Things I Never Said (Calum Hood AU)

Two

TWO

The irritated boy stood before me in a careless stance. His arms were crossed and he stared at the ceiling. His foot tapped as if he didn’t have time for this. I disliked him from that moment. Tantrums I could understand, because every teenager goes through some sort of rebellious I-hate-my-parents stage. But this boy epitomized everything I disliked in the world. He had no respect for authority or his parents and I hated it.

He thought the world revolved around him and I wanted so badly to knock him from the insanely high pedestal that he sat on. He acted out because he was mad that he got new neighbors. What a crybaby.

“Calum, I want you to apologize to our new neighbors,” Joy said firmly.

He rolled his eyes and took a few steps closer to me. “Sorry,” He said, not sounding sorry at all. He smirked and looked rather proud of himself.

I took a step closer to Calum and placed my hand on his shoulder, “No, I should be the one apologizing.”

Calum honestly looked shocked. His eyes widened at first but then he grew smug again.

“I’m very sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Hood,” I said, looking to each of Calum’s parents, “that you have to deal with Calum every day. I honestly cannot understand how you can live under the same roof with him.”

“Are you serious? Get out of my house!” Calum yelled at me.

My father stepped forward and spoke up for me. “You should watch how you speak to my daughter, kid.”

He responded to my dad’s words very immaturely. “I’m not a kid. I’m seventeen.”

“Then you should learn how to act like it,” Calum’s father spat. He grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and brought him down to his level, considering Calum was taller than his father by a few inches, and spoke to him in a hushed tone.

Calum rolled his eyes once again and slumped into a chair at the dining table. I sat across from him and endured his death stare. My father sat beside me to my left and sat patiently as Joy brought the food in from the kitchen. I was too busy staring at the boy across from me to notice the food being brought in.

“I hope you like chicken parmesan,” Joy said cheerily. I knew she was trying to move on from what happened only minutes ago. I felt bad. She was trying so hard to cover up her embarrassment.

I spoke up. “I love chicken parmesan!”

She gave me a grateful smile. Suddenly Mr. and Mrs. Hood bowed their heads. My father and I joined as well. When Joy was done saying a prayer, Calum coughed. She gave him an icy stare and he simply focused his gaze on the food instead of her.

I smiled when it was my turn to serve myself a helping of chicken parmesan. I wasn’t lying when I told Joy that I loved it, I truly did. It was a marvelous dish. I passed the dish to my father and then began eating the food.

“Mrs. Hood, I think I might join you every night for dinner,” I joked.

“Please don’t,” Calum spat.

I ignored his words and smiled at his mother.

“I wouldn’t object,” Joy said loudly, knowing her devil son was listening.

My father engaged in small talk with Mr. and Mrs. Hood as I ate in silence. I was in my own world when a loud ringing noise frightened me. I jumped slightly and knocked over my glass of water.

I gasped. “I am so sorry!”

I stood up, frantically looking for anything to soak up the mess I created. I ran to their kitchen in search of napkins or towels or anything that could clean up the mess, really. I turned around to see the last person I expected, Calum.