Seconds || Calum Hood [on hold indefinitely]

eight

"Why didn't you just call?" I put a little edge on my voice, after all, aren't guys supposed to call within three days or some shit?

"I'm sorry, I really wanted to call. I mean, I really wanted to," He talks quickly, like he needs to get this out in one sentence. "But stupid me took a freaking shower, and your number washed off and I really wanted to call but I didn't have your number so I've been coming down here everyday because I just really wanted to see you and I was hoping you might come back to the beach and god, you look really pretty." His cheeks suddenly get even redder as he sucks in a huge gulp of breath. But the color of his cheeks matches mine when I process the last part of his statement.

So that's why he didn't call, he lost my number. I can't help but feel relief and happiness at the thought of him coming down to the beach each day to wait for me. I can't believe he did that. I'm just... me.

"Pretty?" I question with a laugh, unable to keep the smile from creeping onto my face. I look down at the baggy t-shirt and soccer shorts I was wearing for moving day. If anything I look like a piece of trash, maybe he hit his head on something.

"Yeah, you look cute..." He's regained his breath by now, but his face stays a shade of pink, though I'm not sure if it's from fatigue or embarrassment. Either way, his words send an eruption of butterflies barreling through the pit of my stomach. "But you'd look cuter if you agreed to hang out with me today?" He phrases it like a question, shrugging his shoulders and giving me a puppy dog look, catching me off guard.

"Calum, I don't know..." My mom might need some help unpacking some stuff, after all, I kinda just ditched her.

"I've just spent the last week waiting for you at this beach, the least you could do is spend the day with me." He says with a laugh and an eye roll.

"It's just, my mom, she might not want me out all day." I grimace. I really want to hang out with him, but my conscious is getting the better of me. Though, he does bring up a valid point when he said how he waited for me, I mean, who does that? Jesus, he's cute.

"C'mon, Carter Stevenson, live a little."

+

"Carter, over here!" I instantly hear my name called as soon as I step out of my economics class. Thoughts of the pep rally rush back from the discussion at lunch, and I remember how the groups plans to set me with Max were going to be set into action today.

I'm kind of excited and kind of dreading it. Yeah, it'd be nice to have someone cute to get my mind off Calum, but at the same time, I'm not sure how well Amanda can pick out a boyfriend for me. The girl won't let me eat potato chips, I'm not sure if I should trust her with my love life.

"Hey." I say softly when I join the circle of girls that were gathered around Amanda's locker, consisting of the usual suspects, Jess, Amanda, Rebecca, Stacey and Macy. The twins were on their phones, of course, Amanda and Rebecca were fighting about something and Jess clutched onto her Louis Vuitton bag- which probably cost more than my house- while she picked at her manicure. Nobody even notices me join the group.

"Becca, you can't just sleep with the first person that walks in front of you when you're drunk." Amanda snaps, causing Rebecca to groan. I see Jess roll her eyes, but the twins don't even look up from their phones. I've started to gather that fights happen in this group a lot, I'm surprised everyone's still friends, they're constantly yelling at each.

"I can't help it, it just happens!" She protests. I thought we were going to a pep rally, yet here we are, standing in the middle of the hallway talking about Rebecca's sex life.