Calum inched toward the sheer curtains, a silhouette of two bodies standing outside the glass door, his curiosity shooting through the roof.

He didn't remember the girl mentioning any relatives coming over.

Calum knew she didn't have a brother, something he was thankful for or else he probably would've been dead by now, so that wasn't it.

This could be one of her many cousins he knew the girl had.

But he's met her family and from the lack of noise, he concluded that it couldn't be them, either.

So, who is this John guy?

Calum's mind asked this exact question as he pulled back the latch the sliding glass door, revealing the giggly two leaning against the steel balcony rail.

His browns first locked on the handsome man that stood beside Astrid, his body facing her but his head now turned to face Calum.

The brown man's brows raised as he examined the John guy.

His dark hair was quiffed back lazily as if he just ran a hand through it.

The large framed glasses he wore on his face gave him the appearance as if he was close to their age but the crinkles by his lips and eyes said otherwise.

The tattoos that riddled his arms that was exposed due to the short-sleeved black shirt on his shoulders, some colored other black, made him want to cover his arms.

He didn't even have half as many as the man.

His deep browns shined against the light, displaying a more amber color, reminding the boy of his own.

Calum had to hold back from spitting out a compliment, his jealousy taking over and deeming that ridiculous.

But it wasn't until his eyes landed on Astrid that he really felt that little green monster boil a large pot of soup in his body, his anger boiling over through his veins.

On her body was nothing but a bathrobe, her hair wet, indicating she had just got out of the shower and decided to waste time on John rather than put on clothes.

He snapped out of it, leaning against the wall near the sliding glass doors staring at the girl whose face was still on John, bliss painted in her expressions.

She breaks away from her stare at the older man, clearly fully engrossed in whatever conversation she was having with John, eyes moving to Calum, her smile instantly falling.

She jumped slightly as if she was naked, pulling at the front of her robe with an eye roll, clearly irritated.

John furrowed his bushy pair in confusion, a few wrinkles forming on his forehead.

The boy noticed but ignored it, raising his brows at the two as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything." He commented, looking between the two.

Astrid sighed and begrudgingly angled her body towards Calum, leaning her back against the rail.

"I thought you'd be home later." She commented, her tone flat but her ears burning as if she was caught in the act.

Calum nodded, glancing over at the man next to the girl then back to her. "I can tell." He replied.

Astrid sighed deeply as if she wanted to tell him off for having the audacity to come back here and not only be rude by not greeting them properly, but to come as if he has some type of authority.

He done lost his mind, The tan-skinned girl thought.

She politely smiled John's way as she kept her cool before giving the one against the wall her attention.

"What do you want, Calum?" She asked through gritted teeth, losing her patience with the boy and it's only been two minutes since he's been in her presence.

Calum kind of liked the fact that he's gotten under her skin and out of the older man's daze, a smile forming on his face.

"You're not even going to introduce me?"

"He knows your name, that's good enough." Astrid spat, hoping the boy would give up and leave them alone.

But of course he doesn't.

"Do you have a minute?" Calum inquired, popping a brow.

"For what exactly?" Astrid shoots back quickly, hoping to get him out her hair.

"I just need to talk to you." Calum responds just as fast, ignoring the way John is bouncing his head back and forth from the girl to him.

Astrid kept her eyes on John as she sweetly replied. "No." She smiled at John when he made eye contact with the girl.

Calum took note of this, pushing off the wall, clearly not done with the conversation, to the girl's dismay.

"You're already talking to me, though."

"Oh my goodness, Calum, what now?" Astrid is now fed up and over talking to her ex, throwing a hand up but maintaining somewhat of a smile on her face for John.

She wants to keep her composure in front of the man but Calum was a tick in her skin, a mosquito in her ear.

Astrid could even go as far as saying he was her kryptonite.

So, she was hoping he would leave or else she'd have to set it off in front of the handsome man.

But of course Calum doesn't.

In fact he makes it worse...

"It's about our son." The icing is placed on top of the cake, making John shuffle uncomfortably, Calum smirk, and Astrid gulp in guilt.

