g w e n:

Calum surprised me today. The way he offered to teach the outreach kids how to play the guitar was unexpected, but what surprised me the most, was the fact that he was very good with the kids. Calum always put up this front-- this tough boy attitude. And while he was intimidating at times, the boy with the dark hair and tattoos had a soft side to him.

"Hey Calum?" I looked at him from the other end of the music room, as he continued to stack the plastic chairs and organize them against the wall.

Calum turned over his shoulder to look at me, "yes baby dumpling?"

"Um, thank you," I smiled at him, "for teaching the kids. It means a lot to me that you did and the kids seemed to enjoy your company... well maybe except for Camden."

"He's a little protective of his girl," Calum chuckled. His eyes squinted smaller and tiny lines formed at the edges. It was a beautiful smile to which I thoroughly appreciated. I often saw him with a scowl or a sassy smirk on his face that this type of grin was the kind I liked to see.

"His girl?" I raised a brow.

"You do know that your man Camden has a crush on you right?" Calum informed, matter-of-factly. He approached me with a smile on his face and his hands inside his pockets.

"Aw does he? That's so adorable," I rested my hand to my heart, at an awe of the idea that the little boy who liked hugs, was allergic to peanut butter, and was at the center to cope with the death of his twin sister had a crush on little ol' me.

"Yea, adorable," Calum scoffed, rolling his eyes.

I playfully hit him in the arm, "is someone jealous?"

"No Gwen!" he snapped, "why the hell would I care if a child had a crush on you?"

"Calm down Cal, I was only teasing," I told him, stepping away. I was surprised by his sudden whiplash of emotions. One second he was laughing and the next Calum's infamous scowl adorned his tanned face.

Calum and I continued to tidy up the music room in silence. Not once did we exchange words except when I had to tell him where certain things went. Once the room was back in tip-top shape, I slung my book bag around my body and held the door open for Calum. He walked out, his eyes glued to his phone.

And that's when it hit me.

My phone was still missing somewhere and I had no choice but to talk to Calum in order to find out if my phone had fallen out of my bag and into his car somewhere. So I sped walked right behind him, almost bumping into his body when he noticed my pursuit and stopped his movements.

"Sorry Calum," I breathed, glancing down at the floor before finding the courage to look up at him. He no longer had a grimace on his face, and instead it was one of curiosity.

"Yes Gwen?"

"I was wondering if my phone had fallen into your car earlier? I can't find it,"

Calum shrugged, "come to my car to look for it."

"Uh, um, okay," I replied, caution to my tone. Calum merely spun on his foot, continuing down the hall as I followed him. When we arrived to the main lobby of the building, a slew of goodbyes and waves came our way.

"Bye Gwen!" Evan approached me from behind the desk, his smile so bright it could light up a dark room.

I stopped walking for a moment to bid him a farewell, "bye Evan. Sorry we didn't get to hang today. I think I'm on desk duty tomorrow, so we'll chat then."

"Sounds like a plan! Desk duty is always more fun when you're around. I'll even let you pick the Spotify playlist," Evan mused, giving me a playful nudge.

"I'll be sure to pick a fun playlist then, like baby-sacrificing music," I joked as Evan let out a loud laughter, prompting Calum to turn around. His hands were grasping the door handle when I noticed him turn to face Evan and I. I looked over to Calum, holding up a finger while mouthing the words one minute to him.

"Does he work here now?" Evan asked, glancing over at Calum, who crossed his arms across his chest.

"Yea, he's a doing volunteer hours," I informed.

"Ah I see," Evan nodded his head. His eyes drifted from me, back to Calum as he approached the two of us.

"Come on Gwen, I don't have all day," Calum wined, "let's look for your phone so we can get out of here."

"Hey man, nice to meet you," Evan introduced, brandishing out an open hand. Calum looked at the gesture with a raised brow, and instead of shaking it, he simply turned back to me with a groan.

"Say goodbye, and let's jet," Calum insisted.

"Calum calm down, just give me a sec," I told him with a muffled voice.

"It's kinda cool that we're getting volunteers from the local detention centers," Evan stated with a grin, "unless you're like an axe murderer or something."

"Excuse me?" Calum shoved Evan, causing him to teeter backwards. An angry scowl grew of Calum's face as he clenched his fists together. "I'm not from a fücking dentention center! What am I? A criminal?!"

The entire lobby of volunteers, parents, and kids all turned their attention towards the three of us. Evan put up his hands in defense, scanning his eyes between Calum and I.

"I'm sorry bro, I just thought you--"

"You fücking thought wrong dickface," Calum sneered, ceasing Evan's attempted apology.

