spotlight :: malum

: five :

The tension between the two boys couldn't get any higher through their silently exchanged glares and clenched jaws while Michael only watched with cautious eyes flickering back and forth between the both of them. He can't tell what the big deal is, so what Calum's obscenely rich with millions of fans that isn't the only thing about him he has a personality, he has a soul.

"Can I have my sweet and sour chicken?" Michael piped up meekly, his arm reaching for the bag as Ashton stopped him mid grab and gestured towards the still blotchy bruise along Michael's porcelain skin. It wasn't easy to miss, but Michael had hoped he wouldn't get questioned about this. "What's wrong with your arm?" Ashton cringed at the sight of the huge purple and blue mark trailing up Michael's arm against the usually milky pale skin.

"Oh, I got hit by a car- just give me my food." The boy went for the plastic bag again but Ashton only moved it further from his reach not letting him get away that quickly. "Hit by a what?" He raised his voice up an octave finding it hard to believe Michael was telling the truth. You don't just get hit by a car and not tell your best friend.

"A car. You know, beep beep honk honk." Michael's hand snatched the bag from Ashton as he shrugged off the topic and headed towards the kitchen to lay everything out. The attention now back on Calum since he's the only other person in the room. Although, if he's being honest, he didn't want to converse in topics with Ashton. He strikes him as a rude guy and Calum isn't one to judge a book by it's cover but the pent up anger towards this curly haired boy was definitely there.

"Well Mr. Famous, why are you here?" The question Calum saw coming from a mile away had him shrugging, "Why do you care?" He inquired back with a cheeky grin, eyebrows raised when he had Ashton searching for a good comeback but came up empty handed.

The hazel eyes seemed to really enjoy rolling back considering that's all Ashton would do around Calum, his lips pursing in hesitation only to pipe up in a much quieter voice. "Not to sound like a bad friend but Michael's not really that cool." That had Calum smirking, technically Ashton had secretly admitted that he was cool by saying so. Their conversation cut short as Michael's sarcastic voice chimed in from the kitchen. "I'm cool, thank you very much." His hands held various take-out containers and small plastic silverware packets with chopsticks. He heard Ashton loud and clear (he was never good at whispering) so it didn't phase him when he hears Ashton say anything about how awkward or antisocial he can be. It's not that bad, living life in your house is just a bit limited.

"Yeah but you're not cool enough to hang out with this douche." Ashton's mouth didn't filter nonetheless. The insult was out of habit at this point, Calum's eyes rolling back at the all too common nickname. It's like everyone calls him that, he's not that bad. "I will actually give you a thousand dollars if you shut up." He took a forkful of noodles and chewed the not very healthy but oh so delicious chicken chow mein.

"Oh, so you bribe your way out of things?" Ashton curtly joked under a low mumbly voice, he should've predicted such a thing from a literal millionaire. If Calum doesn't get what he wants he just bribes or persuades the person to be quiet. Stereotypically true, he had to admit. The nonsense bickering was ticking Michael off, his eyes flickering back and forth between the two in annoyance, who would've thought the two boys had so much hatred inside them. A snarky remark coming from Calum along the lines of how he could buy all of Sydney if he felt the need to.

"You suck at singing." Ashton deadpanned, noticing the instant slitted eyes he got in return from the boiling brunette. "You take that back." Calum can take insults about his career fairly well, just not face to face. That's when he can cross the line and beat the crap out of whoever told him something crude about his voice. It's happened before, some lowlife paparazzi dissed his singing career stating how he can't hit a good high note and he threw their camera into the busy streets of New York letting it get crumpled under a taxi cab. The whole world gave him plenty of hate for that, but that pap had it coming.