Callum & Harper (17 page)

“
More than anything,” I admitted out loud.

“
Stop wasting time then or I can’t be responsible for my actions,” he teased.

This held me slightly on edge. “Please, I can’t joke about this with you. You have no idea how much Harper’s beginning to mean to me.”

“
I apologize, Callum,” he said sincerely, throwing his arm over my shoulder in a peace offering. “I was only joshing. Honestly, I’ll stay away.” A small smile curved around his lips. “It’ll be hard but I’ll stay away.”

“
Charlie!”

“
What? Callum, calm down. I’m teasing you!”

I eyed Harper, my jaw clenching, making the muscles in them flex. I opened my fists, then closed them, over and over. I wanted her more than anything in this entire world.

Charlie’s hand came flitting over my face to break the trance.

    “
My God, Callum,” he whispered.
    “What?” I asked, turning his direction.
    “You’re in love with her.”
    “What? No, that’s impossible. I’ve only known her two weeks,” I said, watching her intently again laughing at something Tie-Dye Tom said.
They’re standing awfully close
.
    “That may be but you’re either most definitely in love with that creature there in that fetching skirt or there’s something between you and Tom you haven’t yet discussed with me.” I rolled my eyes but laughed. “I can’t say I blame you. I’ve never seen you like this, Callum, not even with Sam.”
My head snapped his direction again.
    “You knew?”
    “Everyone knew.”
    “Then why would you go out with her?”
    “I didn’t realize until much later. It’s why I broke up with her last night. I thought you may still be in love with her and I didn’t want to stand between that. I was only mildly interested myself.”
Funny,
he
broke up with
her
.
    “But I’m not.”
    “I can see that now,” he said, laughing a bit.
    “I’m sorry I made you feel you had to do that.”
    “I’m not. I was ready to move on.”
I stood there next to Charlie watching Harper and Cherry gossip closely.
    “She’s in love with you, by the way,” I said.
    “Samantha? No, she’s not. She’s only in love with herself.”
    “Not Sam, Charlie.
Cherry
.”
This took Charlie by surprise.
    “
What?
You’re mad! She’s my best friend!” He exclaimed in disbelief.
    “She is and I can honestly say, I’ll consider you the biggest idiot if you don’t realize soon that she’s perfect for you.”
    “I can’t, Callum,” he said, sighing loudly in exasperation. “She’s the only person in my life, besides you, I can count on. If I fall in love with her, I could
never
lose her and that’s scares me more than anything.”
    “So you’ve thought about it then?”
    “Of course I have. I just never knew she felt the same way.” Charlie swallowed and stared hard at the ground. “I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone more beautiful then Evelyn. She’s the kindest, most lovely girl.”
    “I agree. Well, almost,” I said, nodding my head toward Harper, making Charlie laugh and shake his head. “Wait a minute!
Evelyn
?”
    “That’s Cherry’s real name. It was her grandmother’s. I think I’m the only one she’s told.”

“
Wow. I’ve never thought to ask if Cherry was her real name or not.”

“
Nah, I called her that when we first met seven years ago. She was super tall, porcelain skinned, crazy deep red hair. When she stood next to me, she was only a few inches shorter than I and I was so intimidated by her. That was what made me think she looked exactly like a cherry bomb. Beautiful to look at but there was something alarming there as well, like a fire was nearing the end of her wick. Her eyes make me feel like if she exploded anywhere near me, I couldn’t help but be a very willing casualty.

He laughed wholeheartedly and slapped me on the shoulder.
    “What a pair we are, eh?” He asked.
    “Listen,” I said, seriously. “I promised her I wouldn’t say a word about the way she felt and that makes me feel like the most horrible friend right now but after you confessed to that phenomenal crush, I don’t feel as guilty as I probably should. Just, figure it out, will ya’?”
    “I’ll try,” he said, readjusting against the trailer.
    “You know, Harper’s here for Barcelona. Particularly
Please, Don’t Go
. Think you could...?”
    “Already on it,” he said, standing upright and smoothly walking away from our group.
    When Charlie left, Harper walked toward me. I held my breath and with every inch she closed the distance between us, my body began to tremble more and more.
    “Hey,” she said.
    “Hey.” I swallowed hard.
    “Should we, ya’ know, head toward The Ivories’ stage?”
I nodded my answer.

It was crowded so I grabbed Harper’s hand so I wouldn’t lose her. We weaved our way through sweaty bodies and watched The Ivories but I had a hard time concentrating on their set because I still possessed Harper’s hand and I finally realized she possessed my heart.

When The Ivories left the stage, Harper and I left to camp in front of the main stage to see Barcelona. The rest of the band told us they’d meet us after they broke down their equipment and placed it in their trailer. We sat on the grass, side by side, a silence building between the two of us and it was becoming shockingly awkward.

“
Dude, Harper. Tell me what’s up.”

“
Uh, noth...”

“
Don’t say nothing, Harper. I may have only known you a few weeks but we’ve practically lived a lifetime in those few weeks. I know you. You’re upset.”

She sighed loudly and brought her knees to her chest, resting her cheek on her knee, facing me. “I’m embarrassed to say,” she admitted.

“
Just tell me what’s wrong.”

“
I’m jealous,” she said bluntly, making me choke on my own spit.

“
Wh-what?”

“
I’m jealous of Sam. I don’t like her for no other reason than that she obviously wants you. There, I said it.”

