Stereotypes [Calum Hood AU]

Chapter 5

Calum regretted leaving Kiara without getting her phone number. He walked back home and thought about the events that happened that day. His partners all met for the project which was intersting. He helped Ashton babysit Harry which wasn't that bad.

"So, I heard Michael yelled at Jake O'Connor at lunch today," Ashton had asked that afternoon, stirring some raw macaroni in the pot with boiling water. He was going to make macaroni and cheese since it was Harry's favorite food and the only thing Ashton can actually cook without burning it. Harry was in the living room watching cartoons. Calum really was supposed to help babysit Harry, Ashton just didn't want to be alone.

"Yeah," Calum answered. "He called Michael a smurf."

Ashton laughed. "He does look like one but that's not what Michael said."

Calum thought back to earlier that day at the lunch table. "He said that Kiara and Janet were lesbians because Kiara had her head on Janet's shoulder, which I think doesn't count as a lesbian."

Ashton nodded. "I never liked Jake O'Connor, he always seemed like a prick to me."

"He is," Calum said.

"Then why does he sit with you at lunch time?"

Calum shrugged. "He just does, I don't know how he ended up talking to us in the first place. He just sat with Michael and I one day and never left."

Ashton turned off the pot as the macaroni was ready. "Harry, do you want tuna with your macaroni?" He called out.

"Yeah!" Harry called back. Ashton had some left over tuna he made yesterday, it wasn't the best tuna but it was good. Ashton pulled out a strainer and put it over the sink and poured the pot of macaroni over it. Harry walked in the kitchen and sat next to Calum who was playing with his phone.

"Calum, can I ask you a question?" Ashton asked, squeezing the cheese out of the packet and onto the macaroni and started to mix it. Calum looked up from his phone.

"Sure, what is it?"

"You have to answer, honestly okay."

Calum waited for Ashton to continue.

"Do you like Kiara?"

Calum rolled his eyes. "No, we're just partners for our project."

"You sure?" Ashton smiled. Ashton was one of those people who knew when someone liked someone. He can easily read people. Even though he might not have known Kiara for that long, he knows that she likes him too. And Calum likes her and it's basically the perfect moment to set them up. Ashton set up Michael and his (ex) girlfriend but they sadly ended breaking up after five months. Ashton wasn't the best matchmaker but he enjoyed watching people fall in love. Even though all his friends are in high school and it's impossible to fall in love when you're in high school. Calum saw Ashton's smile and knew what he was up to.

"No, you are not setting me up with Kiara," Calum pointed a finger at Ashton's face. Ashton took out three plates and started putting macaroni on them along with tuna.

"Who's Kiara?" Harry asked, interested.

"She's going to be Calum's future girlfriend," Ashton stated, putting the plate of macaroni in front of Harry. Harry happily dug into his food.

"Girls are gross," Harry said, with a mouthful of food in his mouth.

"Don't eat with your mouth open," Ashton said. "But why can't I set you up with her? She's really pretty."

Calum dug into his food as well. It's not like he didn't like Kiara, he did but not in that way. Cal agreed with Ashton, she was pretty. Just as they were finishing up their dinner, the front door burst opened revealing Michael.

"Jesus Christ, you almost gave me a heart attack," Ashton had a hand over his heart.

"Ashton, you know my name's not Jesus. It's Michael," Michael said cockily.

Ashton rolled his eyes as he gathered up the plates and put them in the dishwasher.

"You guys ate without me?"

"I wasn't making dinner for you."

Michael ignored him and turned towards Calum.

"So how was your group project going?" Michael asked, taking Harry's seat since he went off to do his homework.

"It actually went really well," Calum discussed, spinning in his chair. "But there was one problem."

"What's the problem?" Michael asked, he ran a hand through this hair.

"Do you know Kelly De Rosa?"

Michael nodded.

"Well, she's dating Jake, who happened to drop and pick her up from the group project."

"No way, why would anyone want to date that prick?"

"But the group project actually sounds good, so I'm actually going to do it this time," Calum confessed.

Ashton sat across from the two boys, putting his elbows on the table. "You're actually going to do the group project? I'm surprised."

"Today was actually really interesting. Kiara took control of the whole thing. Did you know she likes Green Day?" Calum asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"She does?" Michael perked up. "I wonder if Janet likes Green Day..."

Ashton raised his eyebrows and eyed Calum. Calum simply shrugged. Ashton, Calum and Michael sat in the kitchen for a while and talked about anything and everything, around seven-thirty, Luke decided to join them.

"Hey dude, how was work?" Ashton asked, sipping his tea he made awhile ago.

"It was okay," Luke answered. "Not many people showed up today."

"Is Kiara still at the store?" Calum asked.

"Yeah, I think she's closing but guess what she tried to do today?"

"What?"

"She tried to set me up with another customer," Luke answered and Michael laughed.

"She sounds like Ashton," Michael chuckled. Around nine o'clock, Calum decided to disband from the group.

"Where are you going?" Ashton asked.

"Just heading home," Calum answered. And now here Calum was walking home and smiling of the thought of Kiara.