Anonymous || Malum ✓

twelve

Calum ran his fingers against the familiar smooth glass of a beer bottle. He had been dragged out against his will, just like he had assumed, by Michael. The tan boy felt out of his comfort zone and he didn't understand why they had to go to a club to have fun. They could stay home and have the same amount of fun there while drinking.

Michael had apologize numerous, numerous, numerous times to both him and C and it took a bit for him to accept it. Except Michael came in with a dozen roses and Ed Sheeran's movie and Calum just had to forgive him. That was three nights ago. They had cuddled and shared a tub of ice cream and Calum was content.

They were at a club now and Calum had spent the whole night, laying his head on Michael's shoulder and watching as the whole band talked avidly with each other. He hadn't said much, and hadn't focused much on the conversation. He preferred observing all the people around him and maybe coming up with a life story for the others that were at the club.

Like the girl in the red dress, she was a nurse that had the night off. The boy in the green polo, he was the doctor at her office. They were obviously just hooking up.

"I'm going to the bathroom and then getting another drink. It might take a bit," Michael said. He pressed a light kiss to Calum's head and was soon leaving. Calum saw that Luke and Ashton had started talking again and he went and focused on the beer bottle again.

"Hey Calum."

Calum looked up from his fogged glass and saw Ashton was trying to talk to him. They held a strange eye contact, Ashton's eyes a bit menacing as if he was trying to figure him out.

"Hey Ashton," Calum said, awkwardly coughing.

"So what do you do for a living?" Ashton asked, leaning his face into the palm of his hand. He just wanted to know more about Calum. They didn't know a lot about him and they just wanted to see who Michael was starting to like. They wanted to make sure he was okay for him.

"I work at In-N-Out," Calum answered, blushing. If he said that he only worked at a diner, he'd look so dumb. He did so much more with his life than just that.

"That's it?" Luke asked. There was a hint of disbelief in his voice and Ashton harshly jabbed the blonde with his elbow.

"I mean, I write too. But that's more of a hobby. I don't do it enough for it to be huge," Calum exaggerated. He wasn't about to say that he wrote songs but it made him seem less lazy.

"Like books?" Luke asked

"I guess," Calum answered. He felt so awkward. He hadn't been interrogated much in his life and he felt like he was going to combust. Ashton was staring at him strangely and he knew that this wasn't going to end until Michael came back.

"You seem unsure," Ashton added, giving Calum a once-over.

"No. I'm sure," Calum's voice cracked and he mentally cursed.

"What about your apartment? Michael said you don't have much in it," Ashton asked, not feeling even slightly bad about asking. He knew Calum could've had low income but he didn't even have a sofa in his apartment.

"I just don't believe that money shows your importance and neither do nice things. I'd rather spend my money on the new State Champs album rather than saving up to buy furniture," Calum explained.

Ashton had to say he was now impressed. Calum didn't seem like a bad guy. They had met multiple people that just wanted to use the band for money and for fame but Calum seemed like the exact opposite. Of course, his occupation was a bit sketchy, but Ashton wouldn't judge. Until Michael showed up drugged, that was.

"You like CD's then?" Ashton asked.

"I have about three hundred in total. I love buying them. I have them all on a giant shelf and they're alphabetized. I love buying them and hearing them in an actual player. I feel like there's a more raw sound to it when you do it like that. Of course I also like records and record players but records can be so expensive and to me it's not worth it. I prefer just buying the CD's," Calum explained.

Luke and Ashton were impressed. Michael had found a guy that really liked music and they liked people like that. They didn't like the people that pretended to like bands just because they liked them.

"You're not that bad Calum," Ashton said. Luke nodded in agreement with the boy to his left.

Calum blushed and placed his hands on his cheeks. He felt so strange knowing that they were complimenting him. Ashton had practically been a vulture but now he was being friendly.

"What did you guys say to him? He's beet red," Michael said. He showed up at the table, two drinks in his hand. One obviously for Calum and one for himself.

Calum sighed and relaxed in his seat seeing that Michael was back. He was practically a hero now. Calum would definitely have to thank Michael later.

***

I UPDATED. I WAS SO BUSY SATURDAY AND SUNDAY AND IVE HAD THIS MAINLY IN MY DRAFTS SINCE FRIDAY YIKES

anyways imma take a small small small hiatus until I finish Blue Scales (three chapters left k)

-Lee