NO SHAME

IX

I sat next to Luke on the floor in front of Calums couch, the two of us sharing a pair of headphones. He was playing me his new album, Youngblood, while the other three were playing a board game. I watched in amusement as Calum cursed at Ashton for messing up his turn and making him one step closer to losing.

    Luke was patting his hands on his legs to the beat of the song that was playing while quietly humming along as well.

    The finished and Luke paused the music before the next one could play.

    "What did you think of that one," he asked.

    "That ones my favorite so far," I replied.

    "Okay the next one is Moving Along."

    I nodded and Luke pressed play on the next song. Luke's voice instantly filled my earbud as the song started the play.

    "Luke, stop forcing the poor girl to listen to our music and come play with us," Ashtons voice interrupted.

    "I'm not forcing her to do anything, asshole, she wanted to listen," he grumbled. I hid a laugh behind my hand at the two while I continued to listen to the song.

    Next to me, my phone lit up with a message and I picked it up to see who it was. Unsurprisingly, it was Jake texting me for the tenth time that night asking me when I was coming back and where I was. I dismissed the notification and put my phone back down next to me. I looked at Luke who was already looking at me with a questioning look, and shook my head at him to let him know it wasn't important.

    When the song finished, Luke paused it again but asked if I wanted anything to drink this time. I told him water was fine and he got up to go grab us some water from the kitchen.

    Once Luke was gone, his spot was immediately filled by Calum, who sat next to me and pulled me into a side hug.

    "So, who's been blowing up your phone, Aspie," Calum questioned me.

    "No one, Callie," I teased, using his nickname for me, against him.

    Calum swatted at me before moving away as Luke came back.

    "He's nosey," I said to Luke once he sat back down.

    "Yeah, tell me about it," He replied as he handed me my water.

    Luke was about to play the next song when the sound of Michael calling both of our names caught our attention.

    "Yeah, Mike?" Luke called back.

    "You guys might want to see this," Michael told us as he handed Luke his phone.

    I leaned over Luke slightly to take a look at what Michael was showing us, to see pictures of Luke and I at the beach today. Normally this wouldn't be a big deal, but this wasn't a planned outing, and Luke and I were holding hands in the photos and I was on his back. These photos were different, and I was terrified to find out what Jake thought of them.

"You're not going back to that apartment tonight," Luke stated in a serious tone.

"Luke, I can't avoid it forever," I told him.

"Maybe not, but you can wait a day before going back there, maybe he'll chill out a bit."

"But what if it makes him more angry?"

"Sorry to interrupt, but may I ask what the fuck you two are talking about?" Michael demanded.

"It's nothing," I said quietly, not looking at either boy.