"What happened to just messing 'round...?"
___
"Seriously, Calum? What the fuck am I doing out here?"

Calum shrugs. "Kennedy's a cheerleader, now," he says as if that explains it.

"So?"

"So, shut the fuck up and watch her practice, Ash," Calum grunts, watching as Ashton folds his arms, leaning against the risers beneath the bleachers.

In all honesty, Calum isn't there to support Kennedy. Well, he kind of is. Kind of. That's at least what he tells Ashton to get him not to leave him stranded after school and stick around for practice, because he didn't drive today and Ashton was his ride home.

Ashton runs his hand through his hair. "This is stupid," he says, as the girls do drills and routines as the football players have their own practice simultaneously upon the field. "Like, honestly," he juts his chin towards the student athletes. "Like, what the hell am I even watching?"

"Shut up, Ashton," Calum mutters, although he's kind of bored, but he's mostly not because he's watching Royce do handstands and backflips and other shit that's taking his mind elsewhere. "It's nearly over."

Practice ends and Royce is sweaty.

She's wiping her face with her shirt - a nasty habit that her sister hates - and slipping on her hoodie because football practice is still going on for another half hour.

That's why she changes quickly and heads to her locker. She's tired. She's always tired after practice, and she's got homework to do.

"Did you see Harry, today? You see him sit next to me at lunch?" Lola sighs happily, leaning against the lockers. "I think he likes me."

Kennedy turns to Royce. "Isn't he a player? Doesn't he sleep around?"

"Well..."

"Please," Lola snorts. "Says the girl hanging out with Luke Hemmings?"

"Key word, 'hanging out,' " Kennedy clarifies. "Besides, he's way cooler than half the kids here."

"Luke Hemmings? Ha!" Lola exclaims. "Don't make me laugh."

"What? Why would you say that?"

"I don't have enough time or extremities to count how many girls' virginity he's taken. That's including him and his weird friends."

"In Luke's defense," begins Royce, "Harry isn't exactly a cupcake, either."

"Yes, he is. He is too a cupcake."

"I'm not saying he isn't," Kennedy intervenes. "I've just heard he has a reputation, Lola, and-"

"So does Luke."

"I don't like Luke!"

Royce shrugs. "She doesn't like Luke, Lola."

"So, what? You think I shouldn't hang out with him anymore? Is that what you're saying? I should just give up on my intense Harry feels?"

"I think you should be careful," Royce says, stepping back in. "Kennedy's new and she's heard about Harry's reputation-"

"True story."

"Sure," Lola snorts. "Says Royce."

"Um, what?" Her hand flies to her chest. "Excuse me?"

"Oh, please," Lola grins. "The world saw you leave with Calum from that party."

"We didn't do anything!" She practically screams, looking around to make sure no on was in earshot of this nonsense. "I swear, I didn't-"

"Ride him like a pony?" Lola swings an invisible lasso around her head. "Giddy-up, reverse cowgirl!"

"Oh. My. God," Royce grimaces as Kennedy clutches her stomach, laughing loudly. "I did not do anything with Calum!"

Kennedy nods, but she's laughing still because this is hilarious. "But, okay, look. Look, in Royce's defense, Calum was just trying to be helpful. He was doing me a favor."

Lola lets out a loud, guttural snort. "Oh puh-lease," she exclaims, rolling her eyes. "Calum? Just trying to be helpful? More like he wanted to help Royce out of her panties."

Kennedy gasps. "What?! He took her home!"

Lola turns, wide-eyed to Royce.

"He took you home?"

She nods.

"So you couldn't walk when he was finished?" Lola fights a laugh. "Does that mean he tied you to the headboard? He blindfold you 50 Shades of Grey style?"

"Okay, don't ever liken me to that sorry waste of both paper and movie money. That shit was not cute. Seriously? Do you know how many women have died trying to recreate those sex scenes?"

"Did you discuss this with Calum before or after he brought you to your room and then took you from behind-"

"Anyway," Royce continues as the two girls stifle their giggles, "Nothing happened-"

"Right," Lola snorts again. "Because that sounds a lot like Calum Hood. Because he isn't the guy to fuck a girl and never call her again. Because he isn't just like his friend, Luke-"

"I'm not messing around with Luke," Kennedy mutters.

But, Lola ignores this. "And apparently Royce isn't getting dicked down by his friend-"

"I'm not!"

