utah || hemmings au {sequel to camp || hemmings au}

seventeen

"What's that on your neck, Caroline?" My head snapped in the direction of the voice and I found Michael eyeing my neck, his eyebrows furrowed. My hand immediately found my neck and I stared at the boy with wide eyes. All eyes turned to me, Calum's, Ashton's, Luke's, Audrey's, and I was at a loss for words. It had been at least a week since Luke had given me the hickey and I figured that it had faded enough for me to wear my in a hairband, apparently not. No one had noticed it couple of days before when I had "met the guys for the first time", but my hair was down that day.

"I don't know what you mean." I shook my head at Michael, hoping he would just drop the subject.

"There is this mark on your neck. It kind of looks like... a hickey?” Michael tilted his head and leaned in, trying to get a better look. Everyone was still staring at us and I was beginning to feel self-conscious.

"I'm pretty sure that's not a hickey, bro." Luke chimed in from across the room but no one heard him, they continued to watch Michael and I.

"Oh, my God!" Audrey squealed, "Who gave you a hickey?" I opened my mouth and then shut it quickly. I wasn't sure what to say as everyone just kept staring at me, I was slowly slipping into panic. So, I said the first name that came to my mind.

"Calum." I blurted out, and all eyes turned to the boy beside me on the couch. His eyes went wide and he glanced around at us before turning back to me.

"I did?" He questioned, his brows crinkling together.

"You did," I nodded slowly, praying that he would understand and go along with what I was saying, "Remember, last night. At that party." I had no idea where I was going with the lie but I was hoping that Calum would come up with something.

"Oh, yeah," Calum nodded, finally catching on, "At that party. How could I forget?" Wow, thanks for helping.

"You guys went to a party last night?" Audrey's eyes shifted between Calum and I while Luke, Ashton, and Michael sat there with amused looks. Calum was most likely with them last night so they knew we were lying. Luke definitely knew I was lying.

"Yeah, it was sick." Calum nodded yet again. I was actually upset with myself that I had dragged Calum into my situation. It was a pretty selfish thing to do. And also, he was as bad a liar as I was.

Audrey just stared at us for a minute before letting a 'Huh'. She then turned back to Ashton and began to continue the conversation they were having before Michael made a scene about my hickey. I was surprised that Audrey had let it go that easily, I was sure she would start gushing about how cute we would be. I shrugged it off, glad she didn't drag it on. I looked over at Calum and he was already looking at me, a frown on his face.

"Sorry about that," I whispered to him, laughing faintly, "I kind of panicked."

"Luke gave it to you, didn't he?" Calum whispered back, ignoring my apology. I shook my head quickly, but I knew that Calum knew the truth. "Yes, he did."

"Okay, he did."

Calum sighed deeply. "He has a girlfriend, Caroline. Who just so happens to be your best friend and is sitting across the room right now."

"I know that, Calum. It's not my fault. We were at the New Years Eve party and we were drunk--well, I was drunk. I'm not really sure if Luke was drunk or not-- but we made out--at least that's what he said--and he gave me this hickey, and I didn't mean for it to happen, ya know? It just did. And you can not blame me because I wasn't in my right state of kind, okay?"

"Sorry," Calum held his hands up in surrender, "I didn't mean to offend you, I was just saying."

"Well, you did offend me, Calum. You just basically said that I was making out with Luke voluntarily." I was suddenly mad, for an unknown reason. Maybe I was mad at Calum. Or Luke. Or myself. Maybe all three.