Somebody I Don't Know : Book 1 of the Teeth Series

31

"Ashton just wear my fucking clothes." Calum said annoyed. Plopping down on the couch of the arena they were in's green room and doing his best to ignore the absolute shit that was spewing out of his supposed best friend's mouth.

It was Halloween and usually that meant one of his favorite nights of the year but this one was going to be shit and he could already tell. Ashton was being a complete dick and not wanting to dress up as Calum when the whole band had decided to go as each other and that was just one facet of the impending shit show.

He had been doing his best with Fallon. Frankly, he should have known that she would be able to sense that something was off with him. That she would have been astutely aware of the change within him that day, over a week ago now, where they had gone for breakfast.

There wasn't anything that had happened that morning specifically; it was just that time alone with his thoughts had allowed the significance of everything to settle in. The words Erin had told him when she had spoken about Fallon's check-in to the mental health facility had finally gotten through his thick skull and he had been crushed by the weight of them.

Suddenly it had felt like the whole world, or at least his whole world, rested on his shoulders. What if he and Fallon really did give their relationship the green light again? And what if it didn't work out?

He felt overcome by an immense amount of pressure and he wasn't sure that he was strong enough to withstand it. He didn't know if he even wanted to try if it would mean allowing Fallon's life to hang in the balance.

There was no good way to say that, especially not to Fallon herself and so when she had come to his bedroom for answers he had instead sought to distract her with what they were best at. He had hoped that sex—their mindblowing, amazing sex—would make her feel more at ease about things and at least delay the line of questioning she had started down that night and it seemed to have worked. She'd backed off and they had reached a platonic level of comfort around each other. In his heart though, he knew they both truly wanted something more.

The only problem there was Calum didn't know anymore if his desire for her was genuine or if it was out of the obligation he now felt to protect her. He had always been a bit overbearing with those he loved. His mum and Mali, his sister, could attest to that. Now when he looked at Fallon he felt the need to coddle her and he just knew she would hate that. She deserved more than that from anyone, but him especially. So instead of confronting those feelings and facing the ramifications head on he was choosing to be a coward and in turn, pushing her away.

"I'm not into pretending to be an arrogant, dim, asshole for the night." Ashton was saying to Luke a little too loudly, obviously intending for Calum to hear him. The conversation had moved on without him and he wondered what else had come out of Ashton's mouth while he had been distracted in his head.

"That's funny. I wouldn't think you'd have to pretend for that." He shot back quickly. Ashton opened his mouth to reply but their conversation, or more accurately their childish bickering, came to an end when Wesley arrived at the door.

Luke choked back a laugh. "Who the fuck let you dress up as an angel? That's clearly false advertising."

"Shut up, Luke. Where's Sierra? She promised to help with my makeup tonight."

"On the bus, you can head out there if you like." She nodded and turned, retreating back the way she had come, replaced in the doorway by Chayse and both of the Harding sisters.

Calum heard himself gulp and his cheeks reddened as he took in Fallon's outfit choice. She was dressed in an outfit identical to the one Wesley had been wearing, a thin white bodysuit and shorts that might as well have been lingerie with clipped on shimmering angel wings and a halo over her head. He had never seen an angel look so fucking sinful and his brain was immediately full of dirty images of all the things he would like to do to her if he could get her alone.

He shifted on the couch and tried to focus on the words that were coming out of Chayse's mouth but the girl might as well have been speaking gibberish before she left, perhaps to follow Wes. He couldn't comprehend anything further than Fallon and the satisfied smirk she had on her face, clearly amused by Calum's obvious reaction to her.

The grin she wore didn't last long though, Ashton's glare and annoyed huffs as he mumbled under his breath dragged her attention away from Calum, only serving to further annoy him.

Fallon didn't respond at first, instead her brown eyes assessed Ashton carefully. She took in his pursed lips and set jaw, the menacing way his shoulders rose and fell with his breathing and the way it was obvious he was holding himself back from saying something he wanted to.

Quiet Fallon was scary, completely terrifying. She had a way of making her words extra sharp when she wanted to and Calum would have known the look in her eye anywhere. She was annoyed and ready to be petty. Her eyebrows bunched together in the middle of her face as she finally began to talk. "You know," Ashton's eyes quickly snapped up to meet hers. "Kay keeps texting me, asking how you are and all. I wonder what she would say, if she were here right now and saw the way you've been treating your best friend. The man that's been fucking there for you since the day you guys met. Jealousy isn't becoming of you Ashton. I get that you're miserable, but that doesn't mean you need to take your friends down with you."

With her piece said she turned on her heel and left the room, Erin glancing around at both Calum and Ashton confused for a second before looking at Michael and Luke who were still there as if they might hold some answers before finally she too left.

"You really need to get a handle on your girlfriend. She was way out of line." Ashton snipped.

"One: she's not my girlfriend. And Two: She isn't property, she has a right to speak. Even if we were together I wouldn't stop her from speaking her mind. Especially when I agree with her."

He didn't have anything further to say so he stood. They still had over an hour before they needed to get ready and his mind still felt full and foggy. It had been far too long since he had been for a jog and he thought that maybe a run in the crisp evening air would help him to settle before the show.

An: Ash is being a real fucking peach

We got a glimpse into Cal's headspace, what do you think?

What's gonna happen?

Let me know your guesses!
I love you,
Sav🖤