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

Chapter 42

Joy stood, staring at Calum as she took in what he had just told her. Her eyes were wide and her mouth hung open, which made Calum take a step back in preparation for the worst. Tears stung his eyes as threatened to fall and panic rose in his chest, a suffocating pressure that was making it harder and harder for him to breathe.

"M-mum," He choked, his bottom lip trembling. "S-say something. P-please."

Joy took a step closer, making Calum take backwards, pressing himself against the wall. He braced himself for the yelling to begin, squeezing his eyes shut. He could hear his mother's heavy breathing in front of him. Why was she taking so long to yell at him?

"I am so, so - proud of you Calum Thomas Hood." Joy said slowly, tears forming her eyes too. Calum felt her arms wrap around him, squeezing him tightly. Calum's eyes flickered open as his mum rested her face on his shoulder.

"P-proud?" Calum repeated, feeling his panic recede from his chest, allowing him to breathe freely again. Joy nodded into his shoulder before pulling away and blinking up at her teary-eyed son.

"Yes, I am very proud of you. I know how much courage it must have taken for you to say that." Calum broke down into sobs, unable to hold back the tidal wave of tears any longer which flooded down his face. Joy frowned sadly, pulling him into another hug and began to stroke his hair comfortingly.

"I-I t-thought you would h-hate me." Calum sobbed, clutching onto his mum as if his life depended on it. "I-I thought y-you were g-going to kick m-me out-t."

"Hate you? Calum, I could never hate you. What gave you that idea?"

"W-well, y-you always sc-owled when there w-was a g-gay couple in the TV a-and.."

"Oh baby, you got the wrong idea. I was scowling because of their storyline, not because they were gay. And if I've ever said something that sounds homophobic, it's just what's ingrained into me from when I was growing up. I knew that's no excuse but..oh honey, I'm so sorry you thought that I wouldn't accept you because of it."

"S-so you're okay with it?" Calum asked quietly after taking a deep breath to calm himself down and pulling away from the hug.

"Of course I am Calum." Joy replied, wiping Calum's tears away with her thumb. "If I wasn't I would have said something a long time ago."

"What does that mean? D-did you know?"

"Did you really think I wouldn't notice how peaceful you looked when you were all cuddled up with Michael? Or the way you tried to act like you were attracted to girls and it was so transparent that anyone could have seen through it? Of course I knew Calum, I'm your mother." Joy laughed, shaking her head fondly at Calum. Calum wrapped his arms around his mum again, leaning his entire body weight on her shoulders.

"I love you Mum." Calum mumbled.

"I love you too Calum." Joy replied, holding Calum close.

"By the way, I think you're a little bit off with the Michael thing." Calum said as stood up straight.

"Am I?"

"Yeah, but...yeah. I see where you were coming from but no."

"If you say so." Joy replied, smiling as her son left the room with a wide smile on his face that he couldn't hide even if he tried.
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Calum sat in IceDream with a Mint Chocolate Mountain in from of him, smiling to himself as he waited for his best friend to arrive. The bell above the door chimed and Calum looked up to see Ashton entering the building.

"Calum!" Ashton exclaimed, sitting down across from him with a concerned expression on his face. "How did it go? You were so vague on the phone. I've been worrying all the way here-"

"She...she took it well Ashton. She said she was proud of me and she loves me no matter what. I've not been disowned." Calum explained, the grin on his face widening until it stretched from ear to ear. Ashton let out a huge sigh of relief and grinned back at Calum.

"That's great Cal! Oh my god, I am so proud of you, you have no idea." Ashton rambled. "Well done Cal!"

"I was so shocked." Calum continued, scooping up some ice cream onto his spoon. "Apparently she's known for as long as I have, possibly longer. Mum's really do know everything Ashton."

"That must be a huge weight off of your chest now." Ashton said almost questioningly. "You've got nothing left to hide. No more secrets."

"Exactly." Calum agreed guiltily. He was lying, obviously but in this case he knew telling the truth wouldn't benefit him. Calum quickly put a smile back on his face and ate his ice cream.

"Have you told anyone else the good news?" Ashton asked, sticking his finger into Calum's ice cream and earning himself a glare.

"No, I thought I'd tell you first."

"Not even Michael." Ashton teased, wiggling his eyebrows. "I saw you two at lunch, you looked very comfy."

"He was comforting me." Calum argued, his cheeks burning pink as he spoke. "Is that a crime now?"

"What's a crime is that you two aren't together yet."

"Ashton, we hated each other until just over a week ago and I still don't full trust him because of what he did. Besides, he probably doesn't even like me anyway." Calum sighed a little, making Ashton smirk.

"I think he does."

"Ashton, you think anyone who looks in another person's general direction likes them." Calum argued, over exaggerating a tiny bit.

"Actually, I think you'll find that's Thomas." Ashton chuckled.

"True." Calum said, finishing his ice cream. "What do you want to do now?"

"I don't know. I'm supposed to be studying but you're way more important."

"Aww Ashton." Calum grinned, placing his hand on his heart. "You're so sweet."

"Wait, I've just checked the time. I have to got for tea now. I'll see you later Calum."

"See you later Ash." Calum said, waving his best friend off. Calum left the shop a couple of minutes later, still pretty much grinning from ear to ear.

Sorry this is a bit late, I've been studying for an exam I have tomorrow. Hope you enjoyed.