once // calum hood

27

After I fire up the blender I check Dukes water and take a picture of him laying under his own shaded area to post on my Instagram story. I tried to get Calum to let me run Duke's Instagram page but he forgot the password and locked himself out trying to get into it. I debate making another one but then I decided against it. My attention is turned back to Hayden when she screams, followed by a loud electronic buzzing and whirring. The red slush like liquid is covering the bar and the countertops. 

"Oh my god, what did you do? I turned my back for like, two seconds." I giggle, covering my mouth with my hand. 

"I tried to stop it but it only went faster and I didn't have my hand on the lid." She starts laughing too and I realize it's all over her as well. 

"Guess we're just going to have to hose you off." I wander down to the basketball court where the hose is rolled up on a wheel against the stone wall. As I unwind it, I turn it on and feel that it's ice cold. Despite the heat today, Hayden wasn't going to like this very much. 

I walk back up the concrete stairs with the hose in my hand and stick my finger over part of the nozzle to make it shoot further, soaking Hayden without any warning. She shrieks again and puts her arm out to try and stop the water from hitting her. "What the hell! That's freezing!" 

"Well, you can't jump in the pool to get it off so what's our other option?" I laugh as she continues to squirm. Duke has moved further away to avoid getting wet and eventually all that's left to do is wash off the concrete so we don't attract bugs. 

We both layout on the lounge chairs to tan and I'm about to fall asleep when Hayden says, "How long do you think it'll be until the boys hit the road again?" 

"I don't know, Calum said something about switching record labels and that sounds like something that doesn't happen overnight. Plus they'd have to write an album before they toured. I feel selfish when I wish it would take them at least four or five months, but I just like having him here and I'm ready to see what's next for us." I sigh and Hayden looks over at me.

"What's next? Like a kid or marriage or... You have to specify!" 

"Oh, definitely not a kid. I don't get him to myself nearly as much as I want, so I don't want to share him yet. I just meant like finally settling into the house together and being close to him every day again and things like that. He probably has some weird habits I don't know about. Oh god, like the Oreos! I swear if he starts hoarding more food I'm going to lose it." My giggles consume me while Hayden looks at me like I'm crazy.

"Oreos?"

"He was ordering the same amount every month even when he didn't live here. A whole section of our pantry is loaded with Oreos. I finally put an end to his order and he's mad about it." I contain my laughter and roll my eyes.

"Hey, Calum is smart. He may be preparing for the apocalypse and we're all going to be sorry one day." She makes a hand gesture to prove her point and I shake my head. 

"Oreos aren't going to save us from the apocalypse."

+++

After a long day of laying out in the sun, Hayden and I had both come inside and crashed when the sun started to set. I'm woken up by the gate panel beeping, meaning someone wants inside. It was dark out and I couldn't think of anyone we invited over. We were both tangled together on the couch, still in our swimsuits. I free myself, gently waking her, "Someones at the gate. Come with me."

It takes her a second to stand up but she stumbles behind me into the kitchen. I press the call button and then speak. "Hello?"

"Hi, I have a delivery for Teagan." An unfamiliar man's voice comes through.