I'm Supposed To Hate You ||Malum AU||

Chapter 23

"What do you want Michael?" Ashton asked exasperatedly, shutting his locker as he approached.

"On a scale of one to ten, how much does Calum hate me?" Michael asked, leaning against the locker next to Ashton's.

"11."

Michael groaned. He looked at Ashton, deep in thought.

"Do you think you could-?"

"No." Ashton interrupted, holding his hand up to quieten the boy in front of him. "I'm not acting as a messenger. If you want to say something to him, say it yourself. It'll mean more."

"Ashton, he won't let me near him." Michael whined childishly. "How am I supposed to apologise if he runs away at the sight of me?"

"I'm sure you'll find a way, being the genius that you are." Ashton told him, patting his shoulder. Michael rolled his eyes, knowing he couldn't argue because he had called himself a genius multiple times. He hadn't expected his cocky words to be used against him.

"What will apologising even achieve?" Michael wondered, more to himself than to Ashton. "He hates me anyway."

"It'll make it easier for me and Luke, you know, if or best friends could sit in the same room as each other." Ashton replied. He started to walk down the corridor, and Michael followed him, his shoulders slumped forward. "And look at you, you're sad, even if you won't admit it."

"I am not sad. I don't even like the guy. We're not friends, never have been, never will be."

"That's not what I meant. I meant you miss bothering him and I'm pretty sure he misses you bothering him too." Ashton explained. "When Calum's not around you have no one to hate."

"I can hate myself for being such an idiot and mentioning his dad too often." Michael sighed, looking down at his feet. "I just don't know when to stop, that's my problem. I take things too far then people get upset and I feel bad about it."

"You actually feel bad." Ashton exclaimed, raising his eyebrow in shock.

"Yes, I do. I don't know what happened with his Dad, I could have triggered something and-"

Ashton didn't know what to say. He had never seen this side of Michael, the side that was actually quite thoughtful. To see him so worried over the consequences of what he had done gave Ashton hope for him and Calum making up. All Michael needed to do was show this side of himself more often.

"That's what Calum needs to see Michael." Ashton said after a few moments of silence. "He needs to see that side of you, the less cocky and obnoxious side. He needs to see that you really mean it, and that it wasn't malicious."

"It honestly wasn't Ash," Michael stated quickly, thinking Ashton was accusing him. "I was just curious and-"

"I wasn't accusing you mate."

"I knew that."

"Of course you did." Ashton laughed. "Well I've got Chemistry now, so I have to go this way. Remember Michael, don't be cocky and show him that you mean it."

"Thank you Ashton." Michael said, continuing to walk down the corridor as Ashton turned off. Now all he had to do was figure how the hell was he supposed to do that?
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Michael decided he shouldn't waste his day trying to think of how to apologise to Calum. He had to concentrate in English, as it was his worst subject. No matter how hard he tried to focus, his mind still wandered, and be found himself thinking about what he was going to have for lunch.

"Michael Clifford, are you paying attention?" His English teacher shouted, snapping Michael from his daze.

"Yes, definitely." Michael lied quickly, acting as though he'd been listening the whole time.

"What did I just say then?"

"Michael Clifford, are you paying attention?" Michael answered confidently, smirking to himself. His teacher glared at him, placing her hands on her hips.

"Detention, tomorrow after school." She snapped, continuing to glare at him. "You need to pay attention in class Mr Clifford if you want to pass your exam at the end of the year."

Michael simply rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair. The exams were ages away. It was only April, the exams were in November/December time. Once they were over he would be out of there forever, free from dress codes and stupid rules. He had no idea what he was going to do once he left, but he'd cross that bridge when he got to it.

Across the school, Calum was sitting in his Music class behind a keyboard. He hadn't touched a key once. His mind was preoccupied by thoughts of his Dad, something he hadn't thought about for years until Michael brought it up.

His Dad, David Hood, was a good husband and father. Mali and himself had always got spoiled by him, and they were his number one priority. Joy was surprised several times a month with flowers and gifts, which Calum later learned were to cover up some of the horrible stuff he had done.

David was full of that. Gifts and fake smiles, convincing everyone that was a nice guy when in reality, he was far from it. The guitar he had bought for Calum so many years ago was one such present, and although at one point Calum had wanted it gone, he had kept it. He had kept it because it reminded him of the nice side of his dad, the side he saw on a daily basis, the side he wanted to remember. He wanted to hold onto that, for as long as he could.

"Calum, are you okay?" Mr Prince, the music teacher, asked, appearing next to Calum. "You haven't moved since you sat down."

"I'm fine Mr Prince," Calum assured him, running his finger over the keys of the piano. Mr Prince smiled gently.

"Well, if you're sure you're okay, can you at least try to look like you're working? I can't imagine what Mr Harris would say if he walked in and saw a Year 12 staring blankly into space."

Calum gave a small laugh before Mr Prince walked away. Calum tapped a couple of keys lightly, before beginning to play a familiar tune that he couldn't remember the name of.

Hola. It's so late I'm sorry. I have a question, what do you think happened to Calum's Dad? Please comment your opinion, I'm really interested in what you think.

Can we appreciate how much of a model Ashton is? Like seriously, he's so beautiful and I feel personally attacked by it.

Hope you enjoyed.

Anna