I stood with my mouth agape, completely surprised and disgusted with Calum's inexcusable behavior. He had no reason to lash out on Evan, who made a simple mistake. Yes, Evan did prejudge Calum based on looks, but that still didn't give Calum the right to spew obscenities at Evan when it was an honest mistake. I was so ashamed-- I felt horrible for Evan who didn't deserve any of this, and I felt mortified because Calum had become my responsibility.

"Calum stop!" I yelled at him, placing a hand on his chest to keep him from Evan. Calum looked down at me, staring into my eyes for a moment before I felt the tension in him subside.

"Can we please leave?" Calum asked through gritted teeth, glaring at Evan. I could tell that Calum was trying real hard not to pounce on Evan and I knew then and there that I had to get him out.

I turned to Evan, "I have to go. I'm really sorry about all of this."

"It's cool, my mistake," Evan sighed, giving me a small smile. He held out his arms wide and I stepped closer to him, feeling his arms wrap around my body. "See ya' tomorrow Gwen."

I pulled away, "see ya."

I gave Evan one last wave before hurriedly joining Calum towards the door. We walked out of the center in silence, my arms across my chest in a huff.

"I fücking hate that guy," Calum jeered and my head snapped towards him, my eyebrows furrowed in disapproval.

"You have no reason to hate him. And what were you thinking back there?" I questioned, gesturing towards the building, "I can't believe you almost got into a fight over such a minute thing. Calum you can't do that-- at least not here. Fix your attitude or leave."

I was so infuriated with Calum that the emotion was literally making me feel tired. There was a reason why I chose to be positive and happy, but being around Calum made it extremely difficult to do so. My body was reacting to all the fury, because before I knew it I could feel my eyes well up with tears.

I looked down at my feet, not even having the energy to look at Calum. I leaned backwards, resting my body against the building wall, and trying so hard not to cry. However, the moment I blinked, was the same moment I saw drops of tears plummet to the concrete sidewalk below me. There was silence between the two of us, and I honestly thought Calum was going to come up with some lame excuse for his behavior and then walk away, leaving me to cry in my lonesome.

But he didn't. And instead he dipped his head low, trying to get a look at my face. I turned my head away, refraining his efforts to witness the angry tears that perpetually dribbled down my not-so attractive crying face.

"Baby dumpling, you crying?" Calum asked, his tone of voice much softer this time.

When I didn't answer him, Calum did something I wouldn't have expected in a million years: he hugged me. And it wasn't some awkward, hackneyed side hug either. Before I could even think to push him away, I felt his hands grasp onto my forearms, pulling me into his chiseled body. He wrapped both of his arms around my waist and felt his chin rest on the top of my head. My face was buried in his chest, the scent of cigarettes and his cologne infiltrating my nostrils.

"I'm sorry Gwen," Calum whispered. "Please forgive me. I'm going to try to do better. Stop crying baby girl."

I separated myself slightly from Calum's embrace, tilting my head upwards to meet his dark, yet worrisome eyes, "then stop giving me a reason to."

Calum let out a sigh, looking up into the sky with a smirk. He shook his head as I watched him in confusion, and I wished I knew what he was thinking about. Calum looked at me again, an intense look on his face,

"What the hell are you doing to me Gwen Guzman?"

//

c a l u m:

There was no way in hell that I was possibly developing feelings for the kind-hearted, innocent girl who somehow felt so right in my arms. What the fück was this sorcery? There's something about her big, stupid ass brown eyes that fücking made me want to cuddle with kittens. She'd give me one look and it was like I was hypnotized. Gwen didn't even know she had this kind of power, and I'd throw myself under a bus before I'd ever reveal that to her.

Disappointing people came easily to me-- it was second nature. I did it so often that whenever it happened, I was able to shrug it off. Not with Gwen. There was something enigmatic about her that made me not want to disappoint her. Screwing her up would be an ultimate sin, and even I wasn't game for that.

"You really didn't have to get me food," Gwen protested, gazing at me from across the table. We were sitting at a booth in the corner of the best Mexican restaurant in Sydney-- a place where the boys and I often found ourselves when drunk munchies needed to be satisfied.

"It's cool. I want to make it up to you," I told her, unwrapping the quesadilla I was so freaking excited to eat, "besides, I'm hungry and this place is on the way back home."

"Thanks for driving me back home by the way. I could've just taken the bus," Gwen disclosed. There she goes again with that nice-girl thing.

I sighed, putting my fork down, "baby dumpling, you're killing the buzz that I don't even have. Don't worry about it. How the hell could I let you take the bus after making you cry? I might be rude, but I can be nice when I want to."

"And you should want to all the time," Gwen quipped, sass etched in her words. Well, damn.

"Don't push it Gwen," I warned, "I'll be nice to you, but everyone else is a problem. Now drop the subject and eat your damn food."

