"hey, babe. where have you been?" michael called from the living room, but keeping his attention on the movie that was playing on the flat screen.
luke didn't answer because michael should know.
michael should've been there.
"i tried calling you. about 11 times, actually. and i texted you like... a hundred times." luke said quietly, setting his jacket down.
michael picked up his phone and read through all of his missed texts.
l: hey is everything okay? you're thirty seconds late
l: i'm just kidding. you're fine. please don't text and drive.
l: hurry !!! i'm sitting at a table alone and it's giving me flashbacks to high school !!!
l: you're worrying me
l: i called calum and he said you were at home watching a movie.
l: mikey ):
l: please tell me you didn't forget i'm so sad
l: i'm about to go on
l: i messed up and i'm in the bathroom crying
l: i'm coming home.
michael looked up from his phone and saw luke standing there with tears in his eyes.
"your- oh my gosh, your poetry night- i- luke, baby, i'm sorry." michael whispered.
he felt completely awful.
"i know you said it was really dorky but i at least thought you would show up." luke cried, wiping his eye.
"i totally forgot it was today- i- oh my gosh, i'm so sorry. please tell me how awful i am because i deserve every second of it." michael said quietly, running a hand over his face.
"you're the worst! i practiced for so long, and- and i was ready, but i sat there alone the whole time while i watched everyone else get congratulated by their families and their boyfriends. i wanted you to be there so bad. i wrote about you! i wrote about how you're always there for me, and how i don't deserve you one bit, and how- how much i love you, but i got up there and all i could focus on was the fact that you weren't there, and i didn't even get two words out before i started stuttering, and i eventually just gave up, and ran off. it has been the worst night of my life.." luke cried, and michael had tears in his own eyes from watching luke be so heartbroken.
he didn't know what to say.
"i know i'm mad at you, but will you hold me because i kind of want to hide under the blankets for the rest of my life..." luke said, and wiped his eyes.
"of course i will." michael said, and walked over to luke, holding him tight as he just sobbed.
"i am so-"
"sorry. i know, michael. i doesn't help a lot." luke cried, gripping onto michael's shirt.
michael closed his eyes, and ran a hand through the hair on the back of luke's head.
"i know you didn't really wanna go, but i really needed you there-"
"luke, no, baby. i wanted to go. i wanted to go because i know how beautiful your words are when you write songs, and i wanted to be able to hear that. i- you were sharing something with me that nobody has ever heard, and i hate myself right now for disappointing you, but please don't think i didn't want to be there for you..." michael said, and rocked luke back and forth slowly. "...can we go again next week? please, baby."
luke shook his head, and buried his head in michael's shoulder.
"i can't do it." luke cried, and michael hated himself in that moment. earlier this week luke was so excited, and so confident about what he was putting together, and michael ruined that in just a second.
"don't say that, luke. of course you can do it." michael said, and the younger boy shook his head again.
"no- i thought it would be fun, but i can't go back there again." luke said quietly, laying his head on michael's shoulder as his crying calmed down.
"than we will find you a new place to go because i don't want you to give this up." michael said quietly, and kissed luke's temple.
luke nodded a bit, and michael leaned his head against luke's.
"i can never make it up to you, but i'm gonna try, i promise." michael whispered.
"i still love you." luke whispered, and michael smiled a bit.
"i love you more."
