Unexpected | Calum Hood

29.

AN: I entered this book into the 5SOS fanfic awards on _mochashay_ 's page! Please head over and vote for this book in the Romance category 🖤

31 weeks

"Jes, come on." Calum tugs at my hand trying to pull me forward.

"Calum, no. I'm not going up there." I pull against him, trying to stand my ground.

"It's not even that high up."

"It's the fucking Empire State Building, Calum. I'm not an idiot, I can literally see how tall it is. I don't want to go to the top."

"It's your first time to the city, we have to." He pouts, sticking his lip out in the way he knows I can't say no to.

"I hate you." I mutter as he drags me to the entrance.

"No, you don't. You love me." He smirks looking back at me. Nervousness bubbles in my stomach as we ascend in the elevator. My death grip on Calum's hand only tightening with every level we go higher. Finally, the bell dings alerting us we've made it to the top. I let out a shaky breath and follow Calum out to the viewing deck.

The cityscape is beautiful. Magnificent buildings that seem to extend forever rising to kiss the skyline. The picturesque view is enough to make me momentarily forget my fear of heights. I look over to Calum to find him already looking at me, watching me take it all in.

"Was it worth it?" He asks.

"Yeah, I guess."

"Say it."

"You were right, Calum." I roll my eyes and laugh as his face breaks out into a grin. He intertwines our fingers and stares off into the distance with me. He drives me crazy, he pushes me out of my comfort zone, and I couldn't be more in love with him if I tried.

•

"How do you deal with it?" I ask Crystal that afternoon. The boys had gone to work on their music video, leaving her and I to fend for ourselves this evening. After learning of my love for Italian food, she'd coaxed me out of the hotel with the promise of the best lasagna I'd ever had. As I took my first bite, I sighed happily in contentment, I was not disappointed.

"With what?"

"Micheal's life and everything that comes with it."

She cocks her head and thinks for a moment.

"I just...do it. I love him and I know he loves me and no outside force is going to change that. I trust our love and try to remind myself that that's what matters above everything else. I'm not saying it's easy, but he's worth it."

"Did you hear what happened at the airport? What was said that made Calum freak out so bad?"

She nods.

"I can't blame him for lashing out. I think any of them would react the same way if they were in the situation. I know at least Mikey would, he's like Cal in that way, overprotective of the people he loves."

I hum in agreement.

"I just don't want to be a burden to him, ya know?" I admit. "I don't want us to be the reason fans turn against him, or the cause of drama."

"It'll get better, over time I think you just learn to not let it affect you as much."

"I sure hope so."

She smiles sadly at me and we turn the conversation to happier topics, like her and Micheal's wedding plans.

•

Later that night I find myself still alone, awaiting Cal's return from the video shoot. He had texted me about an hour ago saying they had one more scene and hoped to wrap up soon. My day had been packed and I was more than ready for bed, my little one however was doing somersaults in my belly and refusing to settle down. I adjusted my pregnancy pillow as I laid on my side, trying to get her in a position to encourage her to go to sleep, so that I could also get some rest. It was no use, she was a night owl apparently, just like her daddy.

I sigh in exasperation as she ends her tumbling only to instead resort to kicking my kidneys.

"Damn it, Paisley!" I groan just as the lock on the door clicks and Cal enters our hotel room.

"What's wrong?" He asks stepping quickly through our room to the side of the bed where I've sat up.

"Your child is refusing to let me sleep. I'm fucking exhausted and she just won't be still." I cry.

"Shhh. Shhh. It's okay." He coos pulling me against his chest as I cry in frustration, my emotions all over the place from my raging hormones. "Let me talk to her."

I scoot back on the bed and Cal places his face near my stomach and rubs gentle shapes into my skin as he lays down beside me.

"Hi, P. Your mummy is really tired and it would make daddy really happy if you would calm down and let her get some rest."

Of course, as soon as Cal speaks, the child within me seems to find a comfortable position and settles in for the night. I scoff and roll my eyes, slightly annoyed at how his voice always seems to calm her, when mine never can.

"Of fucking course she listens to you when I've been trying to rest for two hours now."

Cal shrugs his shoulders. "What can I say? My little PK is a daddy's girl."

I roll my eyes and return to my previous position in the bed snuggling my pregnancy pillow. Calum undresses and joins me closing his eyes as soon as his head hits the pillow.

"Did everything go good with the video?"

"Yeah, I think it's gonna turn out cool. We have a few things to finish up tomorrow then it's got to be edited and we can release it in a few weeks. I hope it'll go over well."

"I'm sure it will, babe."

"How was your afternoon?"

"It was good. I did a little shopping and Crystal and I went for dinner at this amazing Italian place. I got lasagna, there's a little leftover in the mini fridge you've got to try, it was so good."

His eyes sparkle at the mention of leftovers and he hops up from the bed to ransack the refrigerator. He finds the box and pops it in the microwave before rejoining me.

He takes a bite and turns to face me clearly enjoying the pasta as much as I did.

"Holy shit!"

"I know right. We'll have to go back there sometime."

"For sure."

I stifle a yawn and Cal takes the hint that I'm give out, reaching over to shut off the lamp on the night stand. He moves closer to me in the bed wrapping his arms protectively around my waist so his hand rests against the skin of my belly. He presses his lips to the back of my neck.

"Sweet dreams, Jes. I love you."

"I love you too, Cal." I whisper back.

My heavy eyes close and I slip off to sleep.

I've been asleep for only a few hours when I awake with a sudden and sharp pain in the bottom of my belly. I bite my bottom lip as the pain spreads throughout my abdomen.

Fear courses through my veins as I shake the sleeping man beside me waking him from his sleep.

"Cal." No response. "Calum!" I shriek and he begins to stir. He locks eyes with me and seems to realize I'm panicked.

"What is it?" He asks sitting up.

"Something...something's wrong."

AN: I hope y'all love her name as much as I do!

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-Sav🖤