Chapter 4 James POV

In my dreams,she consumes me.

It's been four days and thought of rooftop kept coming back to me, leaving me reckless. It wasn't just the tension,it was the fear in her eyes when she looked back at me before leaving. I reached out to her but she didn't reply. She definitely hated me. She must have felt ashamed. Calla Grayson's footprint stained the pages of my story.

I lurked through Halts fashion Pinterest page and came across a picture from five years ago. It was 2016,one direction had just began their indefinite hiatus and skinny jeans was still a thing. There it was,a picture of Calla from collage. It was a selfie with a Snapchat filter,the type with cat ears. She wore a stripe shirt and her hair wasn't brown with blonde highlights, it was the color or autumn leaves. I zoomed it, thirsting for more details on what can possibly be so endearingly magnetic about her.

My hands almost dropped the phone when I receive a call from Vinora. Her voiced rings in my ear when I picked up the phone. She was enthusiastic about her vacation with her sorority sisters from her college years. She went on and on about how incredibly it was going. This is the first time since she got married she sounded this happy.

"How's the job going?" She sounded musical,then it dawn on me...she's drunk. She kept on panicking over the phone about a rock that was lost in the water. Then she cut the line.

I stood up and lunched myself into the shower. It was 9AM and I need to go over to Hault today to check how it was coming together.

I chuckled bitterly to the mirror,"How's the job going?" repeating what Vinora has said earlier. Dad must have been pressuring her to keep an eye on me. I got dressed and immediately rushed to the office.

When I got to Halt,I was treated with Julie's warm smile at the door. We went into her office and she told me about how they were looking for materials to use for their pieces.

I remember during my collage year in London,my friends and I would often take a train to England to see the city. We'd come across different places and one in particular always stood out to me. It was a beautiful architect and it'd be more beautiful than how I'd capture it though the lens of my camera. It was a mall built in an 18the century castle theme and one of the stores inside,had different designs and how it'd be the perfect place to get any material we want.

I left Julie,and walked over to Calla's office. It had been awkward since we last saw each other other and since I walked in she barely glanced at me. Maybe I had misunderstood her at rooftop. Maybe she didn't feel the same. Maybe she's mad at me. The maybe's lingers in my head, leaving me in a maze of confusion.

I walked into her office after calmly tapping on the glass door. She was focused on a magazine on her table.Her table was covered with a big spreadsheet

"Hii.." she greated me with a warm smile. Her voice high and sharp but her eyes avoidant.

"Ermm heyy...you look busy " my voice cracks and suddenly I don't feel as confident as I did walking up to her.

"Yeahhh... we're going to start piecing materials together from next week. I need to add some finishing touches." Her gaze fixed on the magazine. She didn't for once raise her head up to acknowledge my presence. Neither of us willing to acknowledge the elephant in the room. Shallow breathes escape my lungs and I bite the inside of my cheek trying to get a sense of what is.

"Ahh...Julie tells me you guys need some materials" My hands wondered recklessly on my side.

"Oh yeah" She said snobby as her attention focused on the magazine, her head bend and her eyes moved around as though they were looking for details in a crime scene.

"Let's go find some then..." I blunt out, breathing deeply eager to get a reaction out of her .

"Uhh--" She said,her heard rose up. Her cheeks were crimson and it felt like she was looking through me.

"I know somewhere,trust me." I said,in hope that she'd look directly at me and we could keep the conversation going. She says nothing,her face blank and unreadable. "...Calla,I'm sorry about th rooftop I---" I began. I wanted to end the unspeakable tension between but she cuts me off.

"--okay." She looked at me,her eyes looked directly at me. They seem helpless and defeated..."okay..." She said again.

"Okay?" I replied ,I wasn't sure if it were a question. I wasn't sure if we actually talked about it,I wasn't sure what just happened...all I knew is I wanted to end the awkwardness between us.

"Okay..." She answered. She let the magazine down in her scattered desk and began to pull some a couple of files and notebooks into her bag. She lifted a finger in the air, indicating I give her a sec as she left to Julie's office.

