fate → muke

- h -

"we will begin with the students with last names starting with a, followed by b, and on from there..." the principle began with a proud grin as she announced the names of the senior class students that were graduating that year. michael was so excited and nervous at the same time.

he could hear what the principle was saying, he just chose to shut it out of his mind. all he could think about was his future at ohio state. his future in america.

"michael clifford!" was called through the microphone, and immediately michael was zapped back into reality. he prayed that he wouldn't trip as he climbed the steps to the stage in the auditorium. he shook hands with the principal, vice principal, headmaster, and a few other random teachers that were on the stage. he didn't care to remember their names, because after today he'd never see them again. what's past is past.

the drive home after the graduation ceremony was in a happy silence. michael was too excited for the rest of his life to speak, and his mom was just smiling in the drivers seat. michael wasn't going to have his own post-graduation party, because he was going to spend the afternoon first packing, and then visiting jack and calum for the last time before flying to america the next day.

michael wasn't saying goodbye to alex, because alex was going to be in maryland, back in baltimore with his family. he was flying up with michael, going with michael to help him get situated at ohio state university, and then having his mom pick him up and drive him back to maryland.

michael's mom would've flown to america with him, but it was already costly enough having michael going to a school out of country. all goodbyes would be said in the airport, but michael swore that he'd facetime his family as often as he possibly could. knowing him, it'd be basically every day.

michael's mom found him in his room while he was attempting to shove a large number of sweaters, band tees, dark-toned skinny jeans, and maybe one pair of shorts into his large suitcase that he'd just gotten maybe a week prior to graduation. she gave him a small side smile, and carried over to him a dark-toned polaroid camera. michael looked up to her in shock. he'd always wanted one of those things.

"it's so when you're in college, you can still capture your memories instantly." she smiled, and michael just stood up and gave her a big hug in response.

"thank you so much! i love it!" michael could just see it now: when he met his soulmate, he was going to take the artsiest pictures ever of their matching tattoos.

"i'm going to miss you so much," his mother sighed with a slight break in her voice, which just made michael squeeze her tighter.

"i'm going to miss you too," michael whispered. they clung on together in a warm embrace for a few minutes before they both finally pulled out of the hug.

"well, you can keep on packing." she smiled at him before heading out of the room, and michael packed the final clothing articles into his suitcase. he didn't need to bring any bedding, he'd have to buy that in columbus, and he didn't bother to bring anything toiletry wise besides his toothbrush, toothpaste, and deodorant. the rest he'd purchase in america.

michael couldn't believe that he was going to america. he slid on a denim jacket over his dark-toned ACDC shirt, and pulled on his dark-toned combat boots before grabbing his phone and heading out the door. first he'd visit calum, then jack.

calum's house wasn't too far, so michael just decided to walk there. when he arrived at the medium sized house. michael walked up to the front door and knocked on it quickly before shoving his hands into his pockets. the door opened, and there a wide eyed guy stood, but it wasn't calum.

"um, i'm here to see calum?" michael coughed awkwardly, and from inside he could hear calum yell 'who is it?'.

"what's your name?" the boy asked, and michael almost laughed because the boys voice was so bouncy that it reminded him of a kangaroo.

"michael," michael ran a hand through his hair awkwardly, and the boy's face broke into a grin.

"oh so you're michael! i'm ashton!" the boy— ashton — held out his large hand for michael to shake, and michael just gripped it awkwardly. this was the guy that basically stole calum away from michael wow okay. "calum! michael's here!"

a scramble was heard from inside before calum appeared at the side of ashton, and calum was smiling wide. "michael! i feel like i haven't seen you in forever!"

michael just laughed awkwardly and looked at the ground. he felt really shy around this ashton guy. he didn't really know why, but he just assumed it was because ashton made him feel less confident in his social skills.

"so what brings you here on this fine evening? wait, are you going to a local college too?" calum questioned, and michael cringed internally. of course now it seems like calum actually wants to hang out with him.

"um, no. actually i'm leaving tomorrow...for america." michael shot calum a small, shy smile, and calum's jaw dropped.

"you're leaving? tomorrow? why didn't you tell me earlier? we could've hung out a whole bunch to make up for all the time we'll spend apart!" calum's face began to flush, but not because he was angry, but because he was sad.

michael didn't want calum to feel guilty, but he just said it as it was: "i just...i didn't want to disrupt you and your soulmate's time together."

ashton took that as his signal to walk away, and he did, disappearing back into calum's house.

"michael..." calum spoke softly. "why would you think i wouldn't want to hang out with you?"

"did you not notice that i literally had to make new friends?" michael exclaimed, and calum's jaw dropped. "i don't want to fight, i just wanted to come say goodbye... so, goodbye."

michael turned to walk away, but calum pulled him into a tight hug. "i'm sorry for being the worst friend ever. i'm going to miss you."

"i'm going to miss you too. goodbye calum." michael pulled out of the hug and waved goodbye as he walked back to the pavement to go to jack's house.

michael ended up catching a bus to jack's house since it was farther away, and at this point it was getting dark. he arrived at jack's house only to be greeted by alex and jack playing a game of frisbee in the light of the sunset.

"hey guys!" michael called, and the two guys turned to face him with grins on their faces.

"hey michael! we were waiting for you!" alex called back as he caught the frisbee.

"goddamn, michael. if you got here any later, we were gonna start the bonfire without you." jack rolled his eyes, and michael just laughed.

the rest of the evening was spent singing songs by simple plan in the light of the fire, the boys spending as much fun time together as they could before two of the three headed off to the other side of the world.