The Perfect Sinner (cake boyxboy)

(VII) Death Becomes Him

He started yanking out strands of cloth in Michael's aquamarine bed sheet, bored out of his mind. He looked up at Michael who was shoving garments into his suitcase. He then straightened up on Michael's bed and went on his phone, scrolling through unread messages.

"You sure you don't want to come?" Michael asked, stealing Luke's attention in a split.

"To a comic book convention?" Luke cocked an eyebrow, unimpressed. "I'm pretty sure I don't. And besides, you already bought the tickets."

Michael and Ashton were both going on this comic book convention in Sydney, which was just a measly five hour drive. It was now almost midnight, and they'd be leaving now to be at Sydney by 5 a.m. and have some rest in their hotel. Luke wasn't into comic books to begin with, and being in a car for that long might just drive him mad.

"But like, you live in Sydney. And tomorrow's the big day."

"I'm pretty sure I don't want to be there for my mum's wedding either," Luke huffed. He was greatly animus towards his to-be-step-dad, and coming to Jhenis for the summer was in a way, how he planned to escape the dreaded day. He didn't hate Joe, but he hated the idea of Joe. Should Luke be in Sydney, his excuse for not showing up would just be invalid. "And besides, my mum knows I'm not coming to the wedding. My presence wouldn't make the day any better."

"You're her son, you twat, 'course she wants your there," Michael rolled his eyes, zipping up his suitcase and setting it on the floor. He sat on the foot of the bed, leaning all his weight on one arm.

"I'm not going, and there's nothing you can do to make me go see my mum marry that awful replacement for my dad." Luke would always see his dad as a hero, and he thought that his dad was one of the best persons to be put on this earth. And his dad was everything Luke thought him to be, honourable, loyal, kind and gentle. His death had a major impact on his life, and even two years after his death, seeing his mum replace him would tear Luke apart. He just thought it'd be better to be away and off the situation. He didn't plan on spending much time with the guy either way. Luke only had a year left with his mum and he'd be off to university and hopefully moving out of Sydney by then, he was considering New York or LA, or just anyplace where music might be relevant enough to make a career out of it.

"Okay," Michael waved his white flag, knowing how arrogant Luke could be. "Just saying, you'll have to spend a good two days alone with the Devil."

"Don't call him that," Luke rolled his eyes.

"Hey!" Michael threw his arms up in defeat. "Didn't know you were so protective of your bestie all of the sudden," he sneered.

Luke and Calum were far away from even being friends, and Luke surely didn't like the hostility between them, but he didn't seem to be able to do much about it.

"As it happens, he hates me more than ever," Luke sighed, curling up against Michael's pillow. Luke couldn't help but take in the aroma that glowed off the pillow, a smell similar to Ashton's distinct scent.

"Really?" Michael asked with a smile, a step away from laughing, "how could he possibly hate you more?"

Luke started fidgeting with his shorts, running his short nails ('cause of his nervous nail biting habit) over the thigh part of the material. "I may or may not have tried to talk to him about his parents."

Mike froze. "How'd you know about his parents?"

"Ash told me," Luke sighed.

"It was on the news too, you know," Mike pointed out. "For a good few days."

"What for?" He scrunched up his nose, becoming more curious.

"Well, Calum's dad was possibly one of the richest men in Oz."