12 - who else hates tabloids?

CARMEN'S HOME
los angeles, california
march 12, 2024
wednesday
12pm

i was filling carmen, penny, ivy and daisy in on what happened between callum and i. carmen sat on her overstuffed couch, looking engrossed by my story. penny was sitting next to her, listening intently. ivy was lounging on an armchair, looking intrigued. and daisy was sprawled on the floor, sketching in her notebook, but she was clearly paying attention.

i sat in the center of the group, recounting the events of the past few weeks. "so, after we left the park," i said, pausing dramatically for effect.

carmen rolled her eyes, clearly used to my flair for drama. "come on, get to the good part," she huffed, clearly anticipating something juicy.

"well we took the kids for lunch and then after we went back to place and kylie picked up the kids and then he was about to leave and..." i looked at the girls.

they were all focused on me, clearly impatient for the details. penny leaned in slightly, her eyes wide. "and what happened?" she asked, sounding almost breathless.

i paused for a beat, building the suspense. i could feel the girls hanging on my every word. "well," i began, drawing out the moment. "he leaned in, and we kissed."

the girls all gasped, their eyes bugging out. "you kissed?!" carmen exclaimed. penny squealed, sounding excited. ivy raised an eyebrow, looking slightly impressed. and even daisy looked up from her sketchbook, clearly intrigued.

"and you're fully over jacob?" ivy asked wanting to make sure i was mentally and emotionally ready for what callum has to offer.

ivy's question snapped me back to reality. i knew she was just looking out for me, after the breakup. i took a moment to consider her words. "i think i am," i said finally, my voice sure. "jacob's in the past. callum is different. i feel so much more alive around him."

carmen smiled at me, looking satisfied with my response. "good," she said, giving me a firm nod. "callum seems like a solid guy. he's hot as hell too."

"oh, i know," i replied, feeling a little bashful.

penny nodded, looking eager for more details. "was it a good kiss?" she piped up, her eyes practically sparkling.

i chuckled, thinking back to the kiss. "it was a great kiss," i admitted, my cheeks heating up. "i could barely think straight afterwards."

"that's how it's supposed to be," carmen said, sagely. "a good kiss should make you forget your own name."

i nodded in agreement. "it definitely did that."

ivy was still looking at me intently, clearly analyzing my every word. "and you're sure callum isn't just a rebound?" she asked, her voice gentle but firm.

i appreciated ivy's concern. "no, he's not a rebound," i said, my voice certain. "jacob doesn't even cross my mind when i'm with callum. unless we talk about him."

carmen nodded approvingly. "good."

penny looked like she was about to combust with excitement. "so what happens now? are you guys together?" she asked, her eyes wide.

i shook my head, suddenly feeling nervous. "we haven't talked about it yet," i admitted. "we've just been hanging out and having fun. i think there's something there, but i don't know if he wants to pursue anything serious."

ivy gave me a sympathetic look. "just be careful," she said, her tone motherly. "don't let yourself get too attached if he's not on the same page as you."

i nodded, appreciating her advice. "i know," i said. "i'm trying to play it cool, but it's hard when he's so damn attractive."

the girls all laughed, nodding in agreement. "yeah, it's hard to resist a hot british bad boy," carmen said, winking at me. "but ivy's right. just protect your heart."

daisy then spoke up, "so what does your family think about him? i saw all you guys grouped up together at your housewarming party."

"mhm, and let's not forget they weren't jacob's biggest fans." penny added.

i winced at the mention of jacob. they were right, my family had never been big fans of him. he was too distant for their taste. "they haven't discussed how they feel about callum. i think they like him." i said, a small smile playing at my lips. "not to mention he's already won kylie over since he's great with stormi and aire."

"if kylie likes him then that's a huge green flag," carmen said, sounding impressed.

ivy smiled, seeming more relaxed now. "just take things slow and see where it goes."

i nodded and looked at my phone before jumping up. "shit. i'm late for a photoshoot. i'll see you guys later?"

"yeah, go!" carmen said shooing me out the door.

~~

INSTAGRAM
kaceyjenner

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kaceyjenner 🖤🎀

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callumturner couldn't find a black bow emoji?
⤷ kaceyjenner nope...@apple make a black bow emoji rn

haileybieber i just love you kacey
⤷ kaceyjenner i just love and miss YOU

user1 what is she wearing?
⤷ user2 vintage prada

user3 she's so pretty

kendalljenner cutie

~~

after the photoshoot i emerged from the building, feeling both exhausted and exhilarated. photoshoots were always intense, but i loved the results. as i made my way to my car, i felt a buzz from my phone.

i pulled it out and saw a new text from callum. my heart skipped a beat.

