g w e n:

When Calum informed me that he was volunteering at the Outreach Program I was beyond baffled. I almost didn't believe him, letting out a chuckle because I seriously thought he was messing with my head. But as Calum stood there not looking amused and sending a scowl my way, I knew he wasn't joking.

He was dead serious.

The moment class let out, I scurried out of school and made my way towards the bus stop. While Calum did offer to drive me to the center, I honestly didn't want to. His driving was reckless and I was dreading the idea of being alone with him. I already had to work with him for English class and now I had to supervise him at the center. What totally puzzled me was, why?!

Why the heck would Calum choose the center to volunteer at? Of all the places he could've chosen to mess around at, he chose the one I considered my home. Calum made me feel on edge; he was always insulting me or being rude to others. The center was the one place besides the Hemmings household where I truly felt safe; where I could be my good girl self and it'd be okay.

"Gwen!"

I heard a voice bellow my name through the crowded school parking lot and without turning around I knew whom the voice belonged to. I slowly turned my body to meet Calum. He was leaning against his car with his arms crossed. His uniform jacket was off, his tie was loose, and the white button up shirt was folded up to his elbows. His arm tattoos were peaking out of his shirt, and paired with his messy dark hair I'd be lying if I didn't think he looked attractive.

But I couldn't let myself think that. He was a delinquent; a criminal; a bad boy. And though I've forgiven him for defacing the center wall with spray paint, it was still something I couldn't forget.

"Where are you going?" Calum asked as he approached me, "I said I'd give you a ride."

"No thanks Calum," I told him, backing away, "I can take the bus."

When I turned away from him and continued for the bus stop, I felt a strong grasp on my wrist. I spun around instantly, my eyes fixated on Calum's hand on my arm.

"Please let me go," I calmly asked, finally lifted my eyes to meet his. "I'm going to take the bus."

He let my wrist go.

"Christ Gwen? Why? We're going to the same stupid place so why not ride with me?" Calum groaned, annoyance dripping from each of his words.

"I don't know what your motives are and I don't know what you're getting out of by volunteering at the outreach center, but if you're going to please don't insult the place," I expressed.

Calum rolled his eyes, rubbing his face like he was bothered. He had no reason to be. It was me who should feel annoyed and angry.

"I can't help it," Calum explained. I scoffed, letting out an unamused laugh. "What the fück is so funny?"

"Firstly, remember our cursing rule?" I reminded him and he let out another groan, "and secondly, justifying your unfiltered mouth with 'I can't help it'," I air quoted, "is not a real reason. It's a pathetic one."

"Damnit Gwen, what do you want me to say? Do you want me to praise the center? Tell you that it's the most enchanting place ever with sunshines, daisies, and unicorns frolicking in the rainbow fields?" Calum mocked. "Well sorry sweetheart, but that center is not all you hype it up to be. Just like your silly ideas of happily ever afters. Get your head out of the clouds Guzman before you get royally butt hurt."

I didn't even want to answer him. Once again, Calum Hood was able to make my mood drop in a matter of seconds, and he had struck a nerve. Call me sensitive, but being scorned for having a little faith seemed wrong to me. I've never had to deal with such negativity and I came from California-- a state brimming with diversity and opinions.

Instead of opening my mouth, I bit my tongue-- something I was very good at. I learned that if I had nothing nice to say, then don't say it all, an idea that Calum knew diddly squat about.

I sharply turned on my heel, stomping away from the hard headed boy.

"Gwen! What the hell? Come back here!" Calum yelled.

I didn't stop walking and continued my endeavors to the bus stop. I never made it there however, because one second I was stepping onto the curb, and the next my body was flung over Calum's shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"Calum put me down! Put me down right now!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, kicking my legs in the air. I punched his back but his strong arms only grasped onto my body tighter.

"I told you I'm driving you to the center," Calum reaffirmed.

"No you're not!" I insisted, "Calum I demand you put me down! This is so wrong!"

From an upside down view, I could see the students stare at us. They glared with confused looks as they whispered to one another. Sometimes I don't mind attention, but this was a moment in which I just wanted to disappear.