I learned that her favorite color is blue, and that her favorite food is sushi. I also learned that she has a younger brother who lives with her parents back in California and she hopes to join the peace corps one day. Gwen also told me that faith is what brought her to Australia, but I had a feeling that there was more to that story than she wanted to tell me.

"Are you afraid of heights?" I asked her, crumpling up my napkin and throwing it onto my empty plate.

"Not really, no," Gwen answered, sipping from her straw.

"Good," I smirked, "because I have an idea."

Gwen cocked her head to the side in confusion, "what idea?"

"You'll see," I gave her the most cliche answer in the book, which of course resulted in heaps of questions I was unwilling to answer.

"Calum where are you taking me?"

"Calum it's a school night, you do know that, right?"

"Calum what are we doing?"

I ignored her, which was hard when Gwen had a knack for pestering. I almost gave in because her freaking eyes in addition to her soft-spoken voice were all that ran through my mind as I drove my car towards the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The sun was setting, the weather was perfect, and now was the best time to take Gwen on a thrill of her life.

"The harbor bridge?" Gwen questioned, as she slammed the passenger door shut. "What does this have to do with heights?"

I looked at her with a mischievous grin and Gwen let out a groan.

"What?!" I exclaimed.

"Will you please answer my questions? You didn't answer any of them on our way here, and now all you're gonna do is stand there and give me a sassy smile? Tell me what your big idea is Cal, please?" Gwen pouted her lips, gazing at me with her pure, doe-like eyes.

This girl was fücking with me.

"Don't get your skirt in a twist baby dumpling. We're climbing the bridge," I announced, Gwen's eyes widening with great intensity as her jaw dropped from my words.

"Wait, what?" was all Gwen managed to say.

"It's a beautiful sight up there. All of Sydney will be lit up before your eyes," I explained. She was nervous, I could tell. Well, anyone would be. We'd be climbing a bridge with a summit of 134 meters, with nothing but the cold, splashing waters below us.

"I won't let anything happen to you," I promised, attempting to coerce her to climb the bridge with me.

Reluctantly Gwen nodded, "okay, let's do it."

A dopey-ass grin found its way onto my face and my excitement was bubbling up inside. I grabbed ahold of Gwen's hand, pulling her through the car park and towards a building off to the side. After filling out all the proper paper work, securing our things inside lockers, and gearing up into grey jumpsuits, it was time for our ascend up the bridge.

Gwen, twelve other risk takers, our climb leader, and I stood at the very bottom of the bridge with our necks craned upwards. I felt the adrenaline coursing through me and I was excited to get started. Our waists were chained to a secure line and once the climb leader took the first step, there was no turning back.

"You'll be fine," I whispered to Gwen, sensing her anxiety. She turned over her shoulder, giving me a subtle smile, unsure of how far her nervousness would take her. "Remember, I won't let anything happen to you. Just trust me."

Three hours, a thousand plus steps, and several breaks later, we reached the the summit. By then, the sun was set and all of Sydney was illuminating before us. The city's buildings, the opera house, and even the boats that were cruising below were glowing. Without sounding like some kind of girly tourist, the view was breathtaking. Gwen stood next to me with her hands grasping the railing, a huge smile painted on her face.

"Are you glad we did this?" I asked her.

"I am. Thank you so much Calum!" Gwen nodded her head excitedly before throwing her arms around my neck to give me a hug. I rested my arms around her waist and pulled her closer.

"I'm happy you trusted me," I told her. She dropped her arms, a smile still on her face as she turned back around to enjoy the view. I stood behind her, my chest pressed up against her back and my arms securely wrapped around her shoulders.

I liked holding her like this. She fit well with me, and this moment couldn't have been any more perfect. I don't know if I could safely say that I had feelings for Gwen, but I did feel something there. I felt oddly different around her, but it was a good kind of different that no one has ever been able to make me feel before-- not even Janet Riley.

Gwen was in a whole other ballpark. She was irritating, she didn't curse, she had stupid rules, she liked to please everyone, and sometimes she was way too perky-- but at the end of the day she was my baby dumpling.

That's right, I said it.

My.

//

How cute is Calum? Seriously! One moment he's making Gwen cry, and the next he's showing her all of Sydney on top of one of Australia's famous landmarks. Also, he just gives me tons of feels... Has anyone climbed the Harbour Bridge???? If I ever find myself in Sydney, Australia, that's one of the first things I'm doing! It sounds like so much fun, even though I'd be super scared.

Thank you guys so much for reading my story. If you liked it, please VOTE, COMMENT and SHARE this with your friends. I'm so proud that RUN BABY RUN has hit 1.1K. It's a Wattpad milestone for me and I'm hopeful that this story will continue to soar. Thanks again!

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