"Uh huh. Sure," and Lola twirls hair around her finger. "Sounds like Harry's the most innocent out of the boys my friends are messing around with, so I should have no issues pursuing him," she states, shrugging smugly. "Right?"

"There's nothing going on with me and Luke."

Royce is over this. "Whatever. Long story short, I did nothing with Calum, despite what you've heard, so fuck you both," Royce narrows her eyes, "And you'd know if you weren't drunk off your ass, Lola."

She rolls her bright blue eyes. "Sue me for being a social drinker. Next time Perrie Edwards throws a pre-game party, you've got to actually show up."

"I told you, I was with Paige and-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Lola says, shoving books into her bag. "Paige, Paige, Paige. Honestly, Royce, I get she's your sister and all, but you've got to live your own life, like shit."

Royce scoffs loudly. This isn't the first time she's heard those words. "Whatever. I didn't fuck Calum. The end," she snaps, because that was the truth, wasn't it? There was nothing going on between them, and he didn't want to hook up with her, and that was it. What happened against his car was a joke, wasn't it? He'd just been trying to take her phone, to mess with her, right? He was a giant flirt but so what? He was a flirt. That didn't mean he was actually interested.

Right?

Besides, it wouldn't even matter.

Royce wasn't that type of girl.

She'd never hook up with Calum for the sake of hooking up.

Never.

"Hey, girls."

Royce turns, grinning and grateful for a change in conversation. "Hi, Niall," she says, as he trots her way.

Lola wrinkles her nose as the little blonde dishes out hugs. "What're you doing here so late?"

"College apps," he shrugs. "Y'know I can't concentrate on that shit at home."

Royce chuckles as he wraps his arms around her shoulders. "Your logic is highly slept on, Niall."

"That's why I keep ya' around, Royce," and she only shakes her head against him.

She loves Niall. Out of all her sister's friends, he is easily her favorite, with his easygoing personality and loud laugh and quiet charm.

He also knows the best spots to eat in the city.

"What were you going on about?" He asks, watching the girls pack up. "Which one of ya' likes Haz?"

A slow blush creeps up Lola's cheeks as both Kennedy and Royce point to her.

Niall laughs. "What a craic."

"Tell 'em."

"Hey!" Lola exclaims, shoving his shoulder. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'll explain over dinner," he says, looking between the girls. "Can we go? I'm starved. I'm here late and I hate this place," he shudders. "I really hate this place."

Didn't they all.

"So, naturally, you're extra hungry, right?"

Niall squeezes her arms. She giggles.

"That's why I love you, Royce."

"Where are you going, Ni?" Lola sighs, pouting as she slings her favorite Tory Burch tote over her shoulder. "I'll come."

He looks between the other two girls. "What about you two, eh?"

"Sorry," Kennedy says. "I've missed half the day already, so I should really get home."

And Royce shakes her head. "I'm waiting on Paige."

He shrugs. "Next time, then," he says, making Royce realize another reason she likes Niall: he's never offended when she can't hang out. So many of her friends get angry when she can't join them outside of school, and Niall never made her feel bad about her personal decisions.

She just really likes Niall, okay?

And she watches as he retreats with Lola down the halls, before Kennedy throws her arm around her shoulder.

"See you mañana?"

"Yeah, if you decide to show up."

"I made the team, okay?" Kennedy stresses. "I was celebrating."

Royce only laughs. "Yeah, yeah," she says. "I'll believe it when I see it."

Kennedy flips her off, and that only makes Royce laugh harder.

"Text me?"

"Of course," and Kennedy waves, smiling before she's left Royce alone at her locker.

She turns in the empty hallway. Her sister was in the locker room, and she honestly should have been done by now. Knowing her, though, she'd probably found Zayn in one of the art rooms and had struck up a conversation.

With Zayn, Royce had never seen Paige's thirst be so real.

"Where the fuck are you?" She grumbles, pulling out her cell phone to type. "Jesus, I just wanna go home."

"Need a ride?"

Royce turns abruptly, clutching her chest. "Fuck! Calum, you gave me a heart attack!"

He laughs, hands in his pockets as he walks her way. "You didn't hear me?"

"If I had would my blood pressure be this high?"

He sighs, shaking his head. "Look, if you need a ride..."

"I'm fine," she waves him off. "For real. I'm just waiting on Paige."

