If You Don't Swim You'll Drown

9 - Dinner At The Hoods pt2

Sorry for being away for so long. My laptop broke twice and I almost lost everything I had written. Sorry for the long wait and I really hope someone is still reading this. Let me know what you think.

Dinner at the Hoods' is nothing like Michael imagined it. Not that he's imagined it in the first place.

He can feel the tension in the air as soon as Joy Hood opens the main door. Mali gives Michael a small smile that he returns with a nod of his head, while Calum crosses his arms over his chest. His face is emotionless, but his body language makes it clear that he is ready for the war.

"Good evening," the woman greets with a fake smile that feels oddly familiar to Michael. For a moment he thinks back on his own family and the masks they wore every day. Then, he remembers that she is faking happiness for her son, not for some strangers she has business with. "It's Michael, isn't it?" she asks, outstretching her hand for Michael to shake it.

"Calum invited him over," Mali says, thankfully not giving out too much information.

Joy seems incredibly surprised, but somehow relieved at the same time. She smiles, a real smile this time and looks at Calum. Her smile drops again the moment she sees his face. "What happened? Are you okay? Did you fall?" She asks, getting closer and holding Calum's face with her hands. "Did you put some antiseptic on this?"

"Mom, it's just a scratch," Mali says at the same time as Calum says, "I'm okay, really."

"How did it happen?" Joy insists and Michael is scared of what she might do once she knows the truth.

Calum rolls his eyes once again. "I'll tell you, only if you promise to not make a big deal out of it," he says. His tone is harsh, but his eyes are so soft that they make Michael's heart beat faster.

Joy closes her mouth, her lips making a thin line. She makes an almost non existent nod with her head and lets Calum explain. "I slipped when I was getting out of the pool."

"What?" Joy asks in disbelief, turning to Michael immediately. "Where were you? How did he fall?"

Michael almost feels like throwing up. He doesn't like to be looked at like Joy is. He knows that deep down it was his fault. It's barely a scratch but Michael not knowing how to reply without makes her even more angry. "I- I mean. Eh."

"He wasn't with me, mom. I was with Ashton," Calum says and Joy's eyes almost bulge out of their sockets.

Mali's laugh fills the air, her cheery voice saying, "Tell her the good part, before she has a heart attack." When Calum doesn't talk, she keeps going. "He raced Ashton today. Little champ is coming back."

Michael watches as the family scene unrolls in front of his eyes. Mali hugs Calum, rubbing his arm as if the gesture could give him some energy. Calum just stares at his mom's face, trying to figure out her reaction and he radiates a sense of guilt that Michael doesn't understand. Joy blinks a couple of times, before smiling and hugging her son.

"We deserve to celebrate then!" She says, letting go of him. "I'm sorry if I was a bit harsh on you, Michael," she adds, before heading upstairs.

As soon as they are alone, Calum punches his sister in the arm. "Don't give her false hope." he says. If Michael looks closely, he can see his hands shake. Mali doesn't seem to notice but Michael can't ignore it. From the first moment he met Calum, even when he thought he was no more than a rich brat acting like he owns the places, he has always felt this urge to protect the smaller boy and he can't stand to see him this upset.

.

Dinner mostly consists into Joy and Mali forcing Calum to eat until he can taste the bile in his throat. Their dad doesn't join the table, which is something Calum is relieved about, for once. He has more to worry about.

"Can Michael and I go to my room?" he asks, when Mali gets up to put the dishes away. He barely waits for a reply, before hitting Michael's arm and prompting for him to go.

His back is hurting a lot, not used to so much movement. He can tell he doesn't like the feeling, but it's a feeling. He couldn't even feel pain back then, so he doesn't complain about it, not today at least.

He stumbles and he is ready to slam his face on the floor when Michael's arms catches him. "Need help?" He asks, supporting half of Calum's weight, so that his arms can take a break.

As much as Calum likes his independence, he doesn't like the idea of breaking his nose, it's already ugly as it is. So he reluctantly nods, letting Michael pick him up.

"You're lucky you're so small, you know?" Michael says playfully, pinching Calum's hip with his hand, making him squeal.

Once they are back in Calum's room and Calum is sitting on the bed, he finally dares to look at Michael.

"I told you, I'm not myself when I'm with them. I'm sorry you have to see me like this."

Michael rolls his eyes, looking around the room. "You know, if I didn't know about your cocky attitude, I'd say you're trying to impress me," he says. "I don't care if you're depressed or whatever. We all have our moments."

"Why are you here, Michael?" Calum asks, fidgeting with his hands. The question has been on his mind the whole time. He likes Michael and he likes getting closer to him, but he can't see a single reason why Michael would want to spend time with him when he isn't being paid for it.

"You called."

"And you could have stayed home."

"And miss out on your sister's pie? I hope you are kidding!" Michael says. He touches some of the medals that Calum keeps dangling from a shelf. His mom tried to put them away, but he wanted them there. Not the last one though. He has no idea of where that medal is. Maybe Matty has it. Or maybe his mom already got rid of it.

"You didn't have to come. But I'm glad you did. I like having you around." Calum says, before biting his lip. Why did he even said that?

Thankfully, Michael acts like it's perfectly normal. Like an eighteen years old boy hasn't just said that he is happy to have another adult man around. "You should make this room more Calum style. It could be a guest room for all I can see."

"It used to be a laundry room," Calum says. "My room was upstairs. It was a lot more teenage comfy. I don't like it anymore."

"Oh right, I forgot you're like eighty now!" Michael says rolling his eyes.

"That's not what I meant," Calum replies, throwing his pillow at Michael.

Michael catches it and throws it back, taking advantage of Calum's surprise to push him on the bed, sitting on top of him.

"This is totally out of line," Calum says playfully, pushing his palms on Michael's chest.

Michael laughs at him. "Right, because I haven't already hugged you, right? I have seen you naked too, in case you forgot."

Calum scoffs and Michael takes his hands, forcing him to stop pushing. "We should go out sometime."

"Maybe," Calum replies. "If you take me somewhere cool, I might accept it as a date."