WRONG NUMBER / CH

chptr 45

a/n: this chapter is virtually useless and is filled with random things. i could've easily written this in like 300 words but i want my chapters to be long enough lmao

Nearly two months into meeting Leia, Calum had almost already forgotten about the haunting ghost of Anna, who threatened to destroy their relationship if ever Calum came clean-or if Leia found out by herself. She had been texting her sister less and less, to the point that a week had gone by without a single message on Calum's phone.

He was relieved by this fact, but he also felt slightly uneasy. He never knew if one day all his lies would blow up in his face. There was no assurance.

However, that day he was thinking of none of that. He had exams coming up, so he was sitting in his bed, wrapped around a pink comforter (his room was still blindingly girly from Leia's prank a month ago, and he had no plans of changing it back) with his nose buried in his book.

He was alone in the apartment today, since Luke had gone out, claiming he was already too smart to study for exams.

Calum smirked at the thought. I hope you fail, you bastard.

Despite being busy, he couldn't keep Leia out of his thoughts. He dropped his book in exchange for his laptop and logged in to Facebook.

Calum Hood: leia?

Calum Hood: you busy?

Calum Hood: you probably are hahahah

Calum Hood: i just missed you

Calum Hood: (is it ok to say that?)

He groaned at himself. Before meeting her he sneered at guys who found themselves "in love" with a girl. He was definitely not a hopeless romantic, and he hated people who were. But now he realized people could change. One person could change everything.

And for him, Leia changed his whole goddamn world.

Calum frowned in disappointment when he saw she wasn't online. But he knew he couldn't really bother her. She might be out with friends or family right now, so he closed his laptop and resumed studying.

Of course, he couldn't keep himself occupied with schoolwork for more than an hour at the time. He walked around his apartment, watched TV, ate cereal for lunch. He watched the minutes tick by and desperately wished Leia would come online or text him back.

It was like he was reliving the early days, when he hadn't met her personally. And it sucked.

In the midst of his absolute boredom, he called Michael. "Hey, Mike. What are you doing?"

"Homework," he replied simply.

Calum's eyebrows quirked up. "Really. Somehow, I don't believe that."

Michael sighed on the other end. "You wound me, Calum. Truly. You do." There was the sound or rustling papers afterward. "See? I care about school, too."

"This is coming from the guy who slept through most of the exams last time."

Michael laughed. "Fine. If you truly must know, my parents promised me a new gaming laptop if I do good this time." Okay, now that sounded more like him: the spoiled teenage gamer boy. "Also, why are you even calling me? Aren't you busy being mushy and gooey with Leia right now?"

He wished he was. "I don't know. She hasn't been replying. I think she's busy."

Michael clicked his tongue in disapproval. "Maybe she's sick of you already."

For some reason, that upset Calum. "Dude. Don't even."

"Geez, stop being butthurt. I was just joking." He huffed on the other end. "Anyway, I gotta go." With a final goodbye, they hung up on each other, Calum feeling more frustrated than before. Never trust Michael with the ability to comfort people.

More hours passed without word from her, and it killed him. It was after sunset when Luke finally came home. Calum was sprawled on the ground, motionless.

Luke walked over him and nudged his body with his foot. "Calum? You dead?"

"Yes," Calum groaned.

Luke chuckled, but left him alone without further question. So much for being his best friend.

He rolled over and found his phone again; this time, to call Ashton.

"Hey, Ash? Where are you?"

There was a sound of a car engine on the other end. "On my way home from work. What's up?"

Calum perked up. "When you pass by Leia's house, let me know if anyone's home."

Ashton grunted. "No 'how are you, Ash?' or 'how was your day, Ash?'"

"Sorry. How was your day, Ashton Irwin?"

"It was shit." Calum felt him grinning on the other end. "Anyway, I'll let you know. Bye," he said, then hung up.

A few minutes later, he received a text.

from: ashcunt irwin
Lights are all off. Nobodys home i guess?

He texted back a thank you but he couldn't shake off the feeling of unease and doom. What was happening? Where was she?

He was beginning to get worried. A million horrible scenarios raced through his head. What if her dad came back? What if they got murdered? What if she was avoiding him? The thought made him shudder.

He realized he was being clingy, but he didn't care. He needed to know if she was okay.

It was already around nine p.m. with still no word from Leia. He needed to chill the fuck out. He climbed into bed miserably, still bothered by the fact she never called/messaged/texted him back. If tomorrow came with still no sign of her, he was going to take matters into his own hands.

He stared at his phone, willing a text message to appear and end his misery once and for all.

His phone buzzed.

His heart stopped.

Eagerly he opened his inbox and found himself extremely relieved and happy that it was from her.

But that happiness was short-lived when he read what she sent.

from: leia ❤️
so I talked to Anna today.