~~

MESSAGES

callum

callum
what's on your agenda
for the rest of the day?

kacey
i've got a hot date with
my couch tonight 😁

callum
oh really?
should i be jealous of
your couch?

kacey
maybe a little.
my couch is pretty
comfortable after all  🤷‍♀️

callum
well, i think you should
ditch the couch
tonight and instead have
dinner with me.

kacey
dinner with you does
sound more appealing than
my couch. what restaurant are
you thinking?

callum
i was thinking we could
do dinner nobu. i'm in
the mood for sushi. how's
that sound?

kacey
that sounds perfect.
what time?

callum
7? i'll pick you up.

kacey
sounds good.
see you at seven.

~~

°˖✧✿✧˖°

KACEY'S HOME
los angeles, california
7pm

i stood in front of the mirror, giving myself a final once over. i had chosen to wear a white corset top and green cargos which together showed off my curves. my hair was down in loose waves and i'd done a simple makeup look.

as i was debating which earrings to wear, the doorbell rang. my heart jumped. callum was here. i took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. i walked over to the door and pulled it open.

there stood callum, looking as good as ever. he was wearing a white short sleeve shirt, brown dress pants and his hair was styled in his usual messy way and his eyes lit up when he saw me.

"you look incredible," he said, his gaze drifting down my body, appreciating my outfit.

i felt a flush warm my cheeks, my heart beating faster at the attention. "thanks," i said, smiling at him. "you look great yourself."

he offered me his arm, and i took it. "let's go," he said, his voice low and smooth.

we made our way outside and towards his car, a black range rover. he opened the car door for me, being his usual chivalrous self.

i slid into the passenger seat, and he shut the door behind me before making his way around to the driver's side. as he climbed in and started the car, i couldn't help but admire his profile.

the drive to nobu was filled with easy conversation. we talked about our day, he joked about work, i told him about the photoshoot and how exhausting it was. the drive felt too short, and soon we were pulling into the parking lot of nobu.

°˖✧✿✧˖°

NOBU
los angeles, california
7:15pm

callum parked the car and we made our way inside the restaurant. it was packed, filled with the usual la crowd. we were led me to our table, which was tucked away in the back. once we sat down a waiter came by and took our drink orders, before leaving us alone.

i glanced around the restaurant, taking it all in. the atmosphere was chic and sophisticated.

callum caught me looking around, and chuckled softly. "like what you see?" he asked, his eyes glinting with amusement.

i looked back at him, my cheeks heating up. "yeah," i admitted. "in all of my years of living in los angeles, i've never been here before."

"well, then i'm glad i get to be the one to bring you here." he said, his voice serious. he leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table. "i had to do some favors to get us a reservation."

i chuckled, leaning forward as well. "i feel like i owe you something now."

callum smirked. "maybe you do." he said, his voice low and suggestive.

my heart skipped a beat at the implication. i swallowed, feeling a bit nervous. before i could respond, the waiter appeared with our drinks.

we thanked the waiter as he set the drinks down and left. i took a sip of my wine, trying to collect myself. callum was looking at me intently, his gaze burning into me.

"you're staring," i said, my voice coming out a little breathy.

he didn't look away. "i can't help it," he said, his eyes wandering over my face.

i felt myself blushing under his gaze. i tried to maintain eye contact, but his intense stare was making me feel flustered. "it's rude to stare, you know," i said, trying to sound playful.

"maybe i want to be rude." he said, his lips twitching up into a smirk. "i can't help it if i think you look absolutely gorgeous tonight."

i felt my stomach flutter at his words. he was being so forward, it was making me feel both nervous and excited. "you're a charmer, you know that?" i said, taking another sip of my wine.

"i've been told a time or two." he said, his tone cocky. he leaned back slightly, his gaze still on me.

"what are you going to order?" i said as my eyes scanned the menu infront of me.

"good question." he said, glancing down at his own menu. "i was thinking maybe the sashimi salad with matsuhisa dressing. what about you?"

i hummed in thought, looking over the menu. "i'm thinking the yellowtail tartare with caviar." i said.

"excellent choice," callum said, nodding approvingly. "i should've known you'd go for the fancy stuff."

i gave him a small teasing grin. "only the best for me, darling."

he smiled at the nickname, his eyes crinkling. "you're quite high maintenance, aren't you?" he teased back.

