Mistakes

Twenty Eight

Luke

Is hiding in a closet offensive to a transgender person when playing hide-and-seek?

Nah.

"FOUND YOU!" I heard Dale yell.

I heard Ashton groan and mumble something about him cheating. I heard their footsteps getting farther away from the end of the hall, where the closet I was hiding in was.

Minutes passed and the coat I put on myself to blend in with the others started to get sweaty. I contemplated running out and finding somewhere else to hide. Just as I was going to run out, I heard laughter and footsteps. I froze. I tried to hold my breath but my heart was beating so fast I couldn't.

Hide-and-seek isn't just a game. It's a hunt and a competition to see who can survive the longest.

I wanted to be the one no one ever found.

"FOUND YOU!" The door was flung open and bright light made my eyes hurt.

"AH!" I screamed.

Dale's face was red, laughter spilling from his mouth. He looked so happy.

"The closet is an amateur hiding spot." He said, still laughing.

"I knew that." I lied.

I jumped out the closet and put back the coat, fresh air hitting my sweaty skin like a refreshing pint of water. Dale was still laughing, his laugh so loud but sweet it made me laugh too.

As we walked down the hall, our laughter subsided. The other three were sitting on the carpet, panting for air.

"Congrats, Luke. You were the last to be found." Dale said.

"YES!" I jumped.

Dale giggled.

"Why are you all so tired-looking?" I asked.

"Nice grammar, last-man-standing. We just ran around the house looking for you."

"Haha." I sat next to Michael, who instantly threw himself at me.

I caught him and he started snoring. I rolled my eyes as everyone started laughing.

"He's heavy." I groaned.

"It's all the pizza he eats." Ashton poked Michael's stomach, making him sit up.

"Get off me!" I pushed him away from me playfully.

"Sorry. You're just such a nice pillow." Michael said, drowsily.

"What time is it?" I asked.

"Time for you to get a watch." Michael said, falling to the floor.

He started snoring again but everyone "OH!"-ed me.

"Oh, shut up." I frowned.

"It's almost three." Dale told me, sitting beside me.

"Can we change the time we have dinner? 8:30 is so late at night." Calum whined.

"Fine. What time should we have dinner?" Ashton asked.

"Six?" Dale proposed.

"Sounds good."

"Feels good."

Everyone but Dale started laughing.

"What's funny?" He asked.

"Sounds good feels good is the name of our new album." I told him.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot you guys were in a band." He smiled. "What instruments do you guys play?"

"Guitar." I said.

"Me too." Michael sighed.

"He plays piano as well. It's not that good though." Calum laughed.

"LIES. I play better than Mozart himself." Michael sat up.

"Haha. You wish." I said.

"I play drums." Ashton told Dale.

Dale nodded.

"I play bass." Calum said.

"So, what genre of music do you guys play?" Dale asked.

"People call it pop but it's more punk rock." Michael said, laying his head on my shoulder.

"Punk rock?" Dale cringed.

"Yeah. Do you like punk?" Calum asked.

"Never heard it." Dale said.

"Our afternoon plans are sorted." Calum nodded.

"What type of music do you listen to?" I asked Dale.

"I don't really listen to music that much. Mostly pop, I guess. I listen to what's on the radio." He said.

"Oh."

Everyone was silent for a while.

"I need a nap." Michael stood up and walked away.

"Me too." Calum ran up to him.

Michael walked into his room and Calum jumped in after him.

"OW!" I heard Michael scream.

"I'm gonna go clean up the mess in the kitchen." Ashton sighed.

"What mess?" I asked.

"Calum decided to leave the mustard bottle open on the counter and Michael sat on it. So now there's a big yellow mess on the counter."

"And there was one on Michael's butt, but he cleaned it up."

Dale giggled.

"Have fun."