Calum managed to open the passenger side door while still keeping a firm grasp on me. With ease, he swiftly undraped me off of his shoulder, cradled me into his arms and stuck me inside his car. It all happened so fast and his strength kept me from wiggling my way out of his clutches. He shut the door and rounded the front of the car. He jumped into the driver's seat, turning to me with a satisfied grin. I crossed my arms across my chest in an infuriated huff.

"Lighten up baby dumpling," Calum cooed, his voice becoming more soft.

"I will not lighten up," I angrily declared, looking over to him with furrowed brows. "I told you that I would take the bus and you deliberately didn't listen to me. Does the word 'no' mean anything to you?"

"Calm your tits, you make it sound like I was going to rape you or something," Calum expressed with a chuckle, making me even more mad. I couldn't believe he was actually laughing in this situation and joking about rape at the same time.

"Please don't volunteer with me," I mumbled to myself, looking down to my fidgeting fingers.

I heard Calum give a drawn out sigh, "what? Why not?"

"I don't think it's a good idea," I told him honestly, "you spend all your time insulting me and the place I feel safe in. You're rude and you don't respect anyone's limit. The outreach center is supposed to be a safe place for youth to sort out their issues, and I don't trust you being around those fragile kids."

I didn't look at Calum once. I kept my eyes on my lap, letting my long hair cascade around my face and creating a barricade between my eyes and Calum's harden gaze. There was an awkward moment of silence in which no words were said and while I had hoped for an apology, the next words that came out of Calum's mouth were far from it.

"Get out," he said. There was no infliction to his tone so I couldn't tell if he was joking, serious or seriously pissed at me.

I looked up from my lap and turned to face Calum. He was looking straight ahead, his hands grasping the steering wheel. I could see that his tanned knuckles were becoming paler by the second and that gave me the indication that he was indeed angry.

I didn't want to argue with him. I was already overwhelmed by it all that I simply did what he was told. I pulled the door handle and pushed it open. I stepped out of the car, slamming it shut and walking away from Calum's car. I wanted to turn back and look, hoping to catch glimpse of the boy but I forced myself not to. I had every right to be mad but there was still a part of me that felt bad for him.

Just seeing him so silent and unable to look at me seemed like I triggered something in him-- like I tapped into an area of his subconscious that he was trying to hide. Calum had a rough past, and I of all people could understand that. I lost my boyfriend only three months ago to a car accident I was in too. Calum had lost a girlfriend after her parents pulled the plug. I get that he's hurting inside, but it's still not an excuse to treat people horribly. I was grieving too.

These reservations I was feeling about Calum after telling him what was on my mind had to be shrugged off. It was him who insulted me after all and never apologized for his behavior.

The moment I arrived at the bus stop was the same moment that the second bus arrived. Thank God I hadn't missed it otherwise I'd have to wait another forty minutes for the next one. Once I was situated in my empty seat, I stuck my hand into the side pocket of my messenger bag where I kept my phone and earbuds. I pulled out my white earbuds but my phone was nowhere to be found.

That's odd.

I opened up the large compartment of my bag and dug around inside. I looked in-between my notebooks, papers, and even looked inside my pencil case-- my phone was missing. I sat with my gaze out into the distance, trying to find some kind of recollection of where I could possibly have misplaced my phone.

I distinctly remember putting both my phone and earbuds into the side compartment once last class started. I never pulled it out once. But that's when I remember being heaved onto Calum's shoulder. I must've dropped it somewhere in the school parking lot or in Calum's car.

Great.

Now I was forced to ask Calum about it at school the next day, totally demolishing the plan I had to avoid him. I'm pretty sure I could go the rest of the day without a phone-- Twitter won't miss me much and I could always use the outreach center's phone to call Luke or Mrs. Hemmings to come pick me up.

After a long bus ride, I finally arrived at the center. While the majority of the passengers left in silence, I took the time to say my goodbyes to the bus driver, thanking him for the ride. Though usually annoyed and crude, his attitude always changed when I took the time to bid him goodbye.

