Torn In Three | Malum, Muke, Mashton

Chapter Six

- Luke's point of view -

Two days. Two days since I found out, two days since Michael left.

With Michael gone, the band had been silent. Ashton and I had been keeping our distance from Calum, keeping the subject of Michael as silent as possible. It's not hard though: Calum wouldn't come out of his room. We tried calling Michael, but his phone was turned off. He's hiding from us.

"This can't go on forever. He ran away to have time to think; it's been long enough now" Ashton broke the silence, sounding frustrated. I nodded in reply and called for Calum.

The boy walked into the room with messy hair and the same clothes he wore yesterday.

"Shall we go and look for him then? Michael doesn't know London too well - he can't have gone far" Calum said.

"I agree. Let's go now" I replied and grabbed my coat despite the sun outside: you can never trust the British weather.

Calum still had no clue about what Ashton and I know. We decided that even though it's important, it's nothing to do with Calum and he should find out from Michael himself.

"If you were in Michael's shoes, where would you go?" Ashton said.

"Pizza Hut" Calum replied, laughing.

"Good point. He might be near a pizza place"

"I was joking, but okay. Why don't we split up? You look at the nearest pizza restaurants or other ones that would appeal to Mike and I look somewhere else" Calum said, finally getting into the spirit of searching.

Personally, I wasn't ready to see Michael yet. He hurt me - to make it worse - with my best friend. Over the last two days Ashton and I have built up a lot of anger towards the betraying, yet attractive, boy. And we intend to let it all out on him.

**

Finally, after an hour of searching, I approached a forest. Calum had gone in a different direction towards a lake. I noticed a tall yet familiar figure in the distance so I decided to approach it. The person didn't notice my presence, so I decided to move closer.

"Michael?" He shot his head instantly at my voice and went pale. He looked tired: not like his usual tired, but as if he had not closed his eyes in days. Which is probably true.

"How did you find me?" Michael's voice sounded raspy and drowsy - regardless of the shock in his eyes.

"We've been searching for you" I said. When I got no reply, I decided to speak again. "Why did you go?" I tried my best to sound calm, however just looking at Michael reminded me of what he had done.

"I don't know" Michael was avoiding my eyes.

"You did it to avoid getting in trouble" no reply. "Talk to me, Michael" I hastily grabbed his chin, that was now growing stubble, and forced him to look in my eyes.

"Y-you're right" he stuttered.

"Why did you do it?"

Michael pulled himself away from my grip and sat down on the dirty ground.

"It just... Happened"

"Cheating on two of your band mates doesn't just happen"

Michael seemed surprised at my comment, as if I said something incorrect.

"Does Calum know?"

"Ashton and I decided you should tell him yourself" Michael let out a sigh of relief at my reply.

"Shouldn't you be scared? With all of that guilt" I was ready to burst. Michael was acting so innocent.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you! I admit I was desperate, but they were just small flings. Nothing more. To be honest, my relationship with you was - is more meaningful" Michael declared. By the look and sorrow in his eyes, I could tell his words meant something.

"I want to be angry with you Michael, but-"

"I'm sorry enough you will forgive me?" Michael cut me off.

"It's too soon" I sighed. Michael took me by surprise as he moved closer to me and hugged me from behind, I attempted to push him off but he refused.

"I just miss you so much" he whined.

"God, Michael, stop being a baby" I successfully pushed him off that time. However I felt a pang of guilt when I saw his heartbroken face. Wait - I shouldn't be the one feeling guilt right now.

"How many times do I have to apologise?"

"None. I just want space away from you - when I found out, it really hurt" the moment I spoke, I felt a tear fall onto my shoulder. Michael was crying. I never usually saw the boy cry - only occasionally when watching a sad movie. Was he really this upset about our relationship? Or was it the fact he spent the last two nights alone in a dark forest?

"Look, as much as I want to continue arguing, Calum and Ashton are somewhere in London searching for you and we need to bring you home" I said sternly.

"What if I don't want to go?"

"What the hell are you on about?" I looked at him in surprise.

"I refuse to come with you until you accept my apology"

"Don't be stupid Michael"

"Why do you think I ran away? So I could just be found again and go back to a place with continuous arguments? If we're going to sort this out, I want it done here" Michael protested.

Sighing, I turned around to get a better focus on him. "You've done a very bad thing, Mikey"

"But?"

"But - as long as you are not bad again-" a large grin was plastered on Michael's face: the one where he has crinkles by his eyes. I was glad I made that.

He pulled me into a large hug and jumped up and down.

"Thank you, Lukey"