C H A P T E R  2:

            Calum, not Column.

🕒🎸🎧📷

        The stars started to scatter up in the sky as I was on the rooftop with earphones in my ears. I just laid there and looked at the beautiful sky while I have popcorn on my side.

I was still busy remembering the events that happened today. Everything is so fast and I even wonder if Jessie looks beautiful tonight.

Is she trying to be beautiful for Mikey? No, she is beautiful enough and it makes me so damn insecure about her. Is she going to kiss him for their first date? Maybe, maybe not. I just hope that she'd reject Mikey after their date. But it's so mean. Sigh.

I sat up, looking at the same patterned houses below me. Our house is beautiful inside. But the structure is just like the others. They have different coats for it. Some have lavender, blue, but we have our house as neon green. I don't know, for me it looks like a slime but mum insists that it isn't.

“pst!”

I stuck my earphone down my neck, trying to determine if it is someone calling me or just someone who tries to trip me. I scanned the whole place to see no one but the guy on the opposite roof of our house, his knees were swinging at the edge of their roof. How could he do that?

I ignored him, trying to look at the bright stars ahead of us.

“Hey!” he hollered again, this time my eyes actually met his and he had that sly grin in his face.

“What?” I snapped as I dropped my earphones down, placed the popcorns in my hands and aimed to throw it in his face.

“You're not going to throw me that popcorn are you?” he asked as he was moving in discomfort, his hands were at the edge.

“Oh, the last time that I checked, I am sure that I'm going to throw it at you.”  I said as I raised my left eyebrow, popcorn still curled in my fist while the other hand holds the bowl.

“You're not. ”

“Are too. ”

“Are not!”

“Are too!”

“Are n—” we paused arguing as I heard a familiar roar of engine. It must be dad.

“Okay, you're safe tonight.” I hissed as I dropped my bowl of popcorn but my eyebrows are still high. He laughed at my face and I managed to throw one piece.

“What?”

“What ‘What’?” he asked, still laughing which made me irritated more.

“Why are you doing that a lot?”

“Doing what?”

“You irritate me.” I hissed and rolled my eyes but he just laughed at it more. “I hope you're not some crazy head maniac because the last time that I checked, we sit together in Chemistry.”

“I'm not crazy, you are.” he stated as he got over laughing, exposing his white tooth and pink cheeks even though it is really dark outside. “And I don't introduce myself to you yet. I'm Calum, your new neighbor for like two weeks now.”

“Oh, just because you're new doesn't mean I got to be friends with you.”

“Oh well then.” he said getting up. “Maybe you still want to thank me for saving you for sleeping in the class. I'm pretty sure Ms. Diane wouldn't mind me, telling the truth.” then he wiggled his eyebrows and started walking to his window.

“Column!” I yelled, he peeked his head to see me but I saw him rolling his eyes.

“It's Calum! Not Column!” He yelled as he sat at the edge. “What?”

“Stay for a minute.” I mumbled.

“What? I couldn't hear you from here!” he yelled and started to climb back up.

“I say stay a little longer! I need a companion for tonight!” man, my throat sore from that.

“Okay,” he said and then he walked back to his original place. “What are we going to talk about? Oh, wait, I don't know your name yet.” he said as he showed me his toothy grin making me roll my eyes instantly.

“I'm Mackie but my friends and my mum call me Khaki.” I smiled. “Now, tell me about how you saved me in my chemistry class.”

Then I heard his chuckle again. “Nice Khaki.”

“Don't call me that. I have a name.” I protested, he just shrugged.

“Whatever MacKenzie.” then he adjusted his sweater. I can see his tattoo on his collarbone. “So, I wa—”

“Wait, you have a tattoo?”

“Yeah I just got that this year, let me finish.”

And then he told me that he was about to sit down again, where he was unfortunate enough because it was far from the door and he's so nuts in Chemistry. Then the teacher was about to call me for recitation just to check that I wasn't sleeping. He say that I was sick and I just gave him the answer. But he gave his answer and then it turned out to be the right answer and the teacher just let me sleep. Well, not bad for a newbie I guess.

“Oh,” I said, pondering. “Thank you I guess.”

“Sure, not a problem.” He said and he slung his feet in the air. “Want to go for a walk?”

“Sure, uhm, let me dress up first then we'll go.” I said, about to slide on the window that my dad made for me but Calum hollered my name.

“You look fine with that. And, don't worry, I'm not asking you out on a date. I just like to walk and grab something to eat.” he said casually and I gave him slow nods.

“Okay, just let me fix my hair and head downstairs.”

“Okay, see you at 5.”

“Sure.”

📷🎧🎸🕒

      I pulled on a black Greenday sweatshirt and a black boots. I also braided my hair and applied small amount of mascara. Now Calum must be waiting for me downstairs.

“Hey dad!” I greeted, he smiled at me as I hopped down. I saw Calum standing on the front door, I waved at him and faced dad again. “We're going to fetch some food outside dad. Do you need anything?” I asked, he shrugged.

“Just don't go home late okay?” he screamed and then I moved and closed the door.

“Yeah dad! Be back soon. Love you!”

“Love you too!”

I slammed the door shut and Calum and I walked on the curb.

