10:53 [calum hood]

01

"Oh, about tonight..." I started, picking at my unfinished salad. "Can I make a rain check?"

She looked at me, puzzled. "How come?"

"I'm hanging out with Calum." I watched as Dani almost spit out her Arizona and I struggled to not burst out laughing.

"With who? I'm sorry, what?"

After explaining the English project and Calum's confrontation, she sighed and closed her eyes, rubbing her temples in thought.

"Okay, but I'm coming over as soon as school is over."

"Why?" I asked, finishing the last bite of my sandwich and crumpling my brown paper bag into a ball.

"To help you pick an outfit, duh?"

I stared at her for a long time before bursting into laughter. Luke shot me an annoyed glare, which only made me laugh louder.

"Dani," I choked, once I finally regained my breath, "why would I need you to help me pick out something to wear? It's just Calum."

She rolled her eyes as if I were a kindergartener who didn't understand her words. "Riley. This is Calum fucking Hood we're talking about here. He might be an asshole, but he's an asshole with a nice face."

I buried my face in my hands before finally giving in. "Alright, alright. You can come over. But there's no way I'm going all out for this. This isn't some sort of study date, if that's what you're thinking of."

She wiggled her eyebrows at me before giggling. "Yeah, I know. But it could easily become one."

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I swung open the door and shouted, "I'm home" even though I knew nobody would answer me. I strolled into the kitchen and grabbed a bag of chips and a 7Up before noticing the note from my mom that was left on the counter.

Riley--

I won't be home until late tonight. Late shift at the hospital. Love you. x

--Mom

It wasn't anything peculiar as this happened almost every night. I don't even know why she bothered to leave a note anymore.

I checked the time on the microwave and remembered that Dani would be over in twenty minutes.

I took the stairs two at a time and threw my backpack onto my bed, quickly emptying out its contents and starting my homework.

I was halfway through math when the doorbell rang. I jogged downstairs and opened the door to find Dani with her backpack slung over her shoulder.

"Let's get to work. We've got three hours until you have to go to Calum's." She ushered me upstairs and I gave her all the homework I had finished so she could copy what I had.

When we finally finished thirty minutes later and our books were packed up and ready for Monday, she opened my closet and inspected my clothes.

"Hmm," Dani said thoughtfully. She started pulling out shirts and jeans that I owned, eyeing each piece of clothing carefully. "You want to go for casual and cute, so it looks like you're not trying too hard."

"But you're making me try hard," I whined. She shot me a glare.

"Am not. I'm just helping you with boys," she huffed, going back to emptying my closet.

"Ooh this is nice! Wear this, Ry," Dani chirped, throwing me a Rolling Stones crop top with a pair of skinny jeans. "And pair it with those brown combat boots. He'll be all over you."

I groaned. "Dani, how many times do I have to tell you? I hate him, he hates me. There's no way that he would ever 'be all over me'. And never in a million years would I ever want him."

She just gave me a sly grin, like she knew something I didn't. "We'll see."

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Dani spent the remainder of the time doing my hair and makeup, which I found pointless considering that I didn't feel the need to impress Calum. I left at 6:25 to walk down the street to his house, which was three houses down from mine.

I knocked on his door quietly and stood there with my books in my hand. Calum's mother answered the door and I saw a her eyes become wide with shock.

"Riley, what a surprise! It's so great to see you!" she said, opening the door wider. "Come on in. What brings you here?"

I stepped into the house I haven't been in for three years and observed my surroundings. Almost everything was exactly how I remembered it. I brought my gaze back to Calum's mom, who was staring back at me expectantly.

"Oh, didn't Calum tell you? He asked me to come over because we're working on our English project," I said sweetly. Mrs. Hood liked me and thought I was an angel, and I would like to keep it that way.

"My apologies, dear. He didn't say anything. Calum, Riley is here!" she called, and I heard Calum shuffle down the stairs. When he came into view I swear I stopped breathing.

He was wearing a black singlet, even though it was almost December, and a pair of ripped black jeans that exposed his knees. He had restyled his mohawk and it looked better than before. He actually looked kind of hot.

I mentally slapped myself in the face for thinking that. Calum Hood was not hot, nor will he ever be. God, he was despicable.

"Hey Ry," he smirked. "Come on, let's go upstairs. I think you know the way." I grumbled and followed him up the stairs and into his room.

All I had wanted to do was be finished with this project and get the hell out of his life, but clearly he had other plans.

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aw cute huh