I stood there trying to tender my tightened chest,my mind replaying what just happened. An audible sign came from me, snapping me back to reality. I was sad,I was angry,I felt confused and I hated feeling like this but no doubt was that I had fallen for Calla and I'd have to pretend I didn't. I hope this trip would drive the weirdness away and we could back to the way we were.

The door flew open a few minutes later and she grabbed her bag and we both left. We got into car and I turned to her "do you have your passport with you" ,she shook her head..."okayy,let's go get it then."

"Are we flying? Where to?" She said surprised

"London...it's just for a day,we'd be back tomorrow" I replied.

She looked at me,then turn back to look out the window. Her hands were still making her vains visible, resting on her forest green dress.

" Close to the synagogue on the third street... that's where I live" she said to Tim,my driver.

A little less than 10 minutes late we got to her house. "Here" she announced. The car stopped in a small house,quite similar to the other on the street but it was a washed up grayish paint. It had lilies grown beside the front porch steps. She dashed out of the car into the building.

Tim and I sat in silence, waiting for her to come down. A petite older woman came out of the building and stood there. I came out and walked up to her. She must be Calla's mother,I thought but they didn't like alike. She was fully blonde with grayish hair and unlike Calla's tall frame,she was smaller .

"Hi" she said sweetly

"Hello Ma'am" I said to her warmly.

"Oh- you must be working with Calla,come on in...she busted into the house saying she's in a rush...why don't wait for her" she said, leading me into the living room.

The inside was warm. There was a large painting of intertwined fingers hung and it's the first thing your notice when you walk in.

"Please sit,she will be down in a second." She walked pass me into the living room. It had a open space kitchen and a bay window. Another woman sat by the bay window with scattered color palette on the table. She had a bowl of soup by her side which might have turned cold. She had ginger hair and was tall like Calla and had the same eyes.

"Hello... come in" she said. The pain brush in her hands wiggled around.

I greeted her and proceeded to sit on the couch in the living room.

The first woman came back into view with a cup coffee. "Oh,I don't drink coffee" I said. That's okay let me get you a cup of water"

"Thank you. You have a lovely home" I said

The woman with the ginger hair ,walk came up to me. Her hands were slightly stained with paint. "Hi,I'm Calla's mum"

"Ohh my,I'm so sorry " I said.

"Yeah,that...are you new in Calla's office. I haven't seen you around before " she said curiously

The blonde woman came back in with a cup of water and some chips and guacamole.

"Yeah,or are you two together."

"Anna!" Calla's mum said embarrassed. She had an adventurous smirk that animated her face. She looked like Calla from the Pinterest picture I saw earlier but older.

"No" I laughed nervously. "We're working together on a project"

Calla came lunching down the stires with a mini pink box. She was perplexed to see me sitting in her living room. "Oh-," she said completely cut off guard.

"I see everyone have met each other...mum this is James." She said, leaving behind her box and walking over to her mum who sat beside me. She bent down and her voice got softly " Mum , remember if you need anything please call me okay?,I'd be back tomorrow" She kissed her on the cheek and stood up to go into the kitchen where her Aunt was. They spoke instinctively.

While Calla's mum eyes fell back on me "please take care of her " she said softly. She had the same expression as Calla. The type that said so many silent words. I nodded and smiled warmly at her.

Calla came back and wrapped her arms around her mum. I stood up ready to leave "Thanks for having me" I said

I walked by the stires to pick her pink box up and waited outside. Shortly,she came out,her eyes were glossy and she walked passed to the car. I followed behind her, placing her box on the boot before getting into the back seat. Her arms wrapped around her waist and her head leaned on the window. She didn't say a word. The ride was quiet until Tim turned the radio on and snow patrol's 'Chasing cars' came on.

Her hands relaxed at the sound of the music, falling to her side. I fought a million fights in my head,not to grab her hands and intertwine them with mine,not to pull her close and let her head fall to my chest. Instead,my hands rested besides her's, useless.

