better. (a cake au)

five.

After three weeks of secretly being with Calum, it became too much. Not the Calum part, but the secretly part. I decided it was time to tell my family.

"Are you sure you're ready?" asks Calum as we talk on the phone.

"I'm positive." I reply. "I can't lie to them anymore. I'll tell you how it goes. See you soon."

"Bye, babe." He says as I hang up.

Ashton is back in town for a family wedding, so my whole immediate family is home. I nervously walk down the hall and knock on my parent's door, telling them to meet me in the living room because I need to talk to them. I do the same for Ashton and then anxiously jog down the stairs and pace around in the living room, waiting for them to come down. Once they do, we all sit down and I attempt to begin my planned speech. But that doesn't work. Speeches never work. Whoever invented speeches should have figured that out. Instead, I just kind of... talk.

"So... I've been happy lately." I start. "Happier than I have been in a while. Like last time I was this happy was like ... Christmas or something. I don't know. Everything feels like Christmas." I receive concerned stares from my parents and a confused and bored one from my brother. "I think the reason I'm so happy is because I'm in a, um... relationship." I say. I'm too far in to back out now.

"Alright, Luke!" Says Ashton. "Who's the lucky lady??"

"See that's the thing, is that it probably not the kind of relationship you're imagining. Well, actually, it's just like any other type of relationship, but without a girl. I don't really think about girls. Ever. I like boys." I choke out, getting a little teary as I do. "Calum. Calum is my boyfriend." I say and wipe a tear from my cheek.

"Oh, baby." Says my mother, standing up walking over to me. I stand up as well and she embraces me. "How long have you been together?"

"Like... A month." I say and wipe my eyes again. I notice my mother start to tear up.

"Well.. how long have you known you like boys?"

"Since I was a freshman." I choke, and my dad stands up, walking over to us. He adds himself to the hug and tells me that he's hear for me no matter what. Then Ashton says he needs to talk to be alone, so he takes me into his room.

"Luke, I'm not going to lie, but I've always had a suspicion you were gay. But I'm so proud of you for telling us. You're very brave. I'm so happy you're happy." He hugs me and I hug him back.

And then everything felt better.

---

"How'd it go?" Calum asks as we talk on the phone that night.

"Really well, actually. Have you told your parents yet?"

"Yeah, I told them last night. They just said they were glad I was happy and they support me no matter what."

"That's basically what my parents said." I say. "Do you want to come over?"

"Sure, I'll get my mom to drive me over. See you soon, babe." He says, and I hang up. I'm kind of nervous for my parents to be around him, now that they know, but I hope they won't act weird.

A few minutes later I hear a knock on the door and jump up to answer it.

"Hey, Cal." I say as I open it.

"Hello, Lucas." He says with a grin. "How are you this fine evening?"

"I'm wonderful, and you, kind sir?"

"I'm just fine." He says and extends his hand, which I take and bring it to my lips, kissing it before leading him into the house with a laugh. "Such a gentleman." He says, laughing.

"Aren't I?" I reply. "Shall we go upstairs?"

"Certainly." He says, smirking his usual goofy smirk.

Once we get upstairs, he sits on my bed and rips his jacket off. "Put on Animals by Maroon 5." He demands. I place my iPod on the dock and turn on the song. "Perfect." He grins. "Come here." he says, and I walk over to him. He scoots backwards and motions for me to sit on his lap. I place one leg on each side of him, straddling his lap, and he places his hands on the small of my back. I place mine on his cheeks and he ducks forward, pressing his lips to my neck. I silence my gasp my biting my lip and drop one of my hands, moving the other to his neck. He slowly kisses up my neck and jawline till he reaches my lips. Our lips automatically engage, moving in perfect sink as I wrap my arms around him and the plays with the hem of my shirt. After a moment he pulls back and doesn't say anything.

"What?" I ask.

"I love you." He says quickly, and my heart skips. I search for the words to say them back but I can't get the noise out. "Please say something, because I can't see your face so I'm not sure how you're feeling right now."

"I- Calum, I love you too." I choke out finally.

"Oh thank god." Says Calum with a relieved laugh as he hugs me.

And from there on out, things just kept getting better.