Some Day We Might (Muke)

Chapter Two

We're still watching a movie--Kill Bill this time--when Calum and Ashton get back, both of them soaked from the rain. Calum shakes his head, sending drops of water flickering off. Ashton looks miserable and tired. They were gone for over 4 hours, so I can't blame them for looking bothered.

"Having a nice cuddle on the couch?" Ashton asks, returning to his comical self.

I look down at Luke, his head on my shoulder and mouth slightly parted. I put my arm around him. "Shut up. He's cuddly." I joke.

"Why don't you wake him up and we can go out to Nando's or something." Calum says. "I haven't eaten all day and I need to unwind with a nice meal."

"It's only 4 o'clock, shouldn't we wait until later? Maybe an hour or so." I say.

Calums shrugs. "I just thought we'd head out now, eat, maybe do something else. I'm just really hungry."

I sigh and gently pull the blanket from us. "Sure, I guess that's fine." Luke wakes up from the noise and pulls the blanket back over his broad shoulders. 

"We're going to Nando's, so you better get up if you want to come." Ashton says.

"O-okay." He says, still half asleep. He stays in the fetal position though, not bothering to get up.

Calum pats his arm. "C'mon buddy, let's go."

"Just--okay, I'm getting up." He mumbles. His hair is a little messy, but it still looks perfect. I used to hate him for that in year 9. He was--still is--always so perfect. I've learned to accept it, and appreciate it. He waddles over to his room with sleep still in his eyes. God, Michael, this is ridiculous. Stop fawning over him. He's your best friend.

- - - -

After paying and ordering up at the front, warm plates of food containing chicken are placed in front of us. I didn't realize how hungry I was until we got here where the scent of grilled chicken and spices waft through the air. We're sat at a four person table in front of the arched window with some dim lights hanging above us. It's pretty busy as usual, so there's a nice chorus of delighted chatter.

I pop a chip in my mouth, biting into the crisp potato that tastes like heaven. None of us are talking; we're too busy eating. Ashton, after taking a selfie with Calum (what a teenage girl), bites into his chicken sandwich and steals a sip  of Calum's coke. He always does that when he orders water, thinking he's going to be "healthy". Calum doesn't seem to mind.

Luke is basically falling asleep into his food. His eyes are half open and he has the same look on his face that he gets in those rare times when he's had a little too much to drink. Ashton laughs and pokes his face with a chip, trying to get it into his mouth. Luke bites it grumpily.

"I'm not a baby, I can feed myself."

"Well, you're not doing a good job at it. Is something wrong?" Ashton asks, being his always concerned self. Maybe it's because he's dealt with, you know, certain things first-hand. 

Luke shakes his head. "No, I'm just so tired. It's been a long week."

"You slept for four extra hours today." I say.

"So?"

I shake my head. "God, you're lazy."

"Coming from you?" Luke laughs. We both start pushing each other until Calum rolls his eyes and looks at Asthon.

"Boyfriends." Calum says to Ashton and smirks at us.

"Shut up." I say, despite the small smile on my face. I feel like such a girl. I eat contently, watching the rain pour outside and the sky start to darken. It's 6 o'clock now, so we should probably head home soon. We might get ambushed by some of the 5sos fam, and I love them, but I don't want to be out longer than we have to.

It only takes a few minutes until we're all ready to leave. On the way out, a really pretty blonde girl eyes Luke like he's some piece of dessert. I know it's stupid, but I can feel a small heat of jealousy rise inside my chest. I just brush it off. 

I don't know who Luke likes. And by "who" I mean male or female. The band knows I'm bisexual with a preference for girls (honestly, Luke is the only guy who's really done it in for me). I know Ashton and Calum are straight--well, they've never said anything but I just assume they are. But Luke? He's just this majestic sexuality unicorn who isn't afraid to say who he thinks is hot--be it a girl or a guy. Unlike me. I overcompensate because I feel the need to seem manly and I haven't "come out" to the public. Not that it's their business anyway or that it matters because I'm still me. I just don't want to be judged.

We take a cab home and I sit between Luke and Calum. I'm feeling cuddly so I lean my head on Luke's shoulder. He then rests his head on my own.

"Your hair is very fluffy today." He says quietly.

"It's called bedhead. Or just a bad hair day."

"I like it though. It's like white feathers."

Calum groans. "You two are sickening."

"Like you and Ashton don't act like this?" I retort.

"Not nearly as often."

"You're just jealous that Mikey's my cuddle buddy." Luke says.

Calum shakes his head, but there's a hint of a smile. Calum, though he'll never admit it, is a sucker for affection between two people. He's kind of a hopeless romantic. Or a "shipper" as the fangirls would say.

- - - -

Back at the house, I take my place in front of the television with the Xbox controller in my hand. I play Assassin's Creed for a while until I get bored. The others have all gone to bed so I'm sat here alone, with half the lights off like some nocturnal gamer. Okay, I guess that kind of is my life, but still...

I decide I might as well turn in for the night and quietly walk into my shared room with Luke. He's actually awake on his phone, so at least I have someone to talk to since I'm not even close to tired.

I strip out of my clothes, leaving on my taco underwear and a white t-shirt, then fall back onto the white fluffy bed. "I'm not even tired."

Luke sets down his phone. "Me either. Probably because I slept earlier."

"You know what's weird?" I ask.

"Hmm?"

"We keep animals in our houses and call them pets. But, like, we both just accept that we can't communicate and it's totally normal."

"You're so weird."

I get up and move to his bed, laying on my stomach with my head propped up. "No, just think about it. It's not even like a foreign language to them when we speak because they don't speak."

"Why are we friends?"

"Because you love me." Fuck. I hope that didn't sound desperate. I didn't mean it like that. It was a joke. Shit. Shit--

"Lucky I'm in love with my best friend--" He starts singing. 

I hit him with the nearest pillow. "Shut up." Luke turns the lamp next to him off.

"We used to hate each other." Luke brings up.

"I know."

"I don't even know why I hated you. I think it's because I thought you were cooler and more masculine than I was. And you had facial hair."

"I hated that you were a better singer than me. And you played guitar." I admit. "And you didn't seem to care if people liked you or not. I was such a clingy fucker."

"I actually tried really hard to be cool like Calum. I cared a lot about people liking me."

"I'm pretty sure all kids are like that when they're younger."

"Yeah." He says and I can tell he's falling asleep. I can feel my own eyes threatening to close. I should probably go back to my bed, but I'm too tired. Too comfortable.

I let myself drift off, listening to the quiet snore of my best friend who I've decided I may or may not be in love with.