Screwed

22

School went by slow yesterday, with everything being awkward with Calum, and especially slow today since I was alone almost all day. When I wasn't, Luke took up my time and followed me around both days. I didn't think he'd stick around for lunch, but he did. It's like he could sense something was wrong. I'm actually starting to appreciate his presence.

"Are you and Calum a couple?" He asks.

"Uh..." I say and frown. We are, but it doesn't feel that way, not really. But I guess its not as complicated as it could be. "Yeah, a little bit." I say. "Why did you ask?"

"It's going around, I just didn't want to believe something if it wasn't true." He says and chews on his lip ring. "I honestly thought you'd date Michael." And I don't have to ask how he knows any of this, I know how is telling everyone about Cal and I, and Luke used to know Michael and Calum on a personal level.

"Yeah. I'm, like, almost one hundred percent sure he hates my guts." I say and give a small, sad laugh.

"It stops hurting after a while, having him hate you." He says in an almost inaudible voice.

"I'm not so sure, but I guess you would be one to know." I say and I realize how mean it sounds. "I'm sorry, Luke, that sounded mean, but I didn't mean it that way."

"Don't worry about it." He says. He looks around and blows out a short breath. "If you are together, where is he?"

"He didn't show today." I say. "I think I'll... Go by his house after school. Is that a good idea?" I ask.

Luke's face locks up and he draws his arms off the table and sets them in his lap as he looks away, for a moment I think it's because of me. I look over and Ashton is sitting at the table with cool eyes. "You dating that trash can or punk wannabe here?" He asks me with judgmental eyes and I get offended because he spoke that way about both of them. This so the first time I've heard Ashton be a dick about anything, and it isn't my favorite.

"Calum." I say and narrow my eyes. "Don't be rude." I say.

"Can't help it, they make it so easy." He says and shrugs as if this is nothing special.

"Why don't you shut it, Ash?" Luke scoffs. "Who're you to be calling anyone a wannabe? Or trash?"

"Oh, calm down." He rolls his eyes. "Seriously, you could do better. Never thought Hood would be your type. I figured you go for someone different, not one of them."

"And what, you thought you would be? Sorry, not into tall and brainless." I say.

"Well, I'd do better for you anyway, if you change your mind, come find me." He says, it doesn't sound tempting, it sounds cold and empty.

"It's just like you, you'll take anyone's girl, won't you? Friend or not." Luke says and storms out of the cafeteria. Ashton does the same, but goes in another direction.

I sit at the table in confusion, but I soon piece everything together.
-
I ride my skateboard down the street and I sigh as the droplets of rain hit my sunglasses. I cover my phone with my shirt and continue to skate past teens and smaller children getting off at a bus stop. At my drive way, I let the board ride up into the grass and I just run inside, not even caring to bring it in.

"I'm home and I want to die!" I yell, knowing no one is here to hear it. "One day I will and no one is gonna miss me!" I walk into the kitchen and I scream. "What the hell?!" I say.

"Your uncle let me in." Abel says. "You told me to come over. And you're not dying anytime soon, I just met you and have grown quite attached since then."

"Yeah... When did you come over?" I ask him and he checks his phone. He brushes his dark hair out of his eyes and shrugs.

"Maybe fifteen minutes ago." He says. "Okay, so I have Skyrim, and it is fucking fantabulous." He holds up the game and I nod, knowing how great it is.