The ride to the airport felt like and endless turnels away finally came to an end. We boarded on Dad's ugly purple private plane.

"Woahh,cute plane" Calla's sarcastically noted on sight. I rolled my eyes as a smuggush smile appeared on my face.

We arrived London hours later. It was noon and went to check in our hotels. Calla's room was opposite to mine. After getting rested for while,we headed to (the place).

I could feel the overwhelming sensation of nostalgia from my frat boy days in college. London was a town that knew parts of me I didn't want to remember. We took an elevator up to the third floor where the store is located and I prayed to not come across anyone from collage.

The store was super fancy.* Fling* ,the name of the store was written in cursive, barely recognizable. A man in a bow tie,welcomed us into the store and proceeded to show us around. With the touch of every fabric,a light sparked in Calla's eyes. She had grown to enthusiastic and indecisive about which piece to pick. She often scream in a frenzy,then in a failed attempt pretend to be fanciful. She'd use her hands to fan her face and curtsey for a mannequin. The bow tie man,sigh as loudly as he could in disgust but his view of the company's golden card made him suppress his urge to kick us out.

She eventually settled on a pieces with inspirations from the glider age. The man with the bow tie swipped our card and was happy to show us out.

By the time we were done,it was already dark,even though it was a little after five. Typical London weather. We got back to the hotel and decided to get dinner at a near by restaurant. So we walked down to the restaurant and ordered food. We were underdress for a restaurant we didn't know was fancy. I had on a jean and a hood, while Calla wore a black blazer jacket on a white long sleeve with a pair of jeans. We both laughed as wondering eyes looked at use in judgement.

The chef came to our table to introduce himself when I saw a face that shared a dorm with me in my first year of collage.

"James?"

"Keith?... Wow,how are you ?" I said cheerful, getting up to give him a hug. Suddenly, memories from University Collage London (UCL) came running back to me..

"I'm fine...how are you,it's been years" He looked just as surprised and happy to see him.

"Yes mate. Wow...it's almost like it was yesterday we met by the grove...look at you!" he replied, his voice rising higher .

We got into a small talk,he said he owned the restaurant and he realized his passion for cooking after collage. He had gotten married a few months ago and is expecting a child soon. I didn't have any accomplishments to brag about so I introduced Calla to him and kept quiet. A roar of awkwardness float around the table, before he asked for my contact and disappeared back into the kitchen. I promised to stay in touch before leaving the restaurant.

Calla's and I walked back home and I could tell she didn't know what to say and I didn't know what to say either. Half way down the road back to our hotel,she stopped and ask if I was okay. Her doe brown eyes,didn't shine as bright because it was dark but yet they made my knees weak. A droplet of rain fell on her face, making us to look up. "Yeah" I replied. Laughter engulfed between us as more rain began to fall. I grab her hand and we began to run towards our hotel.

My hair was wet and fell to my face, covering my eyes. Calla held her purse over her head as when jumped in and out of puddles of water by the sidewalk.

We got the lobby of the hostel,drenched as water craw down our bodies. We got in the hallway of our rooms. I couldn't help but notice,a peak in Calla's white long sleeve which clinched to her frame , translucent from the wetness of it. Her blue bra peaking out obviously. I lowered my gaze embarrassed as she pulled her blazer to cover up. She thank me for dinner and headed into her room.

I just stood there.

I don't know why,but I didn't want London to end so soon. It was out first travel together and we didn't get to have any fun,I didn't show her most of London. London's typical weather had ruined it. I'd take her sight seeing tomorrow .

I walked back into my room, disappointed. I took a warm bath and changed into something warm. I pulled out my iPad to watch something to distract me from the conversation I had with Keith earlier. I didn't know what I want to do with my life but everyone seems to have it figured out.

Then I head a knock on my door. I didn't order any room service,plus it was almost midnight. The knocking stopped, just when I got the look through the peep hole.

