If I Really Knew You || Calum Hood (completed)

Chapter 20

*MACIE'S POV*

"Macie! Yes! Oh we've heard so much about you!" Luke said walking up my front steps. I blinked a few times and let my mouth fall open. I fought back the feelings of my inner fangirl and nodded, smiling at him.

"Yes Macie! Calum never shuts up about you, it's a pleasure," Michael added, joining him.

"It's nice to be able to talk to you," Ashton started, then switched to a new voice, "not like this." I immediately recognized the voice as the one Calum used as Alex and I covered my face with my hands. In the moment of my embarrassment, I suddenly felt a hand slide around my waist. Calum pulled me into his side and kissed my forehead. 

"Sorry about this, we had only meant to change my ticket but all of them got switched," he whispered into my hair. 

I just nodded. Inside I was screaming. One of my favorite bands in the whole world was standing right in front of me. 

"Wait, Sue," I said turning to the aunt I had completely forgotten about for a second, "You knew they were coming and didn't give me any time to not look like this?" I motioned to my 'right out of bed' appearance. She looked me up and down and laughed before returning back into the kitchen.

"I take it you boys are hungry!" She called from the hallway. Almost instantly the three of them were shuffling past Calum and I and into my house, leaving the two of us alone.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered even though everyone was well out of ear shot. 

"Hey," he said, turning me to face him. His finger, which caused me to jump because of how cold it was, tilted my chin to look up at him, "This wasn't your fault. You just got tied up in a bad situation."

"Which could've costed you any shot at a career. Just imagine what could've happened!" 

He chuckled and my eyes widened, amazed he could laugh at something so serious.

"There is so much that could've gone wrong, but it ended before anything truly destructive happened. Let's not imagine what could've happened and let's focus on the status of everything now. You're safe. You're okay. I'm okay. We're all okay. Okay?"

Despite the nagging in the back of my head constantly reminding me that I could've been the reason for the end of the band before it even started, I felt my lips form a smile and I nodded. "Okay." His brown eyes scanned over my face.

"You're sure you're okay right?"

As I starred back at the boy starring down at me, flashbacks flooded my mind. The day in the court office. Anthony's taunts, his eyes raking me up and down. I shivered and rolled my shoulders back. Calum's hands moved from holding my hands up my shoulders and rested on either side of my face. He spread his fingers and his thumbs cleared away tears I hadn't known had fallen.

"Baby, are you okay?" He asked again. 

I shook my head sharply and he pulled my face up towards his. When I was on my tip toes, he bent down and brushed his lips across mine. I smiled in spite of my tears.

"He's gone," he placed another kiss to the corner of my mouth. "They know he did it," another peck to the other side. "He can't come after you for a long time," this time in the center of my lips. I reached my hands up and wrapped my arms around Calum's neck. I burried my face into his chest and the minute his strong arms wrapped around me, I felt safer than I had in weeks. A sob escaped my throat and he tensed. 

"I'm so sorry this happened," he soothed, "But you're going to be okay. We'll get past this."

I nodded and pulled away, "I'm sorry for crying all over your sweater," I laughed at the wet spot on his chest.