Broken (AU Calum Hood Fanfiction)

VIII

I wake up to an overly bright sun peeking through the curtains. I squint as I sit up, remembering where I am.

I still can't believe he talked me into staying.

I get up and go into the bathroom. I scare myself when I see my reflection. My hair's knotted and is sticking up at odd angles on top of my head. I brush it out using a comb that was sitting on the counter and splash some cold water on my face before making my way down the hall.

I head toward the kitchen. My stomach's rumbling. Michael and Luke are sitting in the kitchen at the bar, talking excitedly about something on one of their phones.

"Why, hello there." Michael says quirking up one eyebrow at me when I walk in.

"Uh, hi?" I say awkwardly, moving toward the fridge.

"So you stayed the night, huh?" Michael presses.

I cough and Luke elbows Michael in the ribs earning a hushed "What?" between the boys.

"Be nice to her." Luke says to Michael.

"I wasn't being mean. I was pointing out facts. I quite like her, actually." he smiles up at me.

"I like you too." I say, looking into the fridge.

"So'd you guys fuck? Or do I still have a chance?" Michael asks and I laugh uncontrollably.

I appreciate his bluntness. He doesn't beat around the bush.

"Michael! Oh my God! You can't just ask something like that." Luke says, punching Michael in the stomach. They act more like brothers than friends.

"The answer, to both of those questions, Michael, is no." I sputter out between laughs.

Calum strides in at that point.

"What's going on?"

"Michael's being a total arsehole." Luke states, glaring at the boy sitting beside him.

"Don't pick on her. I like this one." Calum says as he pulls me away from the fridge door that I'm still holding open and into a hug.

I'm learning that these guys like their hugs.

"Good morning." he whispers into my ear and I do the same.

"You guys! Stop! I'm gonna throw up on her again if you don't quit being so sappy." Michael states jokingly.

"We don't want that." I say, eyeing him accusingly.

"Wanna make breakfast?" Calum asks me.

"Uh, you can make it. I burn everything." I chuckle.

"Yeah, I have a history of burning stuff too. We'll see how it goes." he says, pulling a pack of bacon and a carton of eggs out from the fridge before moving to the cabinet and pulling out pancake mix.

I sit on the bar next to Luke, watching Calum cook.

Everything seems to be going well, except the bacon appears to be smoking.

About fifteen minutes later, four plates full of food are set onto the bar and Calum takes a seat next to me.

"What is this?" Luke asks, holding up a charred black strip.

"That, my friend, is bacon. Well-done bacon, but bacon nonetheless." Calum states.

"You don't have to eat it." Luke whispers to me, making me giggle.

"It's actually not that bad. Good job." I say as I bite into a piece of the burned bacon.

Michael and Luke scrunch their faces but Calum just smiles at me.