" I urged, leading him into to my sitting room, suddenly thankful the house was empty.
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"Okay, you take some deep breaths and I'm gonna go make some hot chocolate, then when I come back you can explain everything." I smiled, leaving him to go and make the drinks.
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When I came back, he wasn't crying anymore. Just staring at my walls, watching all the family portraits closely, none with me in of course. They didn't like to tell people about me. It made them look bad.
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My mother was an extremely successful business women, and I was to pretend I didn't exist so I didn't jeopardise her status. I wasn't the child she had wanted, she wanted someone like her, someone who could continue her work. And I was far from that.
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"Are those all your family?" He asked curiously.
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"Yeah, anyway wh-"
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"Why aren't you in any?" He interrupted softly.
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"They're all relatives back home, our pictures are upstairs." I lied with a small smile.
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He nodded his head slowly and I took that as an opportunity to begin the questioning.
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I handed him his steaming drink as he thanked me happily.
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"So, what happened that made you upset?" I watched as he sipped the hot chocolate nervously.
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"Wait first I need to know if Cal's told you about Klara yet."
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"Yeah. He finally told me the other night."
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"Thank god, I thought he was never gonna do it." He sighed.
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"Oh." I looked down in my lap trying not to look offended. Did Calum not trust me? I trusted him with everything.
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"No, no! Not because he didn't feel like he could talk to you or anything! Because he didn't want you to see him as ever being a bad person. He really beats himself up over who he used to be you know."
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"He shouldn't do that." I shook my head, kind of thinking out loud.
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"I know. Did you know that me and him were meeting up today? To try and sort things out?"
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"Yeah, how did it go? He told me he was going to forgive you?" I asked confused.
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Calum had told me only a few hours ago that he was ready to forgive Ashton and move on. I waited patiently for Ash to continue whilst he put his mug down.
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"Yeah he did, and everything was going perfectly. Everything was going fine until Klara fricking messaged me for the first time since out stupid date and Calum saw her name pop up." He scrunched the pillow he was holding with frustration as he was talking.
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"He stormed out without letting me explain and he won't respond to any of my messages. It's like she knew I was with him! It's like she doesn't want me and Cal to be friends. I should of listened to Calum. She hasn't changed one bit."
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The poor cushion was becoming smaller and smaller, my mother was going to kill me. She was not a fan of untidiness.
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"Look I hate Klara an awful lot, but just talking about what she did wrong isn't going to solve anything. We need to do something to get Calum to forgive you. And he will forgive you, he just doesn't listen when he's angry like this." I smiled at the distraught boy who seemed to relax partially, the cushion slowly returning to its normal size.
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"You're right. I'm really sorry about what Klara did to you by the way Calum told me about the custard situation."
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"It's fine." I assured him.
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"No it's not fine. Nobody should be treated that way. Especially someone so nice." He grinned. "I'm glad Cal actually has a friend at that school now, he's been so much happier. Thank you."
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"I'm so much happier now he's my friend too." I smiled honestly.
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He got up and took my empty mug and his.
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"I'll go and wash these up."
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"Don't be ridiculous." I refused.
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"It's the least I can do, please?" His grip on the china wouldn't budge as he watched over me pleadingly.
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". . . Fine, go ahead." I waved him away happily. I couldn't believe I had four real friends. I never thought I was ever even going to get one.
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My phone burst into song as Calum's picture popped up. I grinned helplessly, I loved talking to him.
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"Hey." He sighed deflatedly once I had picked up.
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"Hey what's wrong?" I asked, concerned.
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"Ashton and Klara are still talking. They're still fucking talking Bailey!" His voice raised before I heard him sigh.
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"I don't know what's going on anymore, I feel like everyone's lying to me." He groaned.
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"Nobody's lying to you Cal, you're just getting frustrated and it's making you paranoid. Klara's messing with your head. She's tricking you into thinking Ash is sti-"
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"Ash?" He repeated, cutting me off.
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"Yeah . . .?"
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"So you guys are all best friends now are you? Nicknames and all?"
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"Calum, don't be ridiculous." I told him firmly.
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"You're right I'm sorry, I'm just so confused right now. I don't know who's lying to me and who's telling me the truth anymore."
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Ashton came in and sat down patiently.
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"Listen I know it's hard Cal but-"
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"Is that Calum? Let me talk to him!" Ashton lept up immediately.
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"Bailey . . . " He murmured, his done deathly serious. "Bailey don't you dare tell me you're with Ashton right now." His tone changed distinctively.
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I swatted Ashton away signalling him to be quiet. He ignored me, continuing to try and talk to Calum.
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"Cal, please! Me and Klara don't still talk!" He yelled.
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"I can't believe you!" Calum growled into the phone.
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"He was upset! He came to my house! Him and Klara don't talk Calum. You have to think straight, you said it yourself she's manipulative!"
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"So you're on his side now? Great. That's brilliant."
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"Sides? What? Cal, please I need you to listen to me. You're giving Klara just what she wants, you need to calm down."
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Ashton stopped yelling.
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"Calm down? Calm down? Why is Ashton at your house?" He raged.
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"I told you, he was upset!
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"Have you changed your mind about me now then? Now you know you can get Ashton instead, is that what it is? Or maybe it's because I opened up to you and you're spitting it right back in my face!" He bellowed.
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"Calum what the hell are you talking about? You know how I feel about you!"
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"I'm not sure I do."
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"Calum ple-"
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"Just, don't talk to me right now." He sighed, hanging up and leaving me to burst into tears.
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Ashton sat down next to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders as I cried into my hands shamefully.
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"I'm so sorry, this is all my fault." He muttered.
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"No, this is Calum's fault. He doesn't listen when he's mad and he's mad because he won't listen. It's okay." I told him honestly.
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"Are you angry with him?" He asked gently.
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"He doesn't trust me, I trust him. It's not that difficult! If he doesn't want to talk to me then fine, I'll give him what he wants." I wiped my eyes and sighed.
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"You know he didn't mean it, he likes you so much Bailey. I've never seen him talk about anybody the way he talks about you."
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"I don't know. I just- I don't know." I groaned, why didn't Calum trust me? Why wouldn't he just listen to me?
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