flawed with benefits

Time had gone by and Violet had finally finished editing her vlog from Spain. Leaving it to render and upload, she put her laptop on the table before rolling into Cal's side. He was still sat there, but was now editing one of his own videos he's recorded with Harry.

She groaned as she rested her head on his side. "I'm bored, Cal," She whined. "Can we go get food?"

"You complain more than anyone else I've ever met." He let his head rest on hers and makes the bold move of snaking his arm around her waist, his fingers dipping beneath her shirt and resting on the skin of her stomach. Just touching her was enough. "But fine, we can get food."

"Thanks, Cal." She grinned, knowing she'd gotten her own way with her deceptive eyes and her fleeting mind. "I'll wait for you to finish your editing and then we can go."

"Alright," Cal answered and Violet seemed satisfied, until his phone rung.

"Elora's phoning you," Violet pointed out when he tried to ignore the call. "You should answer it," She suggested, sitting up. His arm was cold where her head once was, but he doesn't take his arm from around her waist.

"Okay," He sighed, picking up the phone and holding it to his ear. "Hello?"

"Hi, Cal! Sorry I haven't called in so long, I've been super busy with helping my brother move apartments." Her voice was as peppy and as bright as ever. He'd never met anyone as alike to the sun as her. "I was wondering if you wanted to head out for lunch, if you're not busy of course."

Cal glanced sideways to Violet, only to be met with her eyes watching him carefully. It was like she could hear every word Elora was saying and now she waited to hear his response, just like Elora.

"Um- I was actually about to head out with Violet," He replied after a small lapse of silence. Violet's eyes widened slightly as if she'd expected him to hide their lunch from Elora, and the smile that brushed across her lips was worth it all.

"Maybe we could go tomorrow," He added, not wanting to upset Elora.

Violet's smile faded involuntarily.

"Yeah," Elora replied and the disappointment was clear in her voice. "Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye, Elora," Cal says before he hung up the phone and turned to Violet.

She wasn't looking at him now. She stared down at her phone, scrolling through twitter, like she was avoiding even the idea of looking at him, like it made her sick.

Cal watched her for a moment, hoping she'd turn to him with her brilliant smile and crack a joke, but she never did. So, he retracted his arm and returned to his editing in an unsettled, unsure silence.

-

It was one by the time they spoke again.

"I can just go on my own if you don't want to come, Cal," Violet said with a quiet voice that he knew she only used when she was trying not to sound upset.

"No, no," Cal responded, shutting the lid of his laptop. "I'm done."

"Don't rush on my account," She scoffed, standing up and pulling her bomber jacket over her shoulders ready to leave. "Look, if you didn't want to come for lunch all you had to do was say. I wouldn't have been mad at you."

"I wanted to come."

"Really?" She frowned, her eyes narrowing. "Because it sure as hell doesn't seem like it." Now her voice was telling, nothing was held back behind her usual façade.

"Why wouldn't I want to come?" He asked. Now he stood from the sofa too, his tall frame towering over her. "You're one of my closest friends, Violet."

Violet exhaled angrily. "You can't honesty be trying to tell me that you didn't want to go with Elora instead. I'm not stupid."

"Violet-"

"It's okay," Violet cut him off and holds her hands up in front of her. With a forced smile, she continued, "Call Elora back and tell her you'd love to go to lunch with her. I have food in my flat anyway."

And then he let her leave. He let her walk away and he didn't see her for another week; he couldn't have regretted it more because the next time he saw her she wasn't alone.

Cal was leaving his apartment to head to the store for a small food shop. It was late and he was hungry after recording. Leaving his apartment and stuffing his keys into his back pocket, he looks up to see Violet walking up the hallway, hand in hand with another man. She didn't look drunk; she wasn't stumbling around as she walked.

When she met his eyes, he felt his heart twitch within his chest. It beat against his ribcage for a moment and his mouth parted slightly. Seeing her, even after only a week, was like reigniting a flame.

But she looked away instantly, not being able to look him in the eyes as she led another man into her home.

There just always seemed to be a wedge between them, no matter what they did, and right now it was worse than ever.

Oceans were between them, but he'd never wanted anyone more than he wanted Violet Griffin.

-

violet and cal need to get their act together tbh