Aftershocks | Calum Hood

1

"Oh, Mackenzie, you look lovely darling. Positively stunning." Her mother cried as she entered the Bridal suite.

Mackenzie offered a small smile as she stared at her reflection in the full length mirror. Her insides were doing somersaults and she felt quite sure that she was going to be sick any moment now. 

"Harper!" Mackenzie cried, eyes darting frantically around the room. "Harp!" She called again as the redhead appeared in the entry way of the suite all the girls were getting ready in. 

"What's wrong Kenz?"

"I just, I feel like I'm going to be sick." Mackenzie said, her voice hushed and her body angled away from both she and Tanner's mothers. 

"What kind of sick?" Harper asked, her eyebrows raised and a stern look on her face. 

Mackenzie didn't get a chance to reply, another wave of nausea hitting her as she covered her mouth and moved quickly towards the en suite. She spewed the contents of her stomach into the toilet bowl as Harper held her perfectly curled hair back. When she was finished she stood carefully making sure to avoid staining the crisp white dress she had picked for the occasion. 

"Kenz, you're practically shaking. What's wrong? This is supposed to be the happiest day of your life."

"That's just it, Harp. It's supposed to be but all I keep thinking is this isn't what I'm supposed to feel like. What if I'm making a mistake?" 

Harper's eyes widened before she quickly reached around Mackenzie and pulled the door shut to continue this conversation in complete privacy. 

"What the fuck, Kenz? Are you serious?"

"Yes? Maybe? I don't know! I just don't think I should be freaking out like this mere hours before I marry the man who is supposed to be the love of my life."

"Mackenzie Grace Eaton, are we calling off this wedding? As your Maid of Honor I will do whatever you need me to do, but this is some serious shit Kenz. If you're going to do this you better be damn sure of your decision."

The girls stared at each other for a moment as Mackenzie contemplated her decision. Would she really call off her own wedding? Tanner was great, Tanner was tall and handsome. He took care of her, he was kind, he always held the door for her, he supported her in her dreams of being an actress. What else could she want?

Mackenzie knew that wasn't the question she should be asking herself. Instead she should be asking who else could she want?

"Harp, have you seen Cal?"

•

"Cal, get up mate. You can't sit in your room sulking all day." 

"Go away, Ash." The tan skinned boy called from the other side of the closed bedroom door.

"Cal, buddy." Ashton said as he turned the knob and entered the younger boys bedroom to find him curled up under his covers, his face blocked from view. "It's all gonna be okay, man."

"How? She's getting fucking married today."

"I know, but-"

"But what, Ash? She's my best friend. I have to go. I have to be there and watch her say I do to someone who isn't me. It should be me. I'm a fucking idiot for never telling her how I feel about her."

"Cal, you'll find your person some day."

"No, Ash. You don't get it. She is my person. I've got to tell her." He stood abruptly and began frantically digging through his drawers. He found a pair of underwear and slid them up his thighs before grabbing his suit off the hanger and slipping into it as quickly as possible.

"Cal! Cal, let's be rational here. The weddings starts in like an hour, you can't do this to her. If you're only going to ruin it for her then you shouldn't go. She's never going to forgive you for this, do you know that?" He asked.

Cal's breathing was ragged as he moved quickly past Ashton and down the stairs. 

"Did you hear me?" Ashton asked.

"She may never forgive me for this, but I'll never forgive myself if I let her marry him without telling her how I feel."

"Calum you can't do this." He tried.

"You don't have to go with me. Just go to the wedding, act like everything is fine. If it starts on time you'll know her answer and I'll be on the first flight home to Oz. If it doesn't well, you'll know where I'm at."

Calum finished sliding on his shoes and ran out the front door towards his Range Rover without another word. 

His heart was daring to beat right out of his chest as he slid in behind the wheel. Was he really going to do this? He'd met her five years ago, when he was only eighteen. He'd fallen for her the moment he'd seen her but she'd needed a friend then, so that's what he had been. He'd wanted to tell her, to express his love for her and he'd made a plan to do so when they were twenty. His plan had derailed when she told him she had met someone, Tanner. He'd never had another opportunity.

His entire plan was crazy, a last ditch effort to win the girl of his dreams. He was aware of the possibility that this may not go the way it wanted to. That in the worst case scenario she may not only turn him down, but walk out of his life for good. He shoved those thoughts aside and tried to focus on the road. The traffic was bad but bearable as he drove towards the venue. 

The venue itself was a sign that this wasn't what it was supposed to be. Mack had always wanted a small garden wedding. The large ballroom had been Tanner's mother's idea after their guest list had grown from Mack's desired one hundred and fifty people to nearly four hundred thanks to Tanner's parents inviting practically everyone they knew. 

This wasn't the wedding that Mack wanted, nor the one she deserved. That knowledge alone was enough to push Calum out of his car and into the venue in search of the bridal suite. 

He found it with relative ease and slipped through the door.

"Cal!" Her excited squeal and arms thrown around his neck only further solidified his decision. 

"You look beautiful, Mack." He murmured into her ear, wishing she was dressed this way to walk down the aisle to him. "Come on, I want to talk to you before you have to go." He slid his hand into hers and pulled her along back to the en suite.

He closed the door behind them and stood in front of her, he held her hands in his and his thumbs rubbed the tops of her knuckles.

"What's on your mind, Cal?" She asked.

He smiled at his feet, loving the way she could tell he had something to say.

"I-I don't know how you're gonna take this Mack. But I couldn't let today go without telling you."

"Without telling me what, Cal?" Her brow was furrowed and he knew it was now or never.

"You can't marry him, Mack. I don't want you to marry him - because - well because I'm in love with you. Don't get married today, Mack. Run away with me."

AN: Hope you enjoyed Chapter 1 of my new Cal fic! What are your thoughts so far?

Do you feel bad for Tanner?

What will Mack do?

This book will update regularly after I finish up my teen fic "Paper Parachute." 

Vote and comment!

ILY

Sav