Redesigned > cake au [complete.]

25

a/n: my friend & I are working on a novel (that may actually be published one day) and we just finalised the plot and character names I'm so giddy

What made my situation worse was that prom was only a week after the day I kissed Calum again.

How could this be worse, you may ask? I get to see Calum all dressed up, looking amazing, and know that it's not for me. Not even one bit. It's all for Michael.

Don't get me started on Michael. I couldn't even look him in the eye anymore. The guilt was consuming me, and as much as Ashton tried to tell me it wasn't my fault, the truth is that it was. It was my fault because I didn't stop him. Because I wanted it so much, I didn't care to think about the consequences.

And now I was stuck avoiding two of my closest friends. Good going, Lucas.

With a sigh, I snapped out of my thoughts, noticing I had to get off the metro at the next stop. Swinging my duffel bag over my shoulder, I stood up, walking over to the door and leaning my forehead against the glass pane, watching the roofs of apartment buildings zoom past me. I couldn't believe I had to get to prom early to help set up, when all I wanted to do is stay in my room with a tub of ice-cream, listening to Bikini Kill yelling their heads off. It would be so much better than being at prom.

-----

"Stop bloody moping and pass me that banner!"

I sighed, handing Ashton what he needed. We were almost done setting up, and I was more than ready to go home, but I knew I couldn't. Alas, I had to stay the whole night and help clean up. May someone have mercy on my soul.

"Okay, what's going on?" Ashton asked finally, once he had put up the banner. "You're moping more than usual."

"It's just Calum. He's gonna show up looking so good, and he's gonna have eyes for no one other than Mikey."

Ashton smiled apologetically at me, pulling me to the side and into one of the seats we had arranged earlier with the help of some girls. "Look, Luke. He's been really... He's been really indecisive lately, as we both know. Maybe he's trying to come to terms with something, I don't know. Just, don't get yourself down on someone who can't make up their mind. Don't get hung up on him, alright? I'll find you someone to dance with tonight. Guy or girl?"

Although the last thing I wanted to do was dance, I gave in, solely because the smile on his face was too wide to break. "It doesn't matter, but if you can find a girl willing to dance with me, I wouldn't mind."

----

Nothing could have prepared me for how good Calum looked tonight. He was so... Handsome. There wasn't any other word I could use to describe how he looked.

He had his hair quiffed, and a black suit. I never thought I'd see the day where Calum Hood would be wearing a suit - and a bow tie!

The minute he walked into the room, hanging off of Mikey's arm, my breath hitched. I didn't want him to come near me out of fear that the only thing that would come out of me would be a squeak.

Of course, luck was never on my side. The first thing he did was scan the room, his eyes quickly falling on me. He grinned and began making his way towards me, and I made a meek attempt to look away, but it was no use.

He quickly reached me, hugging me tightly, murmuring "You look good," before letting me go.

"Hi," I breathed out, eyes flitting to Mikey quickly before giving Calum my undivided attention.

"So..." Calum started, rocking back and forth on the heels of his feet a little. "Prom, hunh."

"Yeah," I chuckled, awkwardly looking down at my glass of punch and twirling it around a bit. "Who would've thought you two would come together?"

Michael smiled, swinging his arm over Calum's shoulder and pulling him closer. "I certainly didn't." If I didn't know any better, I would say Mikey was acting protective.

I forced a smile, nodding, and after a bit of small talk, the two of them headed off to the dance floor, leaving me alone by the refreshments.

-----

I was on probably my fourth glass of punch when Ashton approached me, a smile on his face and a girl trailing behind him. She was a little taller than him, so about my height, and was wearing a long purple dress. I had seen her around school, but never really registered how pretty she was.

"Luke," Ashton grinned before motioning to her. "This is Cassadee."

"Hey," I gave her an awkward wave, but she didn't seem to mind. She grinned widely, extending a hand to me.

"Wanna dance?" She asked, her tone casual.

I looked over at Ashton for approval but he just shrugged, so I shrugged as well, putting my glass down and taking her hand. "Sure, sounds fun."

It didn't really sound fun, but she seemed friendly and it was prom, after all. As much as I felt like it, I didn't want to spend it moping over Calum.

Cassadee and I danced to a couple songs, one of which was rather slow. We cracked a few jokes while dancing, easing the tension quickly, but every time I looked at her blonde and brown hair, I thought of Calum.

"So you didn't come with anyone, Luke?" she asked me as we swayed on the dance floor.

I abruptly stopped looking around for Calum, turning my gaze to her green eyes. "No, unfortunately. What about you?"

"I came with a few friends, something casual," she shrugged, before giving me a soft smile, glancing over my shoulder quickly before returning her gaze to mine. "Is there someone here you'd rather dance with?"

A sentence like that was meant to make the person sound offended, but the way she delivered it was so kind and understanding, I didn't think she meant it that way. However, I still started with "No, I like dancing with you!" and when she raised her eyebrows at me, I sighed and added, "There is this one person, but they're with someone else."

Her eyes flitted to something behind us again before coming back up to meet mine. "Is it Calum?"

I frowned. Do I tell her the truth? Was it that obvious?

However, she laughed before I could answer. "No, I'm not making assumptions, don't worry!" she explained. "It's just... Don't look now, but he's standing by the refreshments, and I think he may hate me."

"What?" I frowned. It was taking me every ounce of self control to not turn around. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, he's glaring at me," Cassadee explained, a smile on her lips. "And now he's coming this way."

I gulped, taking in a sharp breath. "He is?"

She just nodded, and I was about to say something else when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked to see Calum smiling at her politely... Well, as politely as Calum could. "Mind if I borrow him from you, Cassadee?"

"Not at all," she smiled, shaking her head as she let me go. "See ya Luke!"

"Have a good night!" I smiled back, and as she walked away, she patted me on the shoulder.

Gulping, I turned to Calum, who then bowed and asked, "May I have this dance?" with his hand extended out to me.

With a giggle, I put my hand in his, and allowed him to messily waltz me around the dance floor. In that moment, nothing else mattered other than the music and Calum's laughter, his crinkled up eyes and joyful smile. Michael didn't matter, our situation didn't matter, the rest of the dance floor didn't matter. My brain was a cassette with a single track loudly playing on a loop, blocking out all the other irrelevant noises, and the track just so happened to be named Calum.