Locked In [Malum]

Chapter 21 november

It was the next day and I was grumpy. I tossed and turned all through the night, I couldn't sleep my mind just going over what happened yesterday and how awkward it's going to be at lunch. Calum wasn't talking to Ashton, but Ashton was trying so hard to get the raven haired guy to talk to him. For once it wasn't Calum and I arguing or in a fight it was the two best friends although I think it was a bit one sided. Calum is just holding a grudge, like I get it he's upset, but on the other hand Ashton didn't mean to out him to the whole School. Sure he could have been quieter about it, and maybe he shouldn't say things before thinking but that's Ashton and it's one of the traits that makes him who he is. He's extremely sorry and honestly, it hasn't even been 24 hours and I'm already sick of it. Now I know how Luke and Ashton felt all the time when Calum and I constantly bickered. It's annoying as fuck. I was at my locker with Luke when we noticed the commotion coming down the hall. 

"Ashton fuck off! Just leave me alone for some time." 

"But Cal you're my best friend! And I am so sorry, please just forgive me so we can move past this" Ashton pleaded, he was walking behind Calum  trying to talk but Calum wasn't having any of it except for when he stopped walking causing Ashton to bump in to him and he turned around at him.

"Oh boy." I say to Luke, "let's hope Calum doesn't punch him." 

"Should we stop them?" Luke questions. 

"ASHTON I GET IT YOU'RE SORRY JUST LEAVE ME ALONE! I NEED TIME!" And that was the first time I have ever seen Calum shove Ashton before and you could see it on Ashton's face that he was hurt, more so mentally than physically. I decided to intervene. 

I went over and wrapped my arms around Calum's waist and pulled him closer to me giving Ashton an apologetic smile as I dragged Calum around the corner into another hall. 

"Calum! What the fuck?" I look at him. 

"I just want him to leave me alone! I want him off my back, I know he's sorry I just want some space, is that so wrong?" Calum has his face in his hands as he leans against the wall with me in front of him and my arms placed on the wall just above his shoulders.

 "He's upset Cal." I tell him.

"He's upset? HE'S UPSET? He's not the one that got his sexuality thrown out to the whole school!" Calum say angrily. 

"But he's also your best friend, pushing him around and not acknowledging him is hurting him." I point out as I wipe away a tear that was trying to escape on Calum's cheek. 

"It hasn't even been 24 hours, I should be allowed a longer time to mope." Calum tells me.

"You do realize no one cares right? Look how you and I are standing right now. Is anyone glaring, or staring at us?" I ask him and he shakes his head no, "exactly, they're okay with this Calum, it appears you're the only who's not." 

"What? Michael, no, I want this I just--

"Save it, I'm going to class." I say before I am leaving him and walking away, grabbing my books and then head off towards my class, ignoring Calum's calls. 

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"Guys this is so awkward, I'm the only one who is talking to all of you. Calum isn't talking to Ashton, and Michael isn't talking to Calum for some unknown reason and Ashton is moping. Come on get over yourselves!" Luke exclaims as the four of us sat around the table at lunch.

"I have a reason for not talking!" I tell him.

"No you don't! You just put words in my mouth, I never said that!" Calum says loudly.

"You're not okay with us, I think I have a fair reason to be upset." I tell him coldly.

"I never said that! You assumed!" 

"But you didn't deny it!" 

"You didn't let me!' 

"Oh my fuck you two shut up! I thought you two moved past the bickering." Luke looks between Calum and I.

"I want to be with you Michael, sorry I'm not handling my sexuality as well as you Mr.Perfect." Calum says which causes me to scoff.

"Wow I'm not perfect, far from it, I just know who I am." I glare. 

"I just said I wanted to be with you!" Calum exclaims. 

"Holy shit can you take your little love fest somewhere else? God it's annoying." Ashton comes out of nowhere. 

"No!" Calum and I tell Ashton together. 

"You wanted us together, deal with it." Calum states. 

"You're not together." Ashton points out. 

"At the rate we are going we may never be." I mumble. 

"What?! No! Michael I want to be together, please stop with this, I am okay with my sexuality, it's the way it happened I'm not okay with."

"Wait what? You're not okay with me?" I look at him shocked thinking he was referring to me and falling for me. 

"No! Ugh fuck, I meant I'm not okay with how it came out to everyone." Calum rephrases. 

"And I said I'm sorry! God Calum please just forgive me and move on, no one cares that you're gay!" Ashton tells him. 

"He's right Cal, no one cares. Just be happy." Luke adds and Calum huffs and crosses his arms over his chest in defeat. "So can we please move on? Calum accept Ashton's apology." 

"Apology accepted Ash." Calum mumbles.

"Good. Now Michael and Calum say you're sorry to one another and kiss." Luke demands.

"Sorry Mikey." Calum says louder then when he accept Ashton's apology.

"Sorry Calum." I reply and Luke looks thoroughly happy with himself over the work he has accomplished so I smack him upside the head for the fun of it. 

"What was that for?" Luke looks at me and I chuckle at him. 

"No reason, you're just too happy for everyone else." I shrug and he glares. I love our friendship. 

And for the rest of lunch there was a lot less tension between everyone. Honestly we were all being silly getting upset with one another and I'm glad we could move on from it. I'm still a bit worried though. What if Calum isn't okay with being gay? I don't know I just feel like he isn't accepting himself, I get it he wants to be with me but at the same time he's not used to all this. He's new and as much as I want to help he has to come to terms with his own sexuality and accept it. There's no other way around it and until he does I don't know if I can date him.