The four words were enough to help John realize he's had enough, or at least that he's way too uncomfortable to stay.

Especially since the two went back and forth as if he wasn't there.

John pushes off the rail and claps his hands together. "I'll just be on my way and give you two your space," He started, gaining a head shake from Astrid, also pushing off the rail. "I'll see you around, 'rid." He winked, grabbing her hand and squeezing it before turning on his heel towards Calum. She pouts and watched grumpily as he makes his exit from the balcony.

The brown boy remains supporting the wall, half of a smirk on his face, triumph in his veins.

John nods, "Nice to sort of meet you, Calum." He says, raising his brows when he realized that, yeah, they never really got acquainted.

Calum doesn't really mind too much, though, offering a nod back before replying.

"Likewise, John."

His name seems foreign on Calum's tongue, making his brows come together as he tried to remember when Astrid mentioned his name.

But he doesn't let his thoughts keep him there in the awkward situation, picking up where he left off and opening the sliding glass door, leaving the two behind.

Astrid cannot express how upset she is. Not only just from Calum coming in and ruining everything with his being alone, but his unwillingness to leave her alone when he clearly knows she's annoyed.

Actually, to say she's upset is an understatement, she's burning with anger and it's all thanks to the brown boy leaning on her balcony wall.

The girl can't fathom being in the same area as the boy, storming towards the sliding glass door, the wind rushing Calum's way, making him smell the coconut conditioner from her hair, and pulling him behind her like a lasso to a bull.

She heard his footsteps trailing her own but she ignored it, smiling down at Core as he raced to his mom, grabbing her leg.

"Mommy, John leave! He call me 'squirt'!" Core chirped with a giggle, moving his head upward at his mother.

Astrid can't help but giggle back, opening her mouth to speak but the voice behind her, beating her to it.

"Baby boy, why don't you go play in your room? Mommy and I have to talk about big people stuff." Calum said gently, bringing an eye roll from Astrid.

Core stuck his bottom lip out in a pout but obliges, gathering a few of his toys, dropping some in the transportation from the living room to his room.

"I love you, baby." Astrid calls out softly, earning a 'love you too, mama' from the little boy before his door closed.

The girl could feel eyes on her, burning a hole on her back, she sighed then turned to meet his eyes.

"Why do you make it your mission to get on my nerves?" She angrily asked, careful to keep a low tone due to Core's door being so close.

Calum breathed out a chuckle, a sarcastic one, making the girl snort.

"You sure you should be mad? I'm the one who came home to find our son on the floor playing with toys while you played with a stranger." He raised his brows up at the girl, awaiting an answer as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Astrid let off a dry chuckle, not believing what she just heard from Calum's lips.

She glanced over at Core's door before sauntering towards her stairs. Calum followed behind the girl, bracing himself for what's to come once she's behind her soundproof door.

He knew the only reason she chose to walk up those steps was to scream her head off at the boy.

The brown boy couldn't say he wasn't expecting it.

They reached her door, Astrid being the first to step in, Calum second, closing the door behind them.

The two looks to the far right where there's a monitor that showed their son innocently playing with his toys.

They smile in unison.

Astrid was first to wipe the grin off her lips, replacing it with a scowl as she gave Calum her full attention.

"Okay, first of all, this isn't your home, this is my place so whoever I want to play in it, I can and will do so," Astrid loudly made clear, bringing a dry chortle from Calum. "And second, I was exactly a few feet away from my son and the curtains to the sliding glass door are sheer. Also, I had just stepped out a few minutes before you barged in. So don't try to check me about my son, young man." She snapped, furrowing her brows in anger.

Calum rolled his eyes, "So, that excuses the stranger--"

"John isn't some stranger, I'm not stupid, he lives in the complex." The girl tip-toed around the fact that he's her new next door neighbor and not-so-old friend.

He's not-so-old because she's met him before...about six months ago at a friend's party.

But Calum doesn't need to know the details, so for now, he just lives in the complex.

The brown boy stood in a state of puzzlement, trying to remember if he's ever seen John around her apartment building.

Guessing from how handsome the man was, he was sure he would have bumped into him at some point and not have forgotten.

