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1.10

Callum was leaned against his shiny black car, in a very much chick-flick movie manner, the only thing he was missing was shades and leather jacket, the cigarette drooping from his lips was there though. A wide grin split his face as he saw her walking over, wheeling her suitcase over, tapping his cigarette before grinding it under his shoe. 

"Don't I get a hug?" He called as soon as she was in earshot and she raised her eyebrows, stopping in her tracks. She stared at him for a second before laughing, shaking her head and continued walking towards his car. He laughed too and walked over, taking her suitcase and bag, putting them in the back of his Dodge. Then he stood silently, holding his arms open for a hug, making her laugh again and wrap her arms around his waist after a moment of hesitation. He chuckled again and wrapped his arms around her in turn, resting his chin on her head as she snuggled into his chest. 

"I missed you." He whispered, and she smiled. 

"We spoke everyday." She whispered back. 

"I still missed you." 

"You don't know me." 

"That's what this date is for." He concluded, pulling back and then opening the passenger door for her. "M'lady." 

"Why thank you." She laughed, smoothing her skirt out as she sat inside. "Where are we going?" She asked as he started the engine. 

"Well, since the lady wishes to not be seen, we're going to a restaurant in Bloomfield, I figured that you'd be starving. Plane food is gross." He explained, starting to drive out of the school. 

"Thank you, Cal. I mean it. And also, yeah. I didn't even touch it." She screwed her nose up and he laughed. He switched the cd player on and the starting notes of Nickelback's 'Pusher' drifted from the speakers. 

"You can change it if you want." He nodded, gestured to the glovebox. She hummed and opened it and then chuckled. 

"To what, an empty cigarette case or, aw that's cute, a cd marked 'Callie's Toones'. Spelt with two Os." She cooed, holding up the childishly labeled CD, covered with heart stickers. 

"Oh, that was my cousin. A parting gift." 

"How sweet." She awed at the back, where more stickers of hearts and puppies were. 

"Not really. 'I want it that way' is on there 3 times." He rolled his eyes playfully. 

"Marcus never mentioned a cousin." She hummed, still inspecting the case. 

"Maia. She's only six." He told her, Nickelback still playing in the background. "Anyway, how was the trip?" He asked after a moment of silence. 

"It was good actually. I didn't know many people, so I just went around with Tia Weaver, from your grade? She plays hockey with me, so we're kinda friends. She was my roommate." She explained. 

"Oh, yeah I know her. Her friend Ava is dating my friend Phil." He hummed, turning right. 

Gabby stilled for a moment before saying, "She thought we're dating." She said, letting it hang in the air. 

"Oh yeah?" He smirked smugly as they pulled into the restaurant car park. 

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"I am indecisive. I'll admit to it." Gabby shrugged, licking a part of her ice cream that was threating to drip off of the cone.

"Good. Acceptance is one step on the way to recovery." Callum teased, eating his own ice-cream with a little plastic spoon. 

"I also love routine, so it doesn't matter that much. I rarely stray from familiar things." She explained as the two walked down the dim streets. They had had dinner at a cute little restaurant which had no apparent theme before Callum had brought her to an ice-cream parlor for dessert and now they were walking along the town pavements, lit only by the moon and the lampposts  overhanging the empty roads.