neighbor [cake]

열세

calum didn't feel like it was, but now was the middle of february and spring break already passed. now calum was behind on his studies, since all he did that week was play video games and eat starbursts.

surprisingly, calum didn't hang out with luke that week, since luke and adie visited their families back in sydney.

calum was in the middle of calculus homework when he realized he couldn't answer the damn question. his mind was everywhere, thinking about 4 different subjects at a time.

"fuck!" he muttered, throwing his pencil onto the textboom in front of him as he stomped to his bedroom, leaving the school essentials on his kitchen table.

he was so frustrated and sad, he couldn't bare to look at another number in his state. he slammed the bedroom door and slid his back down it, bringing his knees up to his chest as he wrapped his arms around.

"i'm so fucking dumb. i'm never going to graduate." he whispered to himself, tears streaming down his face.

all calum wanted to do was make his parents proud. mali was always the 'star' child who did everything perfectly, while calum was the one in the background doing things that amazed him that no one really seemed to appreciate but himself.

his parents thought calum was a bit of an odd child, so they sent him to live by himself in chesire, while they lived with mali in london, so he could get his head 'out of the gutter' and get his priorities straight. if calum didn't graduate, well first, it wouldn't be such a surprise to his parents. second, he's pretty sure that they would disown him.

high academic grades and standards was all that his parents were about, never music, or sports, or excellence in extra curricular activities. it was either you're smart, or you're living on the street.

calum cried into his knees as the stress pounded through his head. he just wanted to be smart, he wanted to impress his parents, impress his classmates, impress luke. he didn't want be that stupid ass kid who took 3 extra years in high school.

calum pulled his phone out of his pocket and scrolled through the contacts, searching for luke 😇.

he found his name and tapped on the chat bubble, the iMessages popping up. he typed into the bubble and sent it to luke, hoping he would reply.

calum 🚀: luke i really need help on calculus :(

there was no response, making calum groan. he threw his phone at his bed and lied on the ground, not realising that he was falling asleep in a matter of seconds.

//

it was a few hours until calum heard a knock on the door, making him shoot up from the ground.

he ruffled his hair lazily as he walked outside of his room and towards the door. calum yawned as he opened the front door as his eyes widened.

"l-luke? hi. wasn't expecting you." he stuttered, slapping himself mentally afterwards.

a smiled graced onto luke's features as he observed the younger boy, looking at how cute he was in his oversized sweatshirt that he gave him with sweatpants.

"oh, you didn't get my text? i said earlier i would come over."

"oh, sorry. i didn't realise i fell asleep and-"

"don't worry. i'll help you with calculus. in no time you be calcuCALUM, the superhero!"

calum blushed and let the bloke inside, guiding him to the kitchen where his notebooks laid.

//

"and you multiply this, and divide the total with the count, and that's the answer!" luke spoke to him. he looked over to calum who was deep in thought writing in his notebook.

"i got the answer!" he exclaimed. luke looked on his paper and laughed. "um calum, that's not the right answer."

calum groaned. "i was hoping you wouldn't notice."

luke chuckled and scooted closer to him, calum hoping he wouldn't hear his heart pounding against his chest.

"hey, how about this, everytime you get a question right... is how many bags of startbursts i buy you. the king pack."

calum's eyes widened as he joyfully nodded, agreeing with luke's deal. he began to write several numbers and techniques he used to attempt the problem.

//

calum finally finished his calculus homework, with a total of 6 questions right, and now calum and luke were on their way to the store to buy starbursts.

"look luke! there's a small cat on the sidewalk! it's so cute! i wish i could keep it!" calum cheered. luke tried to hold in his urge to peck his whole tiny face with kisses and tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

the cuteness was too much for luke.

"he's cute, just like you!" luke retaliated, making calum blush in response. "i'm not cute."

"yes you-"

"lucas, i may be dumb, but i know i'm not cute."

"you're right. you're not cute." calum's chest dropped as his smile turned into a frown.

"you're beautiful calum."

calum scoffed back at him. "that's impossible. i'm a guy. only girls can be beautiful."

luke shook his head, eyes remained on the road. "well, if girls were the only thing beautiful, i'd make one thousand scientific theories and methods to prove you're the most beautiful person i've ever seen."

calum felt himself groan inside. he is ruining my life, he thought.