"Let's hit up those girls from last night," Calum spoke up as all of them strolled into their dressing room.
Luke perked up at the mention of them. "Yeah, they seem nice."
"Nice?" Calum laughed. "Nah mate, they're well fit. Especially that Alyssa girl. I'd like to see what those pretty little lips of her's could
do, if you know what I mean."
"Don't get raunchy, mate," Ashton patronized as he shoved him lightly.
"What?" Calum questioned innocently but smirked. "It's not my fault I haven't gotten laid in a while and one mustn't turn down the opportunity."
Ashton only rolled his eyes and walked away from the conversation completely only to plop himself down on the couch.
"I agree with you, Cal," Michael said, joining Ashton. "But they seem like nice girls, I don't think that we should take advantage of them."
"Who's to say they won't be into it?" Calum argued, testing them with raised eyebrows. He glanced over at Luke who appeared conflicted. "That's all they ever seem to want from us anyways."
"You saw the way Kassi was looking at you mate," he egged on, grinning. "We practically have them in the palm of our hands. Just a little bit of sweet talk will get them down here and then bam -- we'll be all set."
The rest of the boys eyed him distastefully but said nothing. Luke only shook his head.
"You can do whatever you want, Cal," he told him, finally deciding that there was no changing his friend's mind. "But if they do manage to get down here, I'm only interested in getting to know them, not to get in their pants."
Luke exchanged looks with both Ashton and Michael before grabbing his guitar and mindlessly strumming a silly tune. Calum on the other hand didn't seem all that phased by his band mates sudden mood change and quickly joined them on the couch.
"So, it's settled then: you're gonna text Kassi?" He asked Luke.
"Yeah, I will," Luke replied and reached for his phone.
"Alright then, I will as well." Calum winked before tapping away on his phone.
While he was trying to conjure up a message to send to Alyssa, he had failed to notice Ashton and Michael's disapproving facial expressions as they watched him do what he had done so many times before.
. . .
"I don't know how to feel..." Kassi stated, sounding slightly disappointed.
"What do you mean?" Luke inquired, his eyebrows furrowing.
"I can't believe you performed 'everything I didn't say' tonight, that's extremely disrespectful," she elaborated with a smile.
She looked up at Luke, giggling at his baffled expression.
"In other words, if you can pardon my vulgarity," Alyssa chimed in. "You've officially set fire to her ovaries."
Everyone stared at her, totally dumbfounded, before Ashton's infectious chuckle filled the air.
"I sure hope they're okay," he said after getting his laughter under control, sounding unsure of himself.
"In due time, Ashton," Kassi replied. "In due time."
Laughing, Alyssa found herself searching for Calum and when her eyes fell on him she realized that he was already looking at her. He had finally chosen to join the group - his previous idleness still stroking her curiosity - but she gave up trying to overthink the situation and just went with it. The boys were such a ball to be around and she had to pinch herself a few times in order to believe that this was really happening.
When they both made eye contact, he slowly smiled at her before jerking his head in the direction opposite from where everyone else was. Swallowing nervously, she quietly excused herself to Kassi before rising from her seat and following Calum out into the hall.
With wide eyes, the rest of the boys watched as the pair disappeared from the room. Kassi on the other hand was squirming excitedly in her seat, completely oblivious to what was in store for her best friend.
. . .
Once the two were out in the hall, Alyssa felt her palms begin to moisten as she saw Calum up close for the first time. He towered over her and she couldn't help but feel intimidated under his gaze.
"I'm glad you came," he rasped, his smile glowing against the dimness of the hallway.
Looking up at him, her heart rate sped up when he reached out to her, trapping her between him and the wall behind her.
"Why don't we go some place where we can be alone?" He asked, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Aren't we already alone?" She quipped, gulping nervously.
"I don't want to risk being interrupted," he replied, twirling a strand of hair between his fingers.
Swallowing again, Alyssa nodded; her shallow breaths drawing his gaze towards her chest that rose and fell. At her approval, Calum interlocked their fingers before leading them outside and towards the parking lot where their bus was.
"Where are we going?" She found herself asking.
Calum chuckled as he stopped at the door of their tour bus and opened it, gesturing her inside.
"Are you leading me to my demise?" She questioned teasingly.
He snorted, unable to look away as he watched her bum ascend the pair of steps leading inside the bus.
"Far from it actually."