"Have a good day Gwen," he waved at me and I gave him a large smile.

I stepped off of the bus, making the very short trek from the bus stop, up the pathway to the outreach center front doors. I grasped the handle, using all my strength to pull it open. The air conditioned air struck my warm body and it was only then did I realize that I was slightly sweating.

"Hi Gwen!" the other counselor Evan, smiled. He gave me a wave from behind the front desk and I approached him.

"Hi Evan, how are you?" I asked him, resting my arms on top oft he wooden countertop.

"Pretty peachy keen if I do say so myself. I had some amazing progress with that little boy named Xavier today," he informed me, a delighted grin plastered on his face.

"That's amazing," I whooped, "he started talking?"

Evan nodded excitedly, "not just talking, he was able to talk about the incident."

My eyes widened with surprise-- it was in no doubt that Evan made progress with one of our usual kids. Xavier was an 11-year-old boy who came to the center twice a week for counseling. His mother enrolled him into the program in hopes that he would start speaking again. Xavier was unfortunately the one who discovered his suicidal father hanging from a noose at the beginning of summer. Ever since that day he apparently went on a vow of silence.

This was what I lived for; this was what I loved about being here. It was this movement that sparked inspiration and movement. It was truly a blessing to see some of the transformation of these troubled kids.

"Gwen Guzman, you're here!" Victoria, one of the managers, cheered, walking behind the counter. Tall, thin, brown hair that was in a pixie cut and big green eyes, Victoria was hands down one of the best managers at the center.

"Hi Victoria," I smiled.

"I'm so glad you're here," Victoria stated, "I actually have a new job for you today."

I cocked my head to the side, "I'm not counseling Lauren Irwin today?"

Victoria shook her head, grabbing a blue folder from the file cabinet, "her mum called and told her that she couldn't make it. Some family emergency. So since Lauren isn't coming in today and before you help out in the music room, I need you to give an orientation to a new counselor."

"New volunteer counselor?" I questioned.

"Yup, he came in about ten minutes ago. Kinda has that punk-rock vibe," Victoria described. She pulled open a drawer and began pulling out documents from various folders. "When he walked in I made the mistake of thinking that he was a troubled youth but apparently he's here to fulfill volunteer hours for school."

I nodded, "I see. So where is he?"

"He's in room number five," Victoria informed. She placed a stack of documents into the blue folder and handed them to me. "I need him to sign all the papers in the folder. Then grab him an official shirt to wear. After you can give him a tour of the place, explain the rules and then the both of you can help out with the kids in the music room."

"Okay, sounds good," I smiled, and stepped away from the desk. I began towards the back hallway where room five was, but before I made it to the hall, Victoria called after me.

"Gwen!"

I turned around to face her, "yea?"

"Let us know if you need help... the new counselor is kinda... kinda is rough around the edges," Victoria advised.

I simply nodded my head with a small smile, turning back around and retreating back to the hall. I approached room number five, resting my hand on the knob. I peeked through the small door window to glance at our new counselor and when I saw him, my jaw dropped.

Sitting back in the chair with his feet propped up on the table as he looked at something on his phone, was none other than Calum Hood.

You've got to be kidding me.

He actually came to the center. Calum still had the audacity to show his face even after all that happened about an hour ago. I wanted to run away, run back to Victoria and ask if this was some kind of sick joke. My stomach started to churn and tying itself into knots. I pulled open the door with an expression of discomfort on my face. Calum looked up from his phone and gave me a smirk.

"I told you I should've driven you," Calum casually brought up, "I'm faster than the bus."

//

Hey guys! Here's another chapter for you all. I hope you all enjoy it!! What do you all think of Calum & Gwen? What should their ship name be? Calwen? Gwelum? Haha! Also, Cal needs to work on his attitude I think. Gwen's too nice to deserve the rudeness.

If you liked this chapter, please VOTE, COMMENT and SHARE it with your friends. Thanks so much for reading, I hope you appreciate it!!

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