"you do know i'm a jenner, right?" i said with raised eyebrows. "i can't help it."

he leaned back in his chair, his eyes roaming over me playfully. "oh, i know. trust me." he said, his voice dropping a few octaves. "but i can't say i mind."

his words sent shivers down my spine. i took another sip of my wine, trying to hide my reaction. "well i'm glad someone can handle a woman with high standards." i said, my voice coming out steady.

the waiter then appeared at the table, interrupting our banter. he took our orders, before disappearing again.

we sat in comfortable silence for a moment as we waited for our food. i watched as callum tapped his fingers against the table, his eyes darting around the restaurant.

"you seem distracted," i said, breaking the silence.

callum looked back at me, his eyebrows raising. "just people watching." he said with a shrug.

"want to people watch together?" i asked with raised eyebrows.

he chuckled, his eyes lighting up. "sure. who are we people watching?"

i scanned the restaurant, looking for interesting people. my eyes landed on a group of models sitting a few tables over. they were all dressed to the nines, their skin practically glowing.

"what do you think they're talking about?" i asked callum, nodding towards the models.

callum leaned over slightly, looking in the direction i was pointing. he looked amused. "probably the latest fashion trends or some bullshit like that."

i chuckled. that made sense. fashion was huge in this city. i turned my attention to another table, this one filled with older businessmen.

"how much you want to bet they're talking about their latest big business deal?" i asked callum quietly, a smirk on my face.

callum laughed, his eyes flicking to the table. "easy money. they're probably all bragging about their stock portfolios."

"probably." i said, my eyes moving to another group. this one was a bit more rowdy, a group of rowdy boys. they looked to be in their early 20's, out to party.

"now those guys look like they could cause trouble," callum said, watching the group as well. "i bet they're all drunk out of their minds."

"you know, you should go join them." i said jokingly.

callum chuckled, shaking his head. "no way. trust me, those guys are a mess. i'm too old to be dealing with that kind of nonsense."

i furrowed my brows as i tried to think of how old callum was, but his or my age never came up in a previous conversation. "how old are you?" i asked turning my attention directly to him.

callum looked amused at my question, his eyes glinting mischievously. "guess." he said simply.

i rolled my eyes. "or i could look it up." i said as i pulled out my iphone.

callum immediately reached forward and grabbed the phone out my hands. "no cheating." he said, holding the phone out of my reach.

"okay, okay fine." i said holding my hands up like i was surrendering. "i know you're in your 30's...31?" i guessed.

callum's lips twitched into a smirk as he looked at me, clearly enjoying this little game. "wrong." he said, his voice smooth.

"32?" i asked.

"wrong again." he said, sounding like he was trying to hold back a laugh. "you have two more guesses."

i sighed, "34?"

a flash of surprise crossed his face as i hit the right guess. "i'm impressed. you got it." he said, giving me a sly smile. "i just turned 34 in february." he added.

"you mean to tell me i missed your birthday?" i asked with raised eyebrows.

he chuckled, his eyes still glinting with amusement. "yep. my birthday came and went and you didn't even say happy birthday."

"what day was it?" i questioned.

he leaned back in his seat, a smirk on his face. "february 15th." he said, watching my expression closely.

i scoffed playfully. "in my defense, i didn't even know you then."

he chuckled. "fair point." he conceded. "but for future reference, i expect a nice present on my birthday next year."

"fine. but i better get one for my birthday on january 9th." i said crossing my arms.

his eyes widened slightly, a smirk on his face. "january 9th, huh?" he said, clearly making a mental note of that date. "i'll keep that in mind."

"i'll be 24." i said with a nod, i knew callum and i had a small age difference but i honestly didn't care and i knew he didn't either.

"and i'll be 35." he said, his hand rubbing at his chin. "i'll have to think of something special for such a milestone birthday."

i laughed softly as the waiter approached with our meals.  i watched as the waiter set down our plates and poured our wine, my stomach growling in anticipation. the food looked amazing, and it smelled incredible. i took a moment to admire the presentation, the colors and aromas making my mouth water.

°˖✧✿✧˖°

8:20pm

callum held the door open for me, his hand gently on the small of my back as we walked back to his car. the cool night air hit my skin, sending a shiver down my spine. i looked up at the sky, taking in the star-filled night.

as we stood near his car, he looked down at me and i looked up at him. "thank you for dinner. i enjoyed it." i said softly.

callum smiled at me, his eyes glinting in the dim light. "i'm glad you did." he said, his voice low and smooth. he took a step closer to me, and i could feel the heat radiating off his body.

callum's eyes flickered down to my lips, his gaze intense. "i've been wanting to do something all night, but i've been holding off." he said, his voice dropping a few octaves.

