Hold On To Me ☾cake au

6

A week passed and Calum and Luke were getting ready to go to some event downtown that Calum's mum thought would be "a fun time for everyone." Luke gathered some clothes for him to wear and got dressed in Calum's room.

Since the "incident" that occurred at the pier a week ago, the two boys have been near inseparable. They've spent every waking moment in each other's presence. Neither of the two have slept in separate rooms or even separate beds in almost seven days. Even when Luke left the room to use the bathroom, Calum couldn't resist waiting outside the door for his friend to come out. They convinced themselves it was normal, though, and that their behavior was in no way out of the ordinary.

Luke finished dressing and mumbled a "done" to Calum who was seated on the bed facing the wall while Luke changed. Calum was already dressed in an outfit similar to Luke's of black skinny jeans and a simple t shirt.

The place they were going to, which Luke and Calum didn't find out about until they arrived at the place, was a mardi gras style festival. The drive didn't take too long but they ended up spending nearly an hour looking for a parking space.

Inside the festival were dozens of performers dressed in costumes and colorful masks as well as women in dresses made of bright ribbon. People were packed and shuffling around the shops posted along the edges of the festival which sold hand made jewelry and clothing and things of that nature.

"Well you kids can go off and do whatever you'd like," Luke's father said, "we boring adults aren't going to hold you." Mr Hemmings smiled and ruffled Jack's hair.

Luke wasted no time and instantly pulled Calum into the crowd of colorful characters. The loud music playing in the distance mixed with the festival performers completely crowding the streets was suffocating as Calum held tight onto Luke's backpack to avoid getting lost in the storm of festivities.

They reached a less crowded area of the festival where a line for a pitifully sized Ferris wheel stretched about twenty people between two long ropes. Calum shriveled up where he stood and started gesturing for Luke to walk the other way.

Luke gave Calum a confused face before smiling as if he remembered something. "Oh, I forgot," he said, "you're scared of heights."

Calum nodded. "Yeah I am. Let's go get a funnel cake or something."

"No, we're going on the Ferris wheel," Luke said and pushed a squirming Calum into the entrance right as the next group was being let on.

Luke hastily shoved Calum into the colorful car and locked the gate before he could get out. Calum began fiddling with the gate attempting to get it open.

"Unlock the fucking gate, Luke! I don't want to be on here!" Calum started freaking out and the look in his eyes frightened Luke but before Luke could change his mind and open the gate for his friend, the ride started moving.

Calum stilled in his seat and his grip on the metal handles all around the inside of the giant basket of the Ferris wheel was so tight, Luke was surprised the veins in Calum's wrists weren't popping out of his skin. The sight horrified Luke and he instantly regretted forcing Calum into this as a joke. Luke's heart shattered completely as he watched soft tears fall from Calum's fear filled eyes.

"Cal, I'm so sorry. Please stop crying I didn't know it would make you this scared, please stop crying." Luke scooted over to Calum and wrapped his arms around him. Calum was shaking profusely as he drowned his head in Luke's neck and clutched onto his shirt.

Calum's lips were pressed firmly against the skin on Luke's tear soaked neck that his words came out muffled but laced with distress. "T-tell the guy to stop it."