Don't Close Your Hands

ch. 4 - teenage dream

(a/n two weeks have passed since last chapter)

Calum walked through the crowded halls of his school, trying to make it to the cafeteria alive. He hated how his fellow students took up so much space. Some of them would walk slower than a turtle, but others would zoom through, pushing him out of the way. He was always getting shoved around, feeling like he was trapped in a pinball machine. Finally reaching the cafeteria, he spotted the usual table where all his friends were sitting.

"Hey guys, what's up?" he asked, setting his bag down.

"Mikey's having a mental breakdown," Luke said, "his driving test is today." He laughed, rubbing Michael's back. Michael had his nose stuck in a drivers ed book. "Look guys, just let me concentrate. I can do this."

Calum and Ashton exchanged looks. While Michael passed his permit test with flying colors, he wasn't exactly a great driver. He...he wasn't even an okay driver. There were countless times where they thought their life was on line if he was behind the wheel, actually. But he was their friend, so they supported him all the way regardless. "You can do this, Mikey!" Ashton chirped.

"Thanks, Ash." Michael hadn't looked up from his book yet.

Calum pulled out his lunch and began eating a sandwich. He looked at Ashton, who had brought a few containers of cherry tomatoes, celery, and carrots. He hadn't touched them.

"Ashton, you a bunny now?" Luke said, munching on crisps.

"What?"

"Your lunch."

"Oh, pfft. I ate like a pig yesterday, and woke up not feeling too well. I think it was all the grease." Ashton pulled a carrot out and started nibbling on it. "Eh," he said, pointing his carrot at Luke, "What's up, doc?" The boys laughed and Luke carried on a different conversation. Calum lingered on the subject, though. Ashton was acting so weird. Had he always been like this? Calum thought back to other excuses Ashton had in the past. He remembered the boy flaking out on countless lunches and dinners for numerous reasons. He'd always thought Ashton was just shy, but maybe there was an underlying factor.

The bell rang shortly, and the boys said their see-you-laters and headed towards their classes. Michael and Calum had algebra together next, so he decided to bring up the issue on their way through the halls. "Erm, Mikey?"

"Yeah?" Luckily, he had put his book down.

"D'you think something might be wrong with Ashton?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like how, he never really eats around us? Or when he does, he eats that mess?"

"Aw, Cal, ya worried? Maybe he's on a health kick or something."

"I'm n-not worried. I was j-just wondering."

Michael stopped walking. "You're doing the thing, Calum." he said with a smirk.

"Th-thing? What thing?"

"When you talk about someone you like, you stutter. You're talking about Ashton. Why are you stuttering?" The smirk hadn't left his face.

"St-stuttering? I'm n-not st-st-st-st-fuck, I'm not stuttering. Stop. I don't like Ashton. Well, I do, I do like Ashton, b-but I d-don't like him like that."

"Sure."

"I don't!"

"Okay, Cal! Live in your fantasy world."

They had reached their classroom. Calum gave Michael a pout and went to his seat.