"i think you should just go for it," i challenged.

a smirk tugged at the corners of his lips. he took another step closer, closing the gap between us, his body now mere inches from mine. "yeah? alright." he said, his voice low and rough. he then kissed me passionately.

callum's lips were firm yet gentle against mine, and the feeling was electric. i let out a small gasp as he pulled me closer, his arms wrapped around my neck as i wrapped mine around his waist, pulling him to deepen the kiss.

as the kiss continued, the sound of flashing lights suddenly caught our attention. i pulled away, my eyes widened as i saw a group of paparazzi nearby, cameras flashing. callum swore under his breath, clearly annoyed.

"damn vultures," he muttered, shielding his eyes from the cameras with one hand, while still holding me close with the other.

i could feel myself blushing as i tried to hide my face against his chest. the paparazzi were shouting questions, and i could hear my name being thrown around. "let's just go." i said, my voice mumbled from being against his chest.

callum nodded in agreement. "yeah, let's get out of here." he said, grabbing my hand as he hurried us to the car. he quickly opened the passenger door and ushered me inside, before getting in himself.

°˖✧✿✧˖°

KACEY'S HOME
los angeles, california
8:45pm

by the time we pulled up to my house, i was feeling rattled. i didn't like being ambushed by paparazzi, and i knew that pictures of me and callum would all over the tabloids tomorrow. callum seemed equally as annoyed, his jaw clenched tightly as he pulled up to my driveway.

i leaned back in my seat, letting out a deep breath. "well, i guess that's par for the course, huh?" i said with a dry chuckle.

callum huffed out a laugh, shaking his head. "yeah. i guess it is." he said, his gaze flickering over to me before looking back out the windshield.

we sat there for a moment in silence, the only sound being the quiet hum of the engine. i could feel the tension in the air, both of us still coming down from the adrenaline of the encounter with the paparazzi.

"well, i had a good time tonight. seriously." i said breaking the silence.

callum smiled, looking over at me. "i did too. despite the paparazzi, of course." he said, his voice laced with sarcasm.

i laughed softly. "yeah, minus that part." i said. i could feel my heart racing as i looked at him. i still had butterflies fluttering in my stomach from the kiss we shared earlier. "i should get inside." i said as i pointed to the front door.

callum nodded, his eyes studying me for a moment longer. "yeah, i'll walk you to the door." he said, unbuckling his seatbelt and hopping out of the car.

i smiled gratefully as he walked over to my side of the car and opened my door for me. i stepped out, feeling the cool night air hit my skin. callum shut the door behind me, his hand resting gently on the small of my back as he walked with me to the front door.

we approached the front door, and i felt a pang of disappointment. i didn't want the night to end, but i knew i had to say goodnight. i turned to face callum, my heart beating fast in my chest before i gained the courage to meet him in a quick kiss.

"goodnight, callum." i said quietly after pulling away.

callum smiled, his eyes holding mine for a moment before he spoke. "goodnight, love." he said quietly. his hand was still resting on the small of my back, his touch sending shivers down my spine.

i found myself reluctant to pull away, wanting to stay in this moment for a bit longer. but eventually, i forced myself to step back.  "i'll see you soon, yeah?" i said, my voice soft.

"you will." he said, his eyes sparkling in the dim light of the porch. he took a step back, his hand falling to his side.

"text me when you get home." i said as i started to unlock the front door.

callum chuckled, "yes, mom." he said teasingly. i rolled my eyes, but i couldn't help but smile. i watched as he walked back to his car, my heart still fluttering as i felt a mix of excitement and butterflies in my stomach.

after he got into his car, he gave me a quick wave before driving off. i watched as his taillights vanished down the road, feeling a pang of disappointment that the night had come to an end.

as i made myself get settled into my home, i pulled out my phone and scrolled through my instagram feed only to be met with a post about callum and i tonight.

~~

INSTAGRAM
celebsightings

liked by 539,127 others
celebsightings callum turner and kacey jenner spotted after leaving what seemed to be a date night at nobu. is kacey jenner over jacob elordi that quickly? the two were also seen driving away together in his range rover.

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user1 not surprised she has good taste

user2 callum with a jenner???

user3 he's using her for sure
⤷ user4 or she's using him.

user5 they would be cute together

~~

i groaned as i read the caption, feeling a wave of annoyance wash over me. i hated how people were so obsessed with my personal life, and how every move i made was tabloid fodder. i set my phone down on the couch, feeling frustrated. i didn't know why people cared so much about who i was dating or not dating. i just wanted to be left alone.

~~

a/n

guys i had my own kacey moment and did yoga on my deck way too early 😭 but i felt so good doing it 🧘‍♀️

alsooooo new dominic fike fic out on my account. 'never lose me.'