#bff!bn

After a few moments of quiet, she could feel him staring at her, and she turned to him with a soft smile.

“What are you staring at, then?”

Instead of pretending to be ashamed or turning away, Calum simply held her gaze as a smile spread across his mouth. She watched, breath held, as his eyes travelled across her face, before falling to her lips. His gaze stayed there for a lingering moment before he looked away, and she was finally able to release a shaky breath.

She could feel the familiar ball of irritation grow in her chest alongside the butterflies in her stomach and the goosebumps that had spread across her spine. She honestly didn’t understand him. If he had just bloody asked her out once in the span of their 5 year friendship…

It was quiet between them, the sounds from the party filling the air, until Calum spoke up again. “Is Dick abandoning his boyfriend duties again?”

She rolled her eyes at the nickname for her boyfriend, Richard. The nickname had been too convenient, really, since Calum hated the guy; he used the name any chance he got.

At her silence, Calum spoke up again. “He’s cheated on you twice, Y/N. There’s nothing stopping him from doing it again if you just forgive him for it. You need to break up with him.”

“Calum.”

“Don’t give me some bullshit about how ‘he’s just friendly’,” her friend continued, and she looked away from him. She knew he was right. “He’s an asshole.” He stood up, taking another drag from his cigarette, not giving her a chance to answer as he said, “Wanna go for a walk?”

She involuntarily glanced back at the house, before turning back to find her best friend looking at her with his eyebrows raised.

“Fine,” she conceded, falling into step with him. She reached up and took the cigarette from his lips, hers having finished long ago, and she took a puff, smiling as he let out a whine. She handed it back to him and he rolled his eyes, but he was smiling, too. They continued to walk in silence, passing quiet houses and streetlights, until Calum’s quiet voice filled the air between them.

“Sorry.”

She looked over at him, surprised, but he wasn’t looking at her. “For what?” He scratched the back of his neck, looking sheepish, and she furrowed her brows.

“For always bringing up Richard.”

She felt her lips pull up into another smile, but she tried to hide it. Calum cared about her, she knew, but he was stubborn, and so the fact that he was apologizing was huge.

“I just don’t get why, when he’s got you, he would want anyone else,” he added after a moment, and her breath caught in her throat.

She could feel her heart race as her mind processed the words. She was suddenly frozen in place, her feet having stopped moving, and Calum stopped too, turning back to her in question. She could do nothing but stare at him for a moment.

“Why do you say stuff like that?”

“Because it’s true,” he said without hesitation. He shrugged nonchalantly, and she was ready to scream. He moved his head as if to motion for her to keep walking, as he continued to move down the street.

“If you would just ask me out, I wouldn’t have to even consider going out with these other guys,” she called after him, her stomach dropping as she blurted the words out.

As soon as she said them, Calum stopped instantly, and it felt like forever before he turned back to her. She sighed, lifting a hand to run through her hair, before crossing her arms. She felt sick as she tried to compose herself. It was out there now, and she couldn’t take it back.

Calum stared at her, his eyebrows furrowed as he looked for the right words. Finally, he spoke, his words coming out quiet. “You’d have said yes?”

It was her turn to be taken by surprise. “Of course I would have said yes.” His eyes grew soft as his head tilted to the side. He hesitated again, before taking a few slow steps toward her. “I didn’t think you were interested.”

She laughed quietly, looking down at her feet. “It’s been 8 bloody years, Calum. You’re not very observant.”

She was surprised as his hand lifted to her chin, pulling her face up to meet his gaze. He was incredibly close now, and her breath caught as she met his eyes.

“Sorry,” came his simple reply, and she couldn’t help but laugh.

Her giggle was quieted by the gentle press of his lips to hers. A small gasp fell from her mouth in surprise, her hand lifting to grasp his bicep. The kiss was long and slow, and as he pulled away, her eyes stayed shut.

“Fuck,” she whispered, and when he didn’t respond, she opened her eyes to find him looking at her, his brown eyes soft. He was still close; his hand lifted to run across her jaw, before he let it fall.

“Sorry,” he said again, his breath soft against her face as they stood in the street, the party long forgotten. She shook her head, but he added pointedly, “You’re still with him.”