The Choice [Mashlum]

chapter six

A/N I'm sorry in advance for what you're about to read, please don't hate me afterwards. 

^^^

Calum was sat in the middle of Michael and Ashton as they drove the truck to Calum's mom house. She had a large barbecue every year and this year was no different. Usually Calum was really excited however this year he was sat between silence because Michael and Ashton weren't speaking to each other because of their fight earlier that morning. Calum hated when they fought and usually they would make up shortly after but this was so much more. It involved really aggressive yelling and name calling. Calum hated it and he was going to suggest they stay home and not go to his parents' house but he had promised to help with the barbecue this year so they had to go. Well Calum could go by himself but he doesn't drive and he couldn't favour one boy over the other so in the end they all had to go. Michael and Ashton really didn't like making Joy Hood upset and they knew she would be if they hadn't gone. So here they were the three of them sitting in silence, the only noise was the radio playing softly. Michael was driving, which actually caused another argument over the two because Ashton wanted to drive and take the camaro however Michael had lifted Calum off the ground and put him into the truck leaving Ashton with no choice. Calum tried getting the two to talk to each other, they were all in love but he knew sometimes they wouldn't get along but Calum barely caught on to what they were even going to talk about.

"So...are you guys ever going to let me in? Let me know why you were fighting? You guys always leave me out of everything. That's not fair to me. I'm one third of this relationship too and I hate it when you guys fight."

Calum got silence in return.

"Okay, you're not mad at me so don't ignore me. One of you start talking. We can't go into my parents' house with tension between us they're gonna like lock us in my room and make us talk until it's all sorted so either wait for my mom to force us to talk or talk to me now."

"He won't say why he's so sad and miserable! Ever since he got back from his mom's house the other day he's been quiet! He won't talk!" Ashton says harshly. "We are not supposed to keep secrets in this relationship, we all agreed if there was a problem we were to talk about it! But apparently they doesn't apply to Michael." 

"Maybe the problem has nothing to do with the relationship and it's something I'm dealing with on my own?!" Michael says, his hands tensing around the steering wheel.

"Talk to me! Let me in! I could help! I hate it when you close yourself off!" Ashton tells him.

"I can't help that's how I am Ashton! I don't want to put more on you guys. We all have our own problems. I don't need to tell you everything that causes me pain."

"We worry about you! That's not going to change! I don't like seeing you in pain! I wish I could take all your pain away, I want to help but I can't fucking help if you don't tell me shit. That's not fair." Ashton exclaimed.

Calum just sat in between the two and looking at the both of them. Ashton had tears in his eyes. Ashton didn't cry often so Calum knew that the oldest boy was really upset. He reached over and intertwined their hands together.

"Of course! You comfort him, it's always Ashton to you Calum. To the both of you. It's always been you two and then me."

"What the fuck Mike? Not at all." Ashton leans over in the seat to look at Michael in the driver's seat.

"It's true! It's always you two and then I'll come around and then you pay attention to me right before going back to each other and it fucking sucks. I care and love you both so much and it hurts!" Michael exclaimed. He too was crying now, he decided it was best to pull over because he couldn't drive in his current condition so he pulled onto the shoulder, put the car in park, took his seat belt out and then he was opening the door and getting out, slamming it behind him as he went to the back to sit on the bumper.