Broken pieces

Part 17

Later the same week, Calum presented the band idea to Ashton and his reaction was expected.

"You have to be joking. You are joking right? This was Michael's deam. MICHAEL'S. Not Luke's, not ours but Mike's. And I will die before letting that ass take over the last thing that is still Michael's."

"Ashton calm down.

"Calm down? CALM DOWN?! Are you fucking serious right now Calum? Are you even fucking listening to yourself?! You want me to be in a band that was Michael's idea with this dude that has already taken over Michael's life? He took over Alice, he took over you and now you want me to give him over Michael's dream to take over too?! Did you lost your fucking mind?!"

"ASHTON WOULD YOU LISTEN FOR A FUCKING SECOND GOD DAMMIT?"

Ashton shut up. Not because he wanted to but because he hasn't seen Calum so pissed in forever.

"Look I get it. I get what you're saying but look at it this way. If Luke wouldn't be there, Alice would be dead. Plenty times now. If he wasn't there, everything would be different now like it or not, he is a good guy. Yes, he has shady past but so did Mike and we gave him a chance because he was a good guy. Alice trusts him and so do I and I want you to at least give him a chance. Plus, you know very well that Mike wanted nothing more but his dreams to be infinite. He wanted to be remembered even after death and he wanted his dreams to come true. With or without him so you're gonna suck it up and try. Not for me. Not for Alice. Not for Luke. Not for music and not for yourself but for Mike. He deserves it."

Ashton thought about it for a while as he sat there motionless. Calum already thought he lost this fight and Ashton won't change his mind when Ashton spoke.

"When are the first band rehearsals?"

Calum's lips curled up in a smile.

"Today after school. My place."

Ashton nodded and before Calum could leave, he added.

"And do not expect me and the blondie to be bff's now. I'll try not hating him but that is all I promise okay?"

Calum nodded. That was good enough for him. Baby steps and soon they will all be best friends. At least he hoped so, because otherwise band practices were just going to be hella hard.

As the time for the first band practice came, Luke was super nervous. Calum had told him all about Ashton's reaction the same morning and he was a little scared of how things might turn out. Alice was there for moral support so that was keeping Luke from having a complete panic attack. He has never been so nervous about anything before, but that was probably because he never wanted anything to work this badly.

Alice was sitting on Calum's bed, trying to focus on some biology bullshit. She couldn't tho, because Luke kept walking up and down the room.

"What's wrong Luke?"

She said, finally giving up on biology.

"Nothing. Why would something be up?"

Alice's face turned into an amused smile as she figured that Luke was nervous. She has never seen him that nervous before, probably because he had his poker face on all the time and it just seemed like he didn't care much about anything.

"Well aren't we jumpy."

"I'm not jumpy. Why would I be jumpy?"

Alice started laughing and Luke just looked at her confused.

"Well you are hella nervous."

"I am no-"

"Don't even try denying it Luke. You've been walking up and down this room for the past 20 minutes and you seem very paranoid because you question everything I say. Now I am no expert but I'm gonna say you are nervous about this. You can talk to me."

Luke sat down next to her and exhaled deeply. Yes, he was very nervous.

"Well, you see, this was really important to Mike and I don't want to let him down and also this is really important to me because I want this to work out so badly cause I have no idea what I want to do with my life and this  is the one thing I think I'm good at, but on the other hand I am not that good and this may not work out and I have no clue what I'm gonna do-"

Alice pressed her lips onto his to shut him up and luckily, it worked. It actually made Luke's tensed up body relax a bit. As they pulled away he smiled.

"Thanks, I needed that."

She smiled back at him.

"I know. Not please stay calm cause I have to study. Finals are next week and I have a lot to work on."

She took her biology book and just as she was about to start, Ashton and Calum walked trough the door. Calum looked at Ashton and the boy just rolled his eyes and walked up to Luke. He extended his hand and Luke happily took it.

"Just so you know, I still don't like you but I am willing to stop fighting yo for Mike."

"For Mike."

They shook hands and the three boys started brainstorming band names and songs they could do covers off. They didn't think of much because there was still this tension in the air and they were still more or less strangers when it came to music. But it was a start and they were all happy because of it.