Seconds || Calum Hood [on hold indefinitely]

eleven

"Good, now we can cuddle all night."

+

"Oh fuck you, you fucking blue shell!" Michael screams at the screen of the televison, his eyes glued to the intense game of Mario Kart him and Ashton were in the middle of.

Everyone was sitting either on the couch or the floor of Jess' gigantic house, most of the girls huddled together talking about makeup or some shit, but Max, Luke and I took up a couch of our own, watching Michael and Ashton swear at each other and the little mushroom guy that apparently really pissed them off.

Of course Calum wasn't there, Amanda told me he was off with some chick, but I'm honestly so much more at ease with him gone. Somehow he always manages to show up late, covered in hickeys and lipstick stains, but I'm really hoping that's not the case today. After all the shit he's pulled, I'd be happy if he never showed up again.

Honestly, Amanda really confuses me. She says that she and Calum have a "relationship" but she's always telling me how he's off with sluts. And I mean, always. She seems to find some way to slip it into every single conversation we have.

"Dude, you just slipped on your own banana you dumbfuck," Ashton yells at Michael, but Michael just shoves him off the couch. Mikey's very into his video games, I wouldn't mess with him if someone paid me to.

"Well if it wasn't for princess fucking peach getting in my way, I wouldn't have!" He yells back, crossing the finish line in last place and letting out an annoyed sigh. Max and I just give each other a look, we've been dealing with this the past twenty minutes. Though it is a better alternative than listening to the girls gossip about mascara and lipgloss.

I figured after our disaster of a date a few days ago, Max wouldn't want to even speak to me again, but after we left the restaurant, he didn't even mention it. We got some donuts from some bakery and just sat in the car and talked. It was nice, and ever since we've been hanging out more and more lately, I think we might actually be a thing.

Luke rolls his eyes and gets up, "Okay you losers, it's my turn. Max, you're up." Luke tosses Max a remote and kicks Michael on the back of his head before starting the new game.

Ashton and Michael somehow end up wrestling on the floor, Max and Luke trash talk each other as they play Mario Kart, and the rest of the girls chat in their little circle, at least until they call me over.

"Carter!" Amanda squeals in a high pitched voice. "Stop hanging out with the boys, come over here!"

I look at around, hoping to find some excuse to stay where I am, but by now all five of the girls are looking at me intently from their spot near the foosball table. Sighing to myself, I cross the room and plop down next to Rebecca, feeling more uncomfortable around all these girls than I did around the guys.

"Ugh, why do you want to hang out with those guys? All they do is play video games and wrestle," Amanda groans. I can never tell if she likes me or not, she's too sugarcoated to tell.

"I don't know..." I shrug, "I think they're cool." Luke overhears me say that and immediately looks over to wiggle his eyebrows. Even though he only takes his eyes off the game for one second, somehow he manages to lose control and is soon back to swearing and trash talking Max. I would feel sorry for Max, but he sends his only stream of obscenities right back at him.

"They're idiots, that's what they are..." Jess grumbles and I don't disagree. She's right.

"Hey!" Michael pauses his wrestling match with Ashton to look over at us. "You're all just mean." He pouts, and Ashton's head pops up from where Michael has him pinned to the floor, his hair disheveled.