In his arms

"Miss Cali, we will reach the top soon," the energetic Santiago Jr said with a smile on his gorgeous face. He was so happy that it could be seen on his face. 

Calliope would have kissed his cheek if she wasn't panting and almost dying. When the kids arrived at her door early in the morning for their first paint class, she agreed without hesitation. It was only when she found where the class would be held did she show some hesitation. 

She liked spending time with kids but it was just that she didn't know what she had signed up for. 

The L-point these kids were talking about yesterday was a L shaped mountain an hour away from the city. No, the mountain wasn't in L shape. It sprawled across the earth in an L shape. They reached the mountain via car and as if God couldn't be any more cruel Callum was accompanying the children.

 What's more, they had been climbing up the stairs to reach the top. It had been thirty minutes and according to Callum, it might take another fifteen minutes to reach the top. 

Could she please go back? She was exhausted. She couldn't walk anymore. 

As she was immersed in the monologue, a pebble came under her shoes and she seemed to have slipped on the slippery stairs formed out of the rocks. If not for the wooden railings, she would not have survived. 

"Cali!" Callum shouted as she slipped. His eyes were filled with dreadful fear as he jumped down two steps at a time to pull her close to him. He appeared as if he had seen a ghost judging from his pale face. 

As she fell on his chest panting and scared, she heard the sound of a pounding heart. She murmured, "I'm fine. I'm fine." 

She didn't know who she was consoling her or him at this moment. Her eyes fell on the depth she would have fallen into if these railings were not here. 

"Thank God," Callum murmured as he tightened his arms around her back. He was so scared that he couldn't describe it in words. He broke the hug and made her sit on the steps while the children gave her water out of their water bottles. He rolled up her jeans and saw her swollen ankle. 

"Does it hurt?" Callum questioned as he rubbed her ankle.

Calliope winced, tears pooling at the corner of her eyes. Yet, she was trying to be strong. It wasn't her fault that she wasn't taught to be show pain. "I'm fine." 

"You are not," Callum cut off her words. He looked at the kids and announced," We are going back." 

The kids lowered their heads and nodded in agreement. 

How could Calliope let it happen? The kids were so excited about their first painting lesson. How could she be the reason for their sad mood? No, she wouldn't let it happen at all cost. 

"Callum, "Calliope whispered his name while grabbing his hand. "Please. I can walk. I don't want to go back." 

Callum froze when he felt her grabbing his hand for the first time on her own accord. He was blank for a moment as he didn't know how he was supposed to behave at times like this. 

"Please, Callum. I really want to reach the top and draw," Calliope said with tears in her eyes. 

Maybe, if it was someone else at Callum's place, he would have declined her request but it was his Cali asking him for something. How could he not agree with her?

Hell, he could break stars for her if she asked. 

"But your ankle…" Callum tried to decline once again. 

Calliope immediately stood up to show him that she could walk on her own but when her ankle refused to cooperate with her, she felt like throwing a tantrum. 

Callum sighed when he came across this woman's stubborness once again. He leaned down and scooped her in his arms. 

Calliope froze for a moment as her eyes widened when she found herself in the air. Then, she slowly circled her arms around his neck and relaxed in his embrace. It was nothing special and she didn't need to overthink his action. He was just making sure that she reached the top without causing problems for anyone. 

Right? 

Calliope didn't realise how her white and yellow striped top was pulled up and he was having difficulty walking with her in his arms. Her soft scent was mesmerizing him, almost lulling him to sleep. 

He was having a hard time not staring at the visible patch of her milky smooth skin. This was wrong to stare at her skin. This was so wrong. He was reminding himself. 

"What are you doing?" Santiago Jr asked Emery who was clicking pictures with a camera. 

"Capturing some beautiful shots, "The girl smiled at her silly friend.