College [c. hood]

15

The sound of Michael shuffling around the shared space of their room was what finally woke Calum from his twelve hour 'nap'.

He checked his phone and saw that it was just past one in the morning, all he could do was sigh. Calum hated that now he wasn't tired so he'd be up all night. He decided to get out of bed, going to see what Michael was doing.

As soon as Michael sees Calum standing in his bedroom doorway, he looks up from the table.

"Did I wake you? Fuck, I'm so sorry." Michael mutters, giving him an apologetic look.

Calum shakes his head, "No, you're good. I needed to get up. At least I'll be up for my class at nine."

"Obviously you missed the class you had last night." Michael replies, nervously smiling at Calum. He had no idea if Calum would be mad if he made jokes. He had no idea what mood Calum was in.

"I don't want to go. I want to stay in bed for the next week." Calum groans, sitting across from Michael at the table.

"You know you can't do that. You... you can't hide." Michael says, still not trying to offend Calum.

He sighs, "I know. I don't even know what to say. God, I'm so fucked."

Michael didn't say anything. He was so nervous. The two just sat in silence as Calum was rubbing at his eyes and Michael did homework.

"She has an appointment tomorrow. Today technically, I guess." Calum says, making Michael's head snap up from his notebook.

"Really? Are you going?" Michael questions, moving his work to the side.

Danielle had her appointment today, but it was when Calum was in class. She said she was okay to go alone, and that Calum shouldn't miss class for this.

"No. I think she wants to go alone. She said I shouldn't miss class." He replies, staring down at his hands folded on the table.

"Oh. Well, if you need to talk about it... I'll listen." Michael quietly says.

"I don't want to bother you with this. I'm so sorry. I feel like I've ruined all the fun you should be having because you feel bad for me. Please don't worry about me, I'll be okay." Calum tells him, his voice soft.

He felt awful for putting Michael through all his relationship drama, even though he offered. Calum didn't know who else he could talk to.

"Calum, I keep telling you it's okay." Michael replies, pulling his work closer to him again.

"I don't think I can tell Ashton. I have to wait. I really can't do it." Calum says.

"And that's okay. You were told yesterday. You have a lot of time. Just focus on school for now." Michael tells him.

"I'm having a baby, Michael. A baby. My girlfriend is pregnant. Oh my god." Calum says, the shock quickly coming back.

It hasn't sunk in completely yet. He didn't know why, it just didn't seem real to him. Maybe he wasn't because she wasn't showing, she seemed like normal, non-pregnant Danielle to him.

"Calum, stop. You're fine. It's fine. Kurtis and Cody just started a movie in the common room, you should go hang out with them." Michael replies, a small smile stretching across his lips.

Calum shrugs, "You know what, I might. I have to do something else, something that's not thinking about the baby."

"Okay, get distracted. I think they're watching The Breakfast Club." Michael tells him.

Michael gets a nod in response from Calum, "Michael?"

"Yeah?" Michael asks, picking up his pencil again to focus on his homework.