And she lifts an eyebrow. Did he hear their conversation? Oh god, she's praying he didn't hear their conversation.

"What are you doing here, anyway?"

Calum pauses, standing before her. She's got on yoga pants and a zip up only halfway zipped to reveal her bright pink sports bra.

He's trying not to stare, but he's really not trying that hard.

He shrugs. "Kennedy had her first day of practice," he says, again, like that explains it.

She's never seen him stick around before.

And he can tell that she's unconvinced by her raised eyebrow.

But, she shrugs anyway.

"Alright," she says, hefting her bag on her shoulder. She slams her locker. "Cool."

"Yeah."

"Well," she shrugs. "See you -Calum, c'mon!"

He's laughing. "What?"

Royce looks down at his hand. She's staring at his long fingers playing with the zipper on her jacket.

She slaps his hand down. "Good-bye."

"Bye," he says, reaching out and grabbing the zipper again.

"Calum!"

"What?" He asks innocently. He's walking her backwards, zipping the jacket up and down, exposing and covering less and more of her stomach and bra.

"Okay, stop," she says, grabbing his hand with both of hers. "Seriously, stop it."

"What?" He continues to zip, the sound of the zipper running up and down the metal tracks growing louder in the hallways.

"Dude! I've got to go."

"What'm I doing, Royce?" He smirks, backing her against the lockers. "Why aren't you leaving? I said 'Bye.'"

"Fuck you, Calum."

"What?" He laughs harder, pressing himself against her. He grins, watching her struggle to stop his hand from playing with her clothes, "Jesus, you're weak. Do you even have arm day in practice?"

Royce gives up. "Okay," she sighs, "what's wrong with you? Be honest."

"Not gonna answer that," he says and she snorts, dropping her hands from his. Calum, with free reign over her jacket zipper, now zips it all the way up, closing the jacket beneath her chin.

"C'mon," she whines, pouting like a child, "I've got to go."

"Okay," he shrugs simply, cutely, unzipping the jacket completely, letting both pieces fall apart. He's standing very close to her, and Royce is trying to keep her breathing even since she's more than a little confused. She's staring up at him, and Calum's hair has fallen over his eyes so she can't quite find the focus of his gaze.

What the hell is going on?

"Calum...?"

His fingers skim lightly over her waistband.

"Why haven't you left yet?"

And Royce watches him lift his head and shoot her a smirk.

She hikes a brow.

"Admit it," He says softly. "You don't really want me to stop," and his smirk fades, "or leave," and there's a weird seriousness in his expression that's neither playful nor flirtatious as he asks, "Do you?"

"Royce?"

And she looks up, shaking her head and turning right to Paige.

Her face lights up. "Finally, man! Y'ready?"

Paige hums, throwing a glare over Royce's shoulder - at Calum, who isn't stupid. Calum immediately releases his hold on her zipper, stepping back, running a hand through his hair.

Paige is still glaring at him as she states, "Had to wait for Tobe to finish, remember?"

And Royce is all, "Right," as Calum and Paige continue to have this stare-down in the hallway. He can sense the animosity; the 'shade,' as Kennedy would say, being thrown his way from Rocye's sister. It doesn't help that there's some kid, some kid who looks like them who's wearing eye-glasses that probably cost more than his entire uniform including shoes, who is standing there, smiling awkwardly between his sisters.

He could taste the awkward.

"Who's that? Your boyfriend?"

"Shut up, Tobe," grits Royce, shoving the boy playfully.

"What?" He sings, poking her in the stomach as she zips her jacket closed. "I just call it like I see it."

Calum laughs as Royce flicks his glasses. "Your vision sucks, remember?"

The boy, Tobe, scowls. "Shut up, Royce."

Paige interlocks their arms, leading her younger sister towards the parking lot. "C'mon, Tobe," she calls over her shoulder.

"Whoa, whoa," Royce laughs, pausing as their brother jogs to keep up. "Could you slow down - ?"

Paige can't slow down.

"What. The. Fuck."

Royce laughs, watching as they nearly race towards the car. "What?"

"Really?" Paige scoffs. "Calum Hood? Seriously? What the fuck were you doing with him?"

__

paige hates calum. that's rough ya'll.
alsooooo I think I'm feeling "cayce" as a ship name. I think that's it. That's the one.

annndddd i really love the next few chapters so be exxxcited.

pic of lola.

girls || the 1975