Her face turned a bright red in the artificial light of the stage lights. I opened my mouth to confess everything but was interrupted by the roar of the crowd. Everyone stood abruptly, surrounding us as we stayed on the grass, staring at one another. I wanted to reveal all. I just needed everyone to quiet down enough that she could hear me.

    “
Hi, we’re Barcelona,” we heard over the thunder of the crowd. “Our first song is dedicated to Harper Bailey from Callum Tate,” he said right before the first resonating piano note of
Please, Don’t Go
began to play
.
Tears began to fill Harper’s eyes. I stood and offered her my hand and to my utter relief she took it. I enveloped her in my arms and brought her close, squeezing her tightly against my chest. I brought her hand in mine to my chest and splayed my free hand across the broad of her back.
    I bent slightly toward her ear. “You don’t have to be jealous of Sam, Harper. It’s not her I want.”
    My hand rose slowly with her breath. We bent to the rhythm of our song, her face buried in my neck and my cheek resting on the side of her head. What I needed in my life was right there, in my arms. I closed my eyes and drunk in the most perfect moment of my life.

The song was over all too soon and we reluctantly pulled away from the other, realizing this meant there could be no more pretending.

They teased us incessantly, embarrassing us both but I just held tightly to her hand to let her know we’d be talking, extensively, much later.

I enjoyed the rest of the music with everyone and was so freaking proud that they included Harper like she was one of us now. Well, everyone except for Sam but I was hoping that with time she would come around. I knew I was nothing more than a forbidden novelty to her. By the time it all came to a halt, we were all sweaty and full of smiles. All of us walked back to The Ivories’ trailer where my bike and the gang’s van was.

The alcohol was poured freely that night. It seemed everyone around us were drunk including some of our group but we lived in New York City for crying out loud. No need to worry because there was always a taxi available.

We sat on the concrete around the trailer, getting to know a few of the bands around us. Charlie had a keg on rollers that he spilled from the back of the trailer as a surprise. A million hands lifted in cheer and the after party had begun.

“
God, what time is it?” A drowsy Harper asked.

I peeled my pocket watch from my jean’s pocket and checked. “Twelve fifteen.”

“
It feels like four,” she said laughing, laying her head on my shoulder.

“
That’s because the past few days were exhausting pieces of crap that no person, no, people, should endure.”

I felt more than heard her chuckle in response.
    “I need to talk to you, Callum,” she said suddenly.
    “And I need to talk to you. Badly,” I said, looking at the top of her beautiful head.
Just then, Sam came up.
    “Can I speak with you?” She asked.
    “No,” I said and I meant it.
    “Please, it’s...I just want to apologize. Please?”
    I sighed. “Fine. Harper, excuse me.”
She lifted her head and bit her bottom lip. I could tell she didn’t want me to go.

I kissed her neck and whispered in her ear, “It’s not her I want.”

She nodded and I stood, following Sam to a dark space near the other side of the trailer. She wanted me to follow her farther away but I felt sick leaving Harper where I couldn’t see her so I froze there, crossing my arms and waiting. Sam seemed to understand and came back up to me.

    “
I just wanted to apologize for earlier this morning,” she began. “I overstepped some boundaries. I knew how much you wanted her and it scared me. I always thought you’d be there, waiting, and it just freaked me out that you weren’t there when I wanted you.”
    “That’s the lamest apology in the history of apologies, Sam.”
    “What?
Why
?”
    “Sam, are you really this dense?” She had the decency to act embarrassed. “You just admitted to using me. Listen, I know you strung me along and before Harper I was just pathetic enough to endure it because I thought I loved you but since meeting her I realized something about myself. I’m worth more than what you think of me. I shed some crazy when I met her, took off my blurred visioned glasses and saw what you really are...not meant for me.”
    “Callum!” Sam yelled, showing a bit of crazy herself. She reached for me in desperation but I was distracted by yelling on the other side of the trailer. I ran into a crowd gathered in a circle around Harper and Charlie.
    “I told you! She wants nothing to do with you!” Charlie said to a rather large man in jeans and a stained t-shirt. Harper clung to Charlie, her body visibly shaking.
    “And I told
you
! That girl is coming home with me. She’s mine,” the man said with slurred speech.
    “You’ve had a lot to drink, John. Let’s just leave,” a sensible friend of the drunk said, pulling him away from the circled crowd.
    I finally reached the circle and broke through, wrapping Harper in my arms and trying to drag her away but the guy became enraged.
    “Stay away from her!” John, the drunk, said.
    “It’s John Bell,” Harper barely whispered, her lips quivering, her body shivering in fear.
I searched her face.
John Bell, John Bell. Why does that name sound so familiar?
That’s when I realized, John Bell was the sick psychotic who tortured her at her foster home.
    “Oh my God,” I said, sucking in a breath. I scooped her up by her knees and carried her to my bike. “Charlie don’t let that man follow us,” I said and he nodded.

By then, the rest of the group caught on to what was happening and circled around John Bell to prevent him from coming after us. I set a shaking Harper on the ground, started the bike then began to pull the helmet onto her head but a roar of anger came from within the circle that contained John.

Before I could even turn around, Harper yelled for me to watch out. I tossed Harper and I away from the direction she screamed and saw John barreling toward us, a crow bar in his hand. I could see Charlie, Aaron, Nat, Jared and Josiah running after him. He edged toward Harper, a crazed look in his eyes but  three police officers caught on to the commotion and started running toward us. John saw this and not wanting to get caught, picked up my bike and hopped on, gunning it into the crowd around us.