“Nice sweatshirt!” he exclaimed, making me blush and face him.

“You listen to them too?” I asked with the same enthusiasm hinted in our voices.

“What's your favorite song?” he asked and I stopped walking and see his face.

“Boulevard of Broken Dreams!” we both shouted and giggled after. We continued talking about Greenday and other band stuffs til we make it to the diner.

“Pizza?” he asked as we entered the parlor.

“Yes!”

I roamed my eyes to the old pizza parlor in our town. The diner is still fine inside. It is still warm and the ambiance is beautiful. It have warm colors and soft couch. It also have few customers sitting in here. And that few customer is just Jessie and Mikey.

“What's the flavor do you l—” I stare at Michael and Jessie busy laughing with each other. Michael smiles a lot, and I swear, he really looks so happy. “Oh. Isn't he your crush or something?”

I looked up to see Calum staring at me with bewildered face. I smiled and shook my head. “No!” I lied and laughed at him. “They're my friends... The girl is my friend. Her name is Jessica.”

“I can't see her, but I do hang out with Michael tho. He seems so cool.” he replied. “Do you want to go and talk to them?”

“Nah, I will feel bad intruding their date and besides, I got out of my house because you asked me to eat, not to be so bitter around them.” I mumbled, which I do a lot, but Calum seem to hear it so he have his taunting smile on his face.

“Come on, let's have a seat.”

Calum and I sat on different chairs facing each other. I scanned the whole menu board and I can see nothing but pizzas, Mojo's, sundaes and cupcakes.

“I want fries.” I said then looked up to see Calum talking to Georgiana, the girl in cheerleading team, not quite popular but I know her since she always have same classes with me.

“Hi Mackie!” she greeted and I smiled back. Greet to see her working rather than seeing her making out with other boys like what Luan — the head cheerleader— does.

“I'm glad to see you this evening. What would you want to eat?”

“Uhm, I want Potato Wedges, three buffalo wings and Hawaiian pizza. Also with Coke float with much whip creams on top.” I said as I smiled at her, noticing Jessie keeps an eye on me.

“Just the same as hers.” Calum stated as he smiled, trying to look good for Geo. Well, he does, but I'm still looking good than him.

Georgiana walked away with our orders with her brown hair swaying on the sides. She have white skin reflection and black pumps.

“Khaki!” Jessie yelled as she engulfed me in a big hug. Mikey looked at Calum and then waved. Calum did it back and smiled.

“I didn't know that you're hanging out with a new guy. Who's he?” Jessie asked as she completely forgotten Mikey on the other table as she lemme move to the side.

“Uh,” I stammered. “You have a date with Michael Clifford,” I said absentmindedly as I filled my mouth with a sizzling hot pizza that just arrived not many minutes ago.

“We're not dating, we're hanging out. And I meant that you should be with us, not just her alone.” Mikey said as he asked for the seat beside Calum, which he agreed to give. I felt my insides twirl in to something but I quite don't know what is that feeling.

“Why do you have to do the trouble on passing out notes when you could directly ask us to hang out? I mean, if you really like Jessie, you could've ask her out for a date,” I spat, making Michael look away and Jessie shut up. Calum just smirked at me and I scowled at him.

“You know what? Let's just eat!” Calum said, and I liked it when he brought it up. He cleared all the tension. Michael moved the other table to our table and we shared the selected dishes.

“You know him Michael?” I asked Mikey about Calum and he nodded because he's busy chewing his pizza. Jessie slurped all of her float while I slowly devoured my Buffalo wings.

“He's Calum,” I informed Jessie as she looked up to him, Calum waved and I smiled.

“Hi Column, my name is Jessica. You can call me pretty. Just kidding, you can call me Jessie.” she introduced herself and she smiled. Calum nodded, but I can see annoyance somewhere in his face. I smirked this time, earning an eye roll from him.

“It's actually Calum, not Column.”

“Oh, what a shame. I'm sorry,”

“It's alright, just, don't do it again.” he said as he feasted on his Buffalo wings.

“So Calum, are you asian?” Jessie spoke out of nowhere as the conversation reached the dry air. I choke, Calum had much more violent reaction. “I mean, you have tan skin, you have that eyes like Chinese people, but you really look like Filipino with strange decent Australian accent.”

“You want to be my friend or what?” Calum scoffed, making me laugh even more. I thought he was Asian already but I just didn't asked it out loud. Jessica just snorted and Mikey gave a smile as he glanced at me. “Actually, I am a Kiwi Scottish. Not Asian though my mum really looks one.”

“Wow.” I said aloud. “So you're Half-fruit and Half-Scottish,”

“Yeah like Half-human half-blood,” Jessica stated and I laughed.

“I think I should leave, you're making fun of my name first and now you're making fun of my bloodline.”

“No, no.” I insisted, making him drop down. Oh, he looks cute when he pouts.  “We're usually like that when we make friends so he didn't feel uncomfortable enough. But it seems that you're uncomfortable with that so, we'll get rid of it.”

“So, do you see someone you already like?” Michael chimed in, and Calum just gave us a full grin.

“I think I just found one.” Calum said as he grinned.

QOTC:
Are you annoyed when people make fun of your name?

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