Finding Michael / Kidnapped sequel

chapter four - difference

Luke laid on his bed waiting for what felt like years, but was only seven hours. Then there was a knock at the door and Luke was pulling his aching body off the bed. When Luke pulled the door open and saw the face of his best friend for the first time in five years, he broke down. His arms found their way tightly around Calum's body and his head found a place in the crook of his neck.

"Luke," Calum said, wrapping his arm back around him. "What the hell is going on?"

Luke pulled back to wipe his eyes and give Ashton a quick hug. He walked back into the hotel and sat back on the bed, afraid he'd collapse. 

"C'mon, Luke, you can't just bring us here and not tell us why," Ashton said, sitting on a chair.

"My boyfriend, he uh, he's gone," Luke said, playing with his hands.

"You have a boyfriend?" Calum asked, making Luke send him a glare. "Okay, okay. Just please fill us in on some things."

Luke relaxed and nodded.

"Why were you in jail?" He asked.

"I brought a fake gun to our high school and threatened teachers with it, putting the school in lockdown. I then proceeded to steal, or kidnap, if you will, a kid, from that school and run away with him. While we were gone, we stole cars and scammed everyone," Luke explained.

"You kidnapped someone?" Ashton asked, eyes wide.

"I didn't kidnap him. Michael, I'm sure you remember him, he always wanted to leave and never look back so that's what I tried to do. But since I did it in such a way, they labeled it as kidnap," Luke said.

Calum nodded. "Okay, so where's Michael now?"

"He's the one who's gone. When I got out of jail we left. That's why I'm in Nebraska. We planned to continue our journey. But I woke up this morning and he was just gone," Luke explained.

"Do you think he just left? Or something else?" Ashton asked.

"Well, he left a note," Luke said.

"Where's the note?" Calum asked.

Luke pointed at the trash can. Calum got up and reached in, pulling out the paper. He unraveled it and looked over it. Luke watched him closely.

"I love you," Calum read outloud.

Luke sighed.

"It looks like he was shaking while writing this," Calum pointed out.

"Well, if he was leaving, I'm sure he was nervous," Ashton said.

"Give me that," Luke said.

Calum handed him the paper and Luke looked it over.

"Wait," Luke said, setting it down and going to his bag. 

He scrambled around his bag and pulled out and envelope.

"What's that?" Calum asked.

"A letter Michael wrote me," Luke said, taking it out.

He placed the letter down beside the note and glanced between the two a million times. Then he looked up and Calum and Ashton.

"The writing on this note isn't Michael's," Luke said.

"What?" Calum asked, sitting next to Luke.

"Look," Luke said, shoving the note and the letter into his hands. "The letter and the note have completely different handwriting."

"Holy shit," Calum whispered.

Ashton looked between the two. "You don't think..."

Luke looked up at Ashton. "What if Michael didn't leave. What if he was kidnapped?"

DAAAAAMN. lmao.