Curved | Malum au | book 2

six

I want Calum hood to kick me in the face

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Michael's POV

Like promised, after Calum finished his lunch, I walked with him to the library in search of a book with action and bright colors to keep him entertained throughout the rest of the school day.

When we entered I had my arm slung over his shoulder as his hands were shoved deep in his pockets and his head was cast down, watching his feet.

"We're here, mate." I said looking around the library. I've been going to this school for three and a half years but I've only been in the library a couple times. This place was too... quiet for me.

He nodded and walked out from under my arm towards what I'm guessing was the graphic novel section. I really wished I could get him out of this funk. Everything was fine yesterday , what happened? This all can't just be because of Jeremy.

I followed him over to the bookshelf. he was slightly hunched over looking at. He squinted his eyes as the scanned over the spines of the books until he found one that seemed interesting and pulled it off the shelf.

"You gonna get that one?" I asked.

"I guess. I mean Aquaman kinda sucks, but it's the only one here that I haven't read." He shrugged, looking down at the book in his hands.

"Well," I clapped my hands together, receiving a glare from someone sitting near by. "Let's get you checked out. How do you get checked out?"

He smiled a little, it's so obvious that I never venture into the library. "The lady a the desk asks my name and scans the book."

"Oh." I nodded as I followed him to the desk.

"Name please?" The old lady smiled, showing her teeth that had a smidgen of lipstick on them.

"Hood." He said pushing the book on the desk.

She clicked a few things with her computer mouse. "Calum?" He nodded and she scanned the book. "There ya go, enjoy."

"Thank you." He smiled politely and turned to leave, me following on his heels.

We both stopped when we heard a voice quietly say, "Hi, Michael."

I spun around and saw Amber sitting at a table with a big book sitting in front of her.

"Hi." I smiled and started walking towards the table.

Calum groaned from behind me. "Don't sit down, she'll pitch a bitch fit."

"Calum!" I snipped.

"I'm sorry, he's cranky today." I apologized while taking a seat in front of her.

I looked over at Calum and he rolled his eyes. "I'm leaving." He said.

"Calum, man c'mon."

"No, it's fine. Let him go, or go with him. We didn't really start off on the right foot. Well, I tried to be friendly but he just doesn't like me." Amber shrugged.

Calum scoffed.

"Yeah, make me out to be the bad guy." He said, then left.

"I don't know what's gotten into him lately." I sighed crossing my arms on the table and laying my head down.

I picked my head up and propped my chin on my arms, giving her a smile. "How are you today?"

_

After talking with Amber for a bit in the library I eventually persuaded her into attending the bonfire with me on Saturday. She said that parties weren't really her thing but she's never been to a party with me.

I didn't see Calum again until school was over. He was walking down the hall reading the graphic novel in his hands, occasionally bumping into people and flipping them off when they said something.

"Hey, Calum!" I called jogging up behind him.

He lifted his eyes from the book and turned to me. "Yes?"

"Do you need a ride home?" I asked, coming to a halt. "I can check out your car."

He bit the inside of his lip and nodded. I smiled and waved for him to follow me out to the parking lot.

Once we got in my truck and started driving to his house it was quiet. I don't like quiet.

"So I invited Amber to the bonfire Saturday." I said, he groaned.

"Can we turn on the radio or something?"

I nodded and grabbed a random cd from the console and pushed it in. One For The Radio by McFly started playing.

"This is Amber's favorite band."

"Oh my god."

"What?"

"I can't even listen to music anymore."

"What's your deal with her?"

"What's your deal with her?"

"I like her, she's cute and kinda funny." I shrugged. "We're different but opposites attract, right?"

He shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest. "Okay, Michael. Whatever."

"What?" I asked, letting my eyes flick from the road to him for a second.

"I don't think the whole opposites attract thing is true, I think it's bullshit. I mean yeah it works for magnets but not people. People have to have something in common or else they have nothing to talk about or do together. Like she obviously likes to read and spends a lot of time in the library."

"So?"

"Michael, I've been to your house. There's zero books anywhere around and you didn't even know how to check a book out at the library."

"That's one thing, so what?" I shrugged flipping on my blinker and turning into his driveway.

"Whatever, Michael. Whatever."

"Let's just drop this and see what's up with your car."

We both climbed out of the truck and walked around to the front of his old car. He popped the hood and stepped aside to let me have a look. Just looking over everything I didn't see anything wrong.

I reached over and grabbed the the cap to the oil chamber and unscrewed it. When I pulled it out the oil was caked on the stick like mud.

"Calum, when's the last time you had your oil changed?" I asked turning to look at him.

"I don't know, a year maybe?"

"You dumb ass!" I said loudly. "That's what's wrong, your motors gonna explode if you don't get your oil changed. Idiot, you're suppose to have it changed regularly."

He scratched the back of his neck and shoved his hands into his jacket pockets. "I uh I didn't know that."

I shook my head and walked to my truck. I wrote a number down on the back of a receipt and walked back to Calum.

"This is my cousins number, he works for a mechanic. Give him a call and he'll come get your car and bring it back when it's fixed. Tell him you got the number from me. He'll discount your oil change and remember my birthday this year."

"Thanks Michael." He said taking the paper from me and looking at it.

"I gotta go now. I need to pick up Ashton for our study session."

He nodded and I started turning back to my truck.

"Hey, wait Michael." He said. I spun on my heel and looked at him. "Tell Ashton to come here when you guys are done. I need to talk to him."

"Alrighty."

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Michael Clifford is so cute I want to punch him in the face.

Answer to last question: Wes/Wesley

New question: what shouldn't burn

I love you guys like a lot