Camera {Malum}

Video 22/24

January 8th

The image displayed Michael's bed, a guitar lying upon it. Michael himself appeared right after the video started, waving at the video sheepishly as he dragged his casted leg with him.

"So, today is another anniversary. If I counted right it's been seven weeks exactly, since I found your camera. And I just, yeah," Michael bit his bottom lip, sitting down on his bed and pulling the guitar closer.

"I thought today was a good moment to do something, though," he let out a soft breath, pulling the guitar on his lap in the right way, strumming it once to make sure it was still tuned right.

"So eh, yeah. I'd like to play you a song, which isn't the easiest with a cast. It's basically, eh, never mind. I think you might eh, let's just play it. I hope you enjoy."

Michael started strumming his guitar and then cleared his throat before singing, "what day is it, and in what month, this clock never seemed so alive."

He took a breath, "I can't keep up and I can't back down, I've been losing so much time."

Michael continued strumming, waiting for the chorus to sing along too, "'Cause it's you and me and all other people, with nothing to tell, nothing to lose."

He quickly licked his lips, "And it's you and me and all other people and I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you."

Michael imagined the drums in his head with the next part he sung, "What other things that I want to say, just aren't coming out right."

He took a breath again, "I'm tripping inwards, you get my head spinning, I don't know where to go from here."

He started the chorus again, his eyes closed as he got pulled into the song. While all he thought of, was Calum.

"There's something about you now, I can't quite figure out. Everything you do is beautiful. Everything you do is right."

He slowed down slightly, the chorus coming by once once again. He then sped up a little again, singing the chorus one last time before almost falling silent.

Michael strummed his guitar a bit, before singing the last part, "what day is it, and in what month, this clock never seemed so alive."

He ended the song slowly, keeping his head down for a bit as he had ended. A soft sigh then escaped Michael, before he looked up to the camera with a sad smile.

"So eh," he cleared his throat again, licking his lips once, "that was supposed to be really romantic and cute. But I just, it's not all that romantic, I think."

Michael put the guitar beside him, clasping his hands together in his lap as he spoke to the camera, "the lyrics just, they spoke to me, really. And I felt the need to share that. I wish it was more romantic so it kinda screamed that I really like you," he blushed, looking down at his lap.

Michael then look up again, biting his lower lip. He took a deep breath, before continuing, "it's weird, maybe. But for some reason, I can't stop thinking about you. About how you'll be and if you might even like me back. You're basically all that's on my mind."

Michael was quiet for a moment, looking straight into the camera. "I guess that this video is to say that Calum, I don't know how you did it with only one video, but you've got me wrapped around your finger. And I hope we'll meet soon."

February 18th

It was quite late in the evening when I watched the video and all the while watching it, I couldn't stop the butterflies swarming my stomach.

I didn't care that the song wasn't all that romantic, I loved it. I loved the idea of him trying to serenade me and him liking me.

Michael liked me.

It was crazy, but I really liked him too. And I didn't know him, just like he didn't know me. So maybe it wasn't that crazy, right?

How I wish I could just meet him. Especially after this.

"Cal?" I looked up to my door, not expecting my sister to come in this late. Her voice had been soft and careful, though, making me curious and slightly worried.

"Can I, eh, is it okay if I come in?" She looked straight at me, playing with her lower lip as if she tried not to bite on it.

"Sure," I sat up, putting the camera aside and patting the empty spot on my bed.

She walked in, closing the door behind her and then walking over and sitting down.

I watched her, waiting for her to speak up and say what she wanted to say. I wasn't going to push, because she would tell me anyway.

"So eh, I have something to say, but you can't just jump up and run away, yeah?" She looked at me as if to say 'promise'.

"I won't. It's too late to go out anyway," I said truthfully, knowing nobody would be awake anyway. Ashton was probably asleep as well, so I didn't really have anywhere to go anyway.

"You've been watching all these videos, right?" I nodded, staying silent so she could continue, "well, I noticed something in one when you were watching it the other day", I now raised an eyebrow, basically telling her to just spit it out, "or rather someone."

I was still confused to what she was saying, secretly hoping she'd hurry up a bit.

"There's someone, named Sarah, right?" My eyes widened at that, before I nodded almost feverishly. If she knew about Sarah, she could help me get to Michael.

"Well, eh, she's my friend, remember?"

In that moment, I could've thrown myself from the window.

That was why Sarah had seemed so familiar. Because Michael's Sarah, was Mali's friend. She had been here dozens of times.

How did I not notice?

"But-"

"As I said, you can't go out, yeah? But, I called her earlier today and I told her about it," Mali said, looking at me with what seemed worry, "and she'll come by tomorrow. You can ask her everything then, yeah?"

I smiled widely, throwing myself at my sister, "this is great. Thank you, Mali, thank you."

She patted my back, before pushing me away, "yeah, okay, now. I'm going to bed. I'll see ya tomorrow."

It wasn't long before I was alone again, lying back on my bed with a wide smile.

Tomorrow.

Tomorrow I was going to meet Sarah again and she could bring me to Michael.

Michael.