But in all the two and a half years he's been coming and going from Astrid's apartment, he doesn't remember a time he's seen the older man.

Calum knotted his brows together as he replied. "I've never seen him around," He commented, bringing a guilty feeling flutter throughout Astrid's stomach. She moves towards her closet to avoid making eye contact with the brown boy, opening the compartment door. "But that doesn't excuse the fact that you freely brought him around Core. Has he met Core before and you didn't tell me?" Calum asked, his feelings a bit crushed from the question at hand.

All those times Astrid had been on his tail about bringing women around Core, which he hasn't, he couldn't imagine the girl not following her own advice.

Not only that, his heart doesn't think it could take Astrid with another.

It was selfish to think that way but he didn't care.

Astrid is quick to twist around, a shirt in her hand as she looks at the boy as if he was wearing two left shoes, "Of course not." The girl turns back around, closing her eyes briefly. "This was the first time he's ever met Core." She says softly, that feeling resurfacing at the bottom of her stomach.

Astrid hated how she was feeling as if she was betraying Calum in some way.

He's the one who betrayed her, he's the one who cheated.

She shouldn't have to walk on eggshells on this topic but she found herself gracefully stepping around the conversation.

Calum sighed, taking a seat at the end of the girl's bed, running a hand over his face in frustration.

Never in a million years did he think the girl would move on. It was a naive thought, to think someone like Astrid would stay single.

The girl had the whole package, beauty, brains, personality, etc. What else could a man ask for?

And that's what scared him, someone getting the opportunity he wanted one last time.

Because it'll only take one last time for him to get it right, to get them right.

But he was watching that opportunity slip away.

"So, you're serious with this guy?" Calum asked, her back facing him, muscles visibly tensing at his question.

Astrid rolled her eyes, that feeling at the pit of her belly remaining as she pulled the shirt over her body.

She didn't consider that question until he asked and now she's unsure how to answer it.

The girl can feel his eyes on her, but she doesn't tell him to look away when she grabs her underwear, pulling it over her legs.

It's nothing he hasn't seen.

Also, she knew he wasn't focused on her body, with the heavy question still lingering in the air.

The girl shrugged, "I don't know. Maybe." Astrid answered, still not one hundred percent sure.

John was amazing and all but she didn't know if he was ready for a commitment.

To be honest, she's not even sure she's ready for one, seeing as she hasn't dated anyone since Calum.

Her reply doesn't sit well with Calum, causing him to shift uncomfortably and furrow his brows.

"What do you mean you don't know? You introduced him to Core and you're not even sure about this guy, Mar?" Calum argued, his emotions getting the best of him, per usual.

Astrid scrunched her face as she pulled the sweatpants over her legs, glancing in Calum's direction.

"What do you want me to tell you, Calum? Yes, I'm thinking of marriage?" Astrid dry chuckled, clapping her hands together.

"This is the wrong time to get smart."

"Then tell me what do you want? Yes, I'm talking to the guy and he just so happened to come over when Core was home. It's not like I planned for him to meet our son, it just happened." Astrid explained, sighing once she finished.

His eyes locked on her pair and she had to look away, the intensity behind his browns too much for the girl.

"How long?" He simply asked.

"Huh?" She answered quietly. Astrid acted as if she didn't hear him, retrieving her robe from the floor, and attempting to escape his intense air by stepping towards her bathroom.

Calum knows the girl like the back of his hand, chuckling to himself, letting off an exhausted 'oh my goodness', standing to his feet and following the girl.

He stood in the bathroom doorway, his arms reaching either side of the entryway, caging the girl inside and forcing her to face him.

Astrid raised her head and glanced in the mirror, catching his brown pair with her own.

"You heard me, Mar. How long?" Calum reiterated in a more stern tone, awakening an emotion in the girl that's been dead towards him for a while.

She hated how he knew how to get something out of her.

Deep down he knew the girl hated confrontation.

But of course he blocks her exit and forces her to talk.

She wished it didn't work, that it was ineffective, but as she licked her lips, she realized that wasn't the case.

