Learning To Fall

six

"Fuck, I feel like I've been hit by a car," Leaves Calum's mouth as he makes his way into the living room where Michael and I fell asleep last night.

I look up from my phone to see him yawning in the doorway. He moves to sit next to me, all while looking at the passed out Michael on the other couch.

"What happened last night?" He asks, raising an eyebrow at my outfit. I laugh, because the possibility of me doing anything sexual with Michael last night was ridiculous.

"Someone spiked the punch, and you had about a gallon of it. So, Michael took us back here in your Jeep. Seeing as being asleep would be uncomfortable in your previous outfit, Michael loaned you a shirt and sweats. And Rachel wouldn't let me leave, so he did the same for me. We fell asleep watching movies after you passed out in his bed," I tell him, leaving out the hug from last night. I was still confused to where that came from, so what was the sense in telling him about it?

"That sounds like me," Calum agrees, nodding his head. Then a mischievous smile comes onto his face. "So, how was your night with Mystery Boy?" He asks, wiggling his eyebrows. I snort unattractively, then cover my mouth.

"We literally just watched movies until we collapsed," I lie, and luckily Calum believes me.

I decide to keep the hug between Michael and I. After nodding once again, Calum gets up and goes over to Michael's sleeping body, poking his cheek. I forgot to mention that Calum is a terrible house guest. Michael opens his eyes reluctantly, and closes them when he sees Calum. After stretching and letting a groan slip from his mouth, Michael sits up.

"What time is it?" He asks, running a hand through his blonde locks. I look at my phone.

"Two thirty five," I answer, then reply a no, I'm good to Rachel's message about needing a ride home.

I hear Michael get up from the couch and leave the room, and ten minutes later he comes back in wearing a red flannel and black skinny jeans.

"You guys can uh, keep those," Michael says to both Calum and I, nodding at our sweat pants and shirts. I shake my head.

"I'll wash them and give them to you," I answer, not wanting to be a hassle to him. Michael gives me a blank look.

"Just accept them, Andy. Are you afraid of cooties?" Calum teases from beside me, poking my side. My face turns red in reply before I roll my eyes.

"Fine. Thanks, Mikey," I mumble, and I can swear I see Michael blush before he turns away and opens the refrigerator. Calum raises his eyebrows at me and I know he's going to ask about it when we get back to my house.

"So, what do you guys wanna do today?" Michael asks, and I shrug in reply.

"Do you have COD?" Calum asks, and Michael smirks in reply.

"Damn right I do,"

>>

The two boys play COD until five, and I find out that Michael has a pet kitten called Ana ("short for Anakin," he explained.)

"We should probably get going," Calum says, returning from the phone call with Mali-Koa, his older sister, and the one that was currently staying with him while his parents were on a business trip. I hand Ana to Michael, and we make eye contact briefly.

"I'll get our stuff from last night," I dismiss myself, walking from the living room and upstairs into Michael's room.

I see my dress from last night neatly folded next to Calum's dress shirt and slacks, and smile remembering last night. It wasn't ideal, but I spent it with two people who I wouldn't regret spending it with a year from now. I hear someone enter the room, and turn to see Michael standing in the doorway.

"Thanks, for last night," I smile, and he returns the grin. Then I frown. "I'm sorry you had to leave your date." I apologize, and he laughs.

"Don't apologize for something that didn't happen," The boy laughs. "I was stuck between two couples making out, and figured you'd need some help." He explains. I nod. It was nice to have some help.

"Well, I'll see you in class Monday," I say, going for the exit and hoping that he didn't bring up the hug from last night.

"Ands, wait," Michael catches up, and catches my wrist gently. I turn to look at him, praying that this wasn't about the hug. I raise an eyebrow in reply. "That hug. It didn't mean anything, did it?" He asks, catching me off guard.

Did it mean something? Michael and I were friends, and he was attractive, and if things were different maybe I would let myself fall for him. That hug couldn't of meant anything. But it felt safe, and welcoming. And I couldn't deny that I wouldn't mind another one of his hugs. Did it mean anything? Shit, Andy, think. I look up at Michael to see him expecting an answer.

"No, no it didn't. I just needed someone, and I'm happy you were there." I tell him, and he smiles. I find myself smiling back before I realize it.

"I'll see you Monday, then," Michael says as we walk down the stairs and stand in front of the door.

Before I realize it, we're hugging again. And then I'm in the passenger seat of Calum's Jeep, all while I'm still trying to figure out if that hug meant anything or not.