Calum feels on edge all day, and then, soccer training comes. It is then that Grace decides to send everything to the soccer team. Too scared of Matty's reaction, he hides behind Johnson in the locker room.
He feels like his stomach is weighing down to his knees as he looks at Johnson's phone again, wincing at every one of them. "You smoked weed?" Johnson asks.
"No," Calum says, his cheeks staining pink. "It's my Mum's a-and it was just on the table, so I thought it was . . ." he trailed off.
"Your Mum's a druggie?" Johnson says, raising his eyebrows, and Calum looks at the ground because he doesn't want to see the disappointment on the Jamaican's face.
He snatches the phone. "Matty's going to bench me."
Johnson rolls his eyes, not helping the situation at all. "He's going to do more than just bench you."
Calum scowls, hating that Johnson is right as he looks down at the pictures again. "She's even got pictures of me smoking . . . how did she get them?" He asks himself, a hand in his hair, pulling at it until it's all stressed curls.
"Hood!" he hears, and Calum flinches. They're the only ones in the change-rooms still, so he's pretty much singled himself out to get a massive beating.
He hears Matty stomping in, and fidgets with the sleeves of his jumper as he takes a few steps back like it might soften the blow. The man a few years older than him stands in front of him, small arms crossed.
"What the fuck were you thinking?" Matty yells. "You're one of the MVPs in this team, Calum, you cannot go out and do drugs." Calum opens his mouth, but nothing comes out, so the taller man continues. "You cannot drive the school bus, you cannot drink underage, you can definitely not smoke and you cannot be playing this week."
"Matty," Calum says, his voice barely above a whisper, because he's scared for it to be any louder. He feels like he's in front of his father again. "You don't understand."
"What could I not understand?"
"I didn't smoke any weed. I didn't drive the bus. However, I did drink and smoke. Both of those photos are at parties. Everybody drinks."
"If the bong wasn't yours, then whose was it?"
Calum swallows the lump in his throat, pushing out a breath. "I'll tell you if you let me play tomorrow."
Matty scoffs, crossing his arms again. "Tell me, Hood."
"Can – Can we talk about this after training? Please."
Matty – figuring they've wasted enough time already – nods, and they go out to the field. Calum feels eyes on his back, but gets into the drills they usually start off with to warm up. Calum dribbles the ball towards the goal, and the goalie smirks.
"Hey, Hood, are you a druggie now or something?"
According to most of the school, drugs were cool, but Calum had always been quite clear that he hated drugs because it was fucking stupid. The goalie knew this would get to the Maori.
Calum doesn't reply, and kicks it weakly before returning to the back of the line. "I didn't do it." He mumbles, wishing someone would believe him. "I didn't do anything."
"Your cheeks are kind of hollow; too much pipe?" one of them laughs.
"Heard you smoke too. What's next, heroin?"
He can't believe how quick they are to believe some photos. He's been in a team with most of them for three years now. But, a picture is a thousand words, and Calum can't talk enough to get them to be on his side.
He goes off into the change-rooms and goes picks up his phone that's filling up with questions from people that he's barely talked to at school. He texts Michael to come to training so he can help explain everything to Matty, and changes. He looks at a few texts in an almost amusement.
Todd: don't look at it like 'omg I stole the bus' look at it like 'who HASN'T stolen the bus'
What a mini-Michael. Calum thinks, going into Matty's office. He sits in the uncomfortable seat and – soon enough – Matty comes in with Michael. Matty sits in his seat, leaning back against it. He seems to have a cooler head, now.
"So, this is serious," he says, as if they don't know, "but apparently, there's all a logical explanation. Enlighten me, boys."
Michael opens his mouth. "Calum's home life is . . . unpleasant. The bong is his mother's, not his. He does not smoke weed. He stays with me nearly every day, and – judging by how upset he is whenever he talks about drugs – he would not go near it. Calum did not steal the bus. He sat in the drivers' seat, but never turned the car on. I have video evidence of that."
Matty raises his eyebrows, looking at Calum. "So, is your home life . . . safe?" he asks, like it's taboo.
"I stay with Michael. They take really good care of me."
"What about your father?"
"He lives in another suburb. He's okay, I guess." Calum says, knowing that even though he feels uncomfortable with his father, he doesn't feel unsafe. "The drinking and the smoking is what every teenager does."
"It was more the drugs and the bus I was concerned about, because they're more out of the ordinary, and I'd probably have to get your parents involved." He sighs. "Look, I'm fine with the drinking and stuff, just don't do it in front of cameras 'til you're eighteen."
Calum licks his lips. "Can I play tomorrow?"
Matty groans, "I guess."
The Maori grins. "I love you, Matty."
Matty laughs, "Get the fuck out before I bench you."
Calum blows a kiss to the coach before leaving, making noises and acting like an excited puppy in front of Michael. He puts his bag in Michael's car and smiles at the pale boy.
"I'm so happy." He giggles, leaning forward to kiss Michael on the cheek. "Thank you." He plants a kiss on the boy's cheek. "Oh god, I'd totally make-out with you, right now, if we weren't in the school car-park."
Michael grins. "I'd make-out with me too." He turns the keys in the ignition, and they drive to Michael's.
Calum goes onto Facebook, and starts writing a status. 'To whoever it may concern: I did not do any of the shit you got sent except smoke cigarettes and drink. Which I've seen many people at parties do.'
They get out and Calum's so thankful that Michael's parents are painfully out of the loop so he doesn't have to tiptoe around them with the absolute utmost caution. Todd walks out.
"You didn't steal it?" Todd asks, the question under his breath so his half-brother's father wouldn't hear. "Really?"
"No. I was just in the drivers' seat." Calum explains. "It was all a joke."
"Some joke." Todd says, rolling his eyes.
Michael and Calum go into Michael's room, and they lay down. Calum cuddles Michael close, sighing in content. I love you, Michael. He thinks, and it's on the tip of his tongue, but it bites it so it doesn't come out.
"I really like you, Michael."
Michael laughs, looking at him, taking it as a joke. "I like you better when you're clean."
yikessss
thoughts on grace actually doing it? (bad hoe)
thoughts on everybody bullying him about it?
calum holding back on the i love you?
