RUN! [Muke/Cashton]

Chapter Thirteen.

As Monday morning came all four of the boys found themselves rolling out of their beds in a sour mood. All of them were determined to stay in bed and forget their horrible weekend but none of their parents allowed it —in Ashton's case Jo wouldn't allow him to avoid school. Calum or no Calum he still had academics to do.

The boys found themselves in their usual places that Monday morning. Calum propped against his car as his friends all gathered around it. Ashton with Jacob and Jo, watching the boy amongst his group, this time hating him instead of pitying him, and a little ways behind them. Michael was sat with Riley and Erika, blatantly ignoring Luke's presence and the girl's carried on a conversation with the blonde about the cheer leading meet. When the bell rung and they all split up going to whatever lesson they had first not caring what was happening with the others.

Calum found his way to the P.E. office, thankful that Coach Payne was the one to call him into the room after he knocked. The boy had spend his night thinking about what he was going to say at that moment. The team obviously wanted nothing to do with him, his parents wanted him to quit track, he really had nothing to hold on for. Mali had grabbed his arm before he left that morning, telling him he was an idiot if he gave up what he wanted. Calum just sighed pulling his arm away from his older sibling, he was an idiot to believe he could make it with a track career, his parents were right. Now he was standing in front of Coach Payne's desk as he looked up from the work he was doing before Calum's arrival.

The assistant Coach raised a brow at the student's presence before giving Calum his attention, "Uh, hey Calum, what can I help you with today?"

The boy gulped, shifted from leg to leg nervously. The teen found it easier to stare at his feet than focus on the man in front of him.

"I...I need to um, leave the team."

"I know you guys had a rough start but the relay team..." The coach trailed off as Calum shook his head awkwardly. The student watched as the man's expression changed, obviously confused with his brows becoming deeply knit.

"No?"

"I meant the track team Coach. I can't do track anymore." He finally got out, ignoring the sting that came from saying those words, tacking on a soft, "Sorry..." at the end.

Coach Payne thought about it for a minute before, his expression softened.

"Is that your final decision Calum?"

The boy paused, realising that Payne maybe knew more than he let on. Shaking off the voices in his head telling him it was a bad idea, Calum finally answered the man, "Yeah...have some other, uh, stuff I need to focus on."

The older man nodded slowly examining the boy one more time before sighing. The assistant coach honestly didn't believe anything the teen was saying. The track was the place where Calum appeared to be most at ease, he wouldn't give that up so easily. Still, the man knew the teen couldn't stay away too long and eventually find his way back.

"If that's your final decision I'll take you off the roster." The man finally nodded.

"Thanks Coach." He gave a weak smile before walking towards the door.

"And Calum?"

The boy turned around.

"If you change your mind you can always come back."

"Thanks Coach..." He repeated again, walking out the room.

As the door closed behind him he felt like there should of been a weight off of his shoulder, but, instead the urge to march back into the office and make his life right again was stronger than it should have been. He walked away knowing that he was late for his first class, constantly reminding himself that he did the right thing.