Reach For You [Dad!Calum Hood AU]

Chapter 10

Her jaw tightened significantly, the sight of even a small scratch on her daughter heating her blood, as she crouched down in front of Luna. "Hi, bubba," Aspen greeted softly, watching as Luna's head lifted ever so slightly. She, just like Brooke, had a pout on her lips, though hers was a lot sadder than Brooke's annoyed one, and Aspen felt something tug at her heartstrings at the sight of her daughter looking so upset. "You okay? Are you hurt?"

"I'm okay," Luna mumbled quietly, dropping her gaze back to her lap, some curls escaping her ponytail and framing her baby face. "Principal Wallace is mad."

Aspen was quick to reassure her. "I'll talk to him, yeah? It'll be okay, baby," she soothed, hands coming up to rub Luna's arms before tucking a strand behind her ear. Her gaze dropped to the way Luna was sitting on her hands, before lightly grasping her daughter's wrists to pull them from under her. Luna resisted, a mumble of a protest escaping her, and Aspen prodded with a gentle, "Luna."

Luna nibbled on her lower lip and Aspen's eyebrows drew together, worried, before Luna let her tug at her hands. Aspen turned them over, inhaling sharply as her chest tightened at the sight of the redness of her palms, like Luna had used them to break her fall on the pavement. Her daughter was physically hurt and Aspen was pissed off.

Kissing Luna's hands, gently said, "I'll be back in a few minutes, okay?"

Luna nodded, an expression way too somber for a four year old to have still on her face. As Aspen stood up, Luna said, "Daddy's inside."

Pausing, Aspen couldn't help the way her eyes widened at that, her head turning to the door leading to the principal's office. Calum was already there? Aspen's heart began pounding. How did he even get here from the city so fast, unless he was already in New Jersey? Aspen tried to swallow down the dryness in her throat, patting Luna's head before forcing her feet to move towards the door. No doubt she suddenly felt anxious going inside, knowing it wasn't just Principal Wallace and Brooke's parents she'd have to face.

But right now was about Luna and her scraped palms and knee, and as soon as that thought came back into Aspen's head, she pushed away any of her nerves and anxieties and settled on the anger boiling under her skin. Shoulders straight, she knocked sharply on the door once, hearing the principal call for her to come in and she opened the door, three pairs of eyes now on her. "Ms. Russo," Principal Wallace greeted from where she sat behind her desk, a welcoming smile on her face. "We were waiting for you. Please, have a seat."

Shutting the door behind her, Aspen's eyes immediately landed on Calum, leaned back in his chair with arms resting on the wooden armrests, in an unsurprising black ensemble of jeans, boots, shirt and jacket. He didn't look at her, keeping his gaze on the middle aged woman across from them, and Aspen pursed her lips as she sat down in the chair next to him. There was an open seat to her left, and then at the end was Bailey Clarkson in her fitted jeans and blouse and coat. The other mom side eyed Aspen, who refrained from rolling her own eyes at the sight of her, as Principal Wallace began, "Your husband's won't be joining us, Mrs. Clarkson?"

"No, he's got an important meeting," Bailey answered haughtily before letting out a dismissing laugh. "Honestly, Principal Wallace, is this even necessary? There was no harm done—"

"Excuse me?" Aspen interrupted harshly, turning to scowl at Bailey, uncaring of Principal Wallace's raised eyebrows and oblivious to Calum looking at her as well. Aspen was ready to bite Bailey Clarkson's head off. "Luna's knee and hands are scraped so I would argue that there was definitely harm done."

Bailey scoffed, hands gesturing as she argued, "They're little kids! They get scraped knees all the time, it's part of being a child."

Aspen gritted her teeth, incredulous at this woman's ignorance. "Yes, Mrs. Clarkson, but not when they're caused by kids deliberately pushing others," Principal Wallace cut in, her hands linked together on the table as the three parents looked at her. "Several students saw your daughter push Luna off of the swing."