I opened the door immediately. Calla turned around,she wore her nightgown,it was a silk burgundy mini dress. Her arms were exposed,so were her legs and I realized I had never seen her in anything other than a blazer. I swallowed hard,I didn't want to have any sinful thoughts. She walked casually and closed the door curious as to why she had come. She pushed me to the door and kissed me.

My lips and hers collided. I was shocked,I slowly rest my hands on her waist to balance our bodies. Her tongue tickles my lips,in request to be parted open. She stopped as quickly as she started. I immediately pushed back my lips on hers,as our tongues fought for dominance.

My hands traveled to her lower behind squeezing her briefly before picking her up, grabbing her thighs and letting her legs wrap around my torso. I could feel the rush of blood flow down south. I retract my steps back to the bed and pushed her on it. I covered her petite frame as our lips remained interlocked. Suddenly,our violent kiss of senseless desires was replaced with slow kisses. I pulled away from her lips and kissed her chin down to the right side of her neck,where she loved being kissed the most.

She loved the foreplay,she moaned softly and I loved how this was her greatest weakness. She let her hands fall to my hips

"James" she gasped,I groaned at my appearant arousal. She smiled deviously and she skimmed she skimmed the hem of my shirt before pulling it up over my head.She ran her fingers from my lower back and left traces of invisible words on my abs,every single crest, every single well framed muscles,the lines of vains like an art work.

I rushed my lips back to hers because I didn't want to know if she was impressed or not. I began to thug on her gown. I release my lips from hers and kissed her ears before whispering to her.

"Cal are you sure?" My voice more fragile,more vulnerable than I expected it to sound. "Yes" she said impatient. She pulled away a little bit then proceeded to pull her dress over her head. A lump got caught in my throat. She sat up, arranging her scattered curls. She was bare underneath her dress,her nude pants matched her skin and her voluminous breasts were exposed. Her smile was shy this time. I looked at her and I could feel myself harder more.

"Yo--you're beautiful" I said completely in awe. My lips fell back to hers. I groaned as her hands began to unbuttoned my trouser. I mange to pull it down and began to work her way down, kissing my lower belly before wrapping her hands around my member. I shiver trying to stop myself from busting at her touch.

"Calla-a-a" my eyes widened. I swallowed my breath as she pulled my draws to the ground and took me in her mouth. The perfect rhythm of her lips sliding up and down my member was slowly pushing me further and further to the edge. I pushed her away quickly before the sensation gets the best of me. I rolled her back on the bed ,over me and let my warm kisses tickle her voluptuous body. I stopped at her thighs,she pulled my heads back, grabbing my hair forcefully. I looked back at her. Her chest bouncing up and down,her breathing was laboured sounding louder than her pleading whimpers . I trailed another round of kisses around her waist, before letting my mouth come down to her lower lips causing her to let out a loud cry. Her groan beccame louder and louder and louder,and she began to thus her hips upward to meet my mouth. She began trembling indicating and impending release. Now we're even.

I pulled my head back, trailing my kissed up her neck again.

"Ugh" she groaned

" God, you're so beautiful!" I said In a tone almost like a growl.

"Do you have a condom?" She asked. I sat back up thinking of how I didn't have any because I never expected this to happen. I began to look through the drawers as she sat back up and pulled the sheets over her.

I could hear her phone vibrating at the floor, beside the bed. She must have dropped it while we got heated in the moment. I looked at the screen and it was a call from an unknown number. I picked it up and passed it to her.

I walked my way around the first aid kit in the bathroom,still butt naked when I heard a scary scream coming from the room. I ran back nervously, grabbing a towel to wrap around my waist and was met with a wrecked sight.

Calla began to put her clothes back on. Her eyes were teary and she was shivering.

"What happened?" I asked,she was disorganized. Something terrible had happened and I didn't want to believe the thought in my head."Cal , what happened?!" I asked again.

"My mum... my mum..." Her shaky voice managed to blunt out.