XVI

Calum's POV:

To say I was surprised when she got onto my lap like she did would be a major understatement.

She kissed me with such passion and conviction and want and need and hunger... and I felt the same way.

That fucking scares the shit out of me. I've never felt that way.

Do I want to feel that way?

I've never felt hunger for someone like I do for her, I've never felt intoxicated by someone like I do with her.

I snap into the present when I focus on Jackie who's walking across my bedroom like a drunk zombie with vertigo.

She's still beautiful but it's hilarious watching her stumble across the room.

I start to laugh and so does she. I wish she laughed more often, I've seen her cry more than I've seen her laugh.

"Don't laugh at me, I'm not awake yet. I need coffee." she mumbles between giggles.

She clambers around the house, clumsily getting herself dressed and ready for work. I stay in bed, thinking about her lips on mine. How if felt to hold her close to me like that.

Then I realize how intimate that was. That wasn't making out. No, it was more than that. I don't even know what it was to be honest.

I notice that she tried to cover the bruise on her cheek with makeup. You can still see it if you know what to look for, and I wonder how many times she's been bruised like this and no one knew thanks to Covergirl or Maybelline or whatever shit it is that girls use.

I drag her past my parents that are sitting in the living room. I tell myself that she can't meet them right now because she's already late for work, but really I don't want her to meet them.

I've never introduced a girl to my parents, I don't bring them home, I don't date, I don't do this.

I drive her to work because her car's not here. I wouldn't mind driving her even if her car was here, in fact I'd probably prefer to.

What the fuck's happening to me? I don't do this, I don't act like this, I remind myself. 

But she's different.

I stay quiet the whole ride, consumed by my own thoughts.

When we get there she leans over and kisses me quickly.

"We need to talk later." she says as she opens the door.

"Uh, okay?" I say.

What'd I do?

"And I'm gonna have Ashton give me a ride back to my house to get my car after work, then I'll meet you at your place?"

"Sounds good." is all I can think to say.

"Okay." she says, shutting the car door and walking into her work.

I came to visit her at work yesterday and told her that I came because I like coffee. I actually hate coffee and ended up giving Luke the one I bought yesterday. But it was worth it to see her. I don't think that trick would work twice in a row.

Jackie's POV:

I spend the day brewing coffee, pouring milk, brewing more coffee, then pouring more milk. It's exceptionally uneventful.

After my shift ends I find myself feeling a bit disappointed that Calum didn't stop by which I realize is ridiculous. I don't buy the story that he came here because he "likes coffee" because there are plenty of other coffee shops in the area.

When I walk outside Ashton's already waiting for me. I get in and he shifts the car into drive, starting toward my house.

"How are you?" he asks me, concern lacing his voice.

"Yesterday was total shit. But today I'm okay. You?" I ask.

"Uh, I'm worried about you. Have you seen Calum lately?"

Why does everyone worry about me? I know how to take care of myself, I've done it my entire life.

"Yeah, I have, Ashton. I stayed at his house last night." I reply, wondering why he's so worried about keeping me away from Calum.

His mouth drops open and words rest on the tip of his tongue but each time he tries to form a sentence it just comes out a jumbled mess.

"You, uh - You should - You need to - Will you stay at my house tonight instead? Please." he finally says.

"What are you up to?" I ask him suspiciously.

He exhales before saying "I went to your house yesterday to talk to you but your dad said you weren't home. I thought you had the day off of work. I figured you'd be home and your car was in the driveway. He wasn't happy about me being there. I feel bad. Is that why you stayed at Cal's?"

I just nod, absorbing what he's just said.

He knows better than to come to my house without calling me first. Without making sure that I'm there and able to answer the door when he texts me from the driveway. He knows better than to just show up like that.

He knows better.

He must've been panicked.

"What'd you want to talk to me about then?" I say, still churning information around in my mind.

"You need to stay away from him, Jackie. Seriously, he'll break you into a million pieces. I've seen him do it to other girls plenty of times before. He'll pull you down with him." he says with furrowed brows.

"He defended me yesterday." I say quietly, slightly embarrassed to admit it.

"He what?" Ashton asks.

"He protected me from my dad." I clarify. "He took care of me. He held me and told me that I was safe. That I was okay. And I believed him. I needed to believe him, Ash. I still need to believe him, if for nothing else than for my own sanity." I choke out.

"Just stay at my house tonight and we can talk about it." he tries to negotiate.

"Tomorrow night. I want to talk to Calum about it first. Compare what he says to what you tell me." I say.

"Always the analytical one." Ashton smirks, pulling onto my street as I remove the car keys from my bag.

"Thank you." I say, leaning over to hug him before exiting the car.

"Tomorrow night, Jackie." he says sternly.

"Tomorrow night, Ash."

Calum's POV:

Jackie calls me from the driveway. 

"I didn't know if I should just walk in or ring the doorbell or knock or - " she rambles on.

"Just come in, my parents aren't home. Michael and Luke are here though, so prepare yourself." I laugh, watching them fight each other over the last banana.

"Oh, okay. Bye then." she says, hanging up the phone as she walks through the front door.

She's wearing black skinny jeans that hug her body in all the right places and an All Time Low t-shirt that clings against her chest and hips.

A hard smack to the back of my head snaps me out of my admiring. I spin around to see a giggling Michael.

"Pick your jaw up, mate." he says, trying desperately to stop laughing.

"Shut the fuck up, arsehole." I retort.

Jackie sits on the stool next to me at the bar and I notice her holding back a smirk.

"Yo." she says, setting her bag on the floor next to her.

"'Yo'?" I ask, laughing.

"Yes. Yo." she chuckles "Would you prefer a ''sup' instead?"

"Nah, I like 'yo'." I say.

"Oh my God, you guys." Luke gushes as he peels the banana. I guess he won.

"What?" she and I ask in unison.

"That." he says, gesturing to us saying the same thing.

"So, uh, can we talk?" Jackie says nervously as she turns to me.

"Yeah, lets go to my room then." I say, standing up and walking down the hall.

What does she want to talk to me about?

Once we get in my room she sprawls out across my bed, staring at the ceiling. I stand staring at her for a minute then lay down next to her.

"Ashton doesn't want me around you. He's probably right. I should listen to him." she says quietly and I think back to him at campus yesterday. I didn't pay much attention to him, didn't think he was being serious.

"But I'm not going to." she finishes.

"Why not?" I ask as I begin to think she's probably better off without me.

"Because." she replies simply, but it's enough of an explanation for me.

"But you have to tell me why he doesn't want me around you." she adds and my breath catches.

I don't want to rehash last year, I've spent this year trying to forget it.

"Last year was hard." I say vaguely.

"Don't lie to me, Calum." she uses my own words against me.

 Fuck.

A/N: Calum's sassy side is showing through in that gif on the side there. Check it out, I can almost guarantee it'll make you smile.

Thank you bunches for reading, it means the world to me!

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