Never Truly Lost |L.H.|

10: "Thanks for not kicking my ass."

"Luke," John says with a mouthful of cake, "are you alright? You usually only play that song when you're stressed."

"I'm fine." I reply, continuing to pluck at the strings my guitar. "No, I'm really not fine at all. It's just this girl thing."

"Nicole?"

"Yeah. I hate her guts."

"Me too." Cal interjects. I lightly pat him on the back, and he breaks down in tears once again. I set my guitar on it's stand, and Calum quickly nudges his face into my chest and continues to cry. I rub his back.

"You'll be alright, Cal. I'll make sure of it." I whisper, hugging him tightly.

"Thanks for not kicking my ass because of this." He lighly chuckles through his tears.

"I wouldn't dream of it, bud."

The clock says 10:42pm, and Cal is still sitting with me. John finally starts to conclude his speech on Mariah as my mom knocks on the door.

"It's open!"

She opens the door and sees that we're wide awake, me conforting Calum, and John playing with my mini basketball hoop hanging on the back of the door. The door swings open so quickly, John was shooting and he almost hit my mom, and she lightly screams.

"Aah! Sorry Mrs. Hemmings!" John apologizes. "I didn't see you coming!"

"It's quite alright, John. Things happen."

"Haha, yeah. Luke, remember when you hit your mom with a football at that Fourth of July BBQ we had this past summer? That was hilarious how you said sorry for the next two hours!" John starts laughing and rolling on the floor, holding his stomach.

"Alright, boys. Time for bed." Mom announces.

"No!" John yells into his pillow. "We aren't done talking about girls!"

"You are for tonight. We have to go to the grocery store tomorrow. By the way, John, your mom called earlier, she said you can stay until Sunday evening."

"Yes-"

"But you have to sleep now in order to stay."

"Gah! There's always rules!" John jokes, still rolling on the floor.

"Yes, there is. Now go brush your teeth please."

We hop up and race to the bathroom, Calum sloping behind.

John finishes quickly and combs through his ginger hair on the way back to my room.

As we walk back into my room, he plops down on the mattress I set up for him, and Calum is already under the covers of his mattress, almost asleep.

"G'night, mates." I say, turning off the lamp on my nightstand.

"G'night, mate." John mocks with a fake Australian accent and a giggle.

I laugh as well. "Rude."

"But I'm your best friend so I'm allowed to be a bit rude at times." He jokes.

"Whatever." I state while rolling onto my side. "You good, Cal?"

"Yeah, thanks." He lightly smiles before falling completely asleep.

"No problem, bud."