Astrid cleared her throat before giving him a reply.

"Six months." She spilled the beans, turning to flick off the light, ducking under the boy to get by through the side of him, trying to avoid him at all costs.

And now that feeling in her stomach is illuminating throughout her body and she's beginning to realize what that feeling was...guilt.

Calum's face twisted into pure shock, mouth slightly agape as he remained in the bathroom doorway.

He was at lost for words.

The girl who hounded him about telling her when he was seeing someone.

The one nagging him about bringing women around Core.

The one who stressed she couldn't trust him because he lied.

That very one didn't practice what she preached, failing to do all three of the things she persecuted him for on a daily basis.

Calum knew it, he knew Astrid would never introduce Core to just anybody she met in a day.

He had a feeling there was more to her story than she put out.

And now that he knew, he kind of wished he didn't know.

Astrid tried to busy herself, rearranging something on her dresser, anything to get her mind off the fact that Calum's been silent for a straight minute.

When he finally makes a sound, which is a sniffle, she hesitantly looks at him over her shoulder.

Calum took a step forward, holding up a finger, "So let me get this straight, you continued to give me crap about bringing 'groupies' around our son and telling you if I start dating someone, and this and that about lying when you were actually the one doing all of that? Am I right?" The brown man questioned, hurt evident in his voice, but raising his brows as he awaited an answer.

As he expected, the girl remained quiet. He took this as an opportunity to continue, getting even closer to the girl.

Calum let off a short chuckle. "You know what's the funniest bit of this all? If the tables were turned, you would have another baby," Calum hysterically laughed this time, the girl's eyes swelling up as he spoke. "You might even put me on child support and threaten to skip town with Core, knowing you." He scoffed, shaking his head, completely crushed.

Astrid's heart flipped downward, feeling like a dog with his tail between his legs, the guilt pulling at her heart strings.

The girl hated feeling bad for the boy, remembering all those nights when she felt terrible and not once did he reply to her calls or texts.

But the pained expression on his face dug deep into her core and nearly split her in half.

Astrid opened her mouth to speak, to possibly even apologize for being hypocrite, but Core's small voice sounding from downstairs caused it to close.

The two adults moved their heads in the direction of the monitor, watching Core's small body sticking halfway out his door.

"Da-da! Uncle Ashwen is on phone!" The little one called out as loud as he could.

Calum furrowed his brows but soon they relaxed, the boy realizing he dropped his phone on the couch on his way back from the balcony.

Astrid turns to the boy with a sad look but he only sighs and shake his head, stepping away from the girl and towards her room door.

The girl reached out for him, "Calum." She called out, but it fell on deaf ears, her door closing behind him.

The girl instantly deflated, leaning against the wall near the door, her arms wrapping around herself as a defense mechanism.

She vowed to herself that Calum Hood would never again be the reason why she cried.

But today was an exception.

A/N: OMG YALL IT'S BEEN SOOO LONG LOL I'VE LITERALLY HAD THIS CHAPTER READY BUT I'VE BEEN SO BUSY THAT I HAVEN'T POSTED IT OR ANYTHING BUT I'M BACK AND I WILL UPLOAD THE REMAINING ONES IN MY DRAFT AS THE DAYS GO ON!

I'M NOT EVEN SURE IF YALL READING THIS FIC LIKE THIS ANYMORE LOL BUT IF YOU ARE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING PATIENT WITH YA GIRL! I HOPE YOU'VE ENJOYED THIS CHAPTER AND COULD LEAVE ME SOME LOVE BY DROPPING A COMMENT OR CLICKING THAT STAR! IF NOT, THEN NO HARD FEELINGS :)

HOW ARE YALL COPING WITH EVERYTHING? *TABITHA VOICE* DO THIS FOR ME...TAKE A DEEP BREATH THROUGH YOUR NOSE AND THEN EXHALE THROUGH YOUR MOUTH. ONCE YOU'VE DONE THAT, LET ME KNOW HOW YALL DOIN' IN THE COMMENT SECTION, I WANNA KNOW!

AS ALWAYS THANK YOU AGAIN AND LOVE YALL!