"Do we have to?" Michael whines.
Ashton rolls his eyes and gives him a stern look. "You know we do."
Michael averts his attention down to his hands in his lap. His nerves are multiplying by the second, overwhelming and threatening to drown him. He has to wipe his palms on his jeans several times just to get the sweat off. Bile is rising in his throat.
"It'll all work out," Calum tells him with a comforting pat on the shoulder.
The three sit silently in the car after that. Normally, they would be in a bickering mess by now, but Michael's anxiety seems to be hanging over them like a dark cloud.
They pull up to the local ice cream joint and Michael's nervousness peaks. Inside, Luke is already waiting for them, unaware that everything is about to change.
It was tough decision to make, to tell Luke the truth. It took a few hours, a lot of sighing, and quite a bit of resignation, but finally they came to an agreement. Ashton had been glum about it, even though he knew it was something that had to be done. It was what Michael deserved. Then Michael became the unsure one, second guessing everything. Calum was the only one who could convince him to follow through, and there being the reason he's come along today.
Michael stares at the door with his breath catching in his throat. "I can't do this," he gasps.
"Yes you can," Calum coos. "I even picked an ice cream place to do this at because it's impossible to be upset here." He grins for a moment, proud of himself.
Shooting a quick glare at him, Michael replies lowly, "We'll see about that."
Michael then stares at his door handle as if it'll burn him. With extreme hesitance, he opens it and places a foot on the ground. He attempts on more than one occasion to turn around and dive back into the car, but is pushed back out by the other boys.
"Come on," Calum groans. He takes Michael by the shoulder and begins to drag him towards the shop.
"I can't! He's going to hate me!" Michael wails, digging his heels into the asphalt.
"If he's going to hate anyone, it's me," Ashton says softly. Michael pauses and looks over at him, at his sad smile.
Then, to continue his childish behavior, Michael slumps in defeat and stomps towards the entrance. He barges through the door, his nerves temporarily forgotten. Until he spots Luke that his.
Luke is sitting in a booth, looking perfect as always. His hair, which is normally styles upwards, is left flat against his forehead and yet still appears effortlessly flawless. He's looking at something on his phone, and by the way his eyes are brightening, it must be funny. Michael soaks in his smile for a moment; who knows if it'll still be there when they leave.
Suddenly, he feels someone nudging him towards Luke's table and he begins to panic. "Guys- wait- no.." He protests.
It's no use. Luke glances up and sees them immediately. He waves them over with a toothy grin.
"It'll be okay," Calum whispers to Michael one last time before they reach him. Michael's muscles release the tiniest bit of tension at his soothing words.
"Hey!" Luke greets cheerfully. He looks over each of the three with nothing but curiosity.
They each mumble a hi or hey in return.
Trying to delay the inevitable, they decide on ordering their ice cream first. It doesn't seem to take up nearly enough time. Before they know it, they're all crunched into the booth, nibbling nervously at ice cream cones. Michael is beside Calum, and Luke of course is next to Ashton. The arrangement is a cause of awkwardness for everyone but Luke.
"So uh.." Ashton coughs.
Michael glances up at him with a startled, pleading expression. He tries to beg him to wait; he's not ready. Ashton gives his head a minute shake and continues.
"I asked you to come here because we, um, we need to tell you something."
Michael is gripping his ice cream cone far too tightly at this point, and the possibility of it exploding in his hand is very real. Calum gives his leg a soft, hidden squeeze.
"Yes..?" Luke prompts.
"Well.. shit how do I start this?" Ashton asks. He's met with only blank stares. "Okay, well I guess I'll start by saying I'm a complete douche."
Calum chuckles and Luke protests, but Ashton cuts him off.
"I was at the party that night, but I wasn't the one with you. I was being distracted by this twat-" he gestures towards Calum who gives a cheeky grin, "-and it was someone else who wrote that poem."
Luke's eyebrows are furrowed deeply. He looks like he's never been this confused before.
"It was Michael. Michael met you and took care of you and wrote it. He did everything."
"Then why did you say..?" Luke questions.
"Because I'm a selfish, shitty person who has a little crush on you," Ashton sighs. "I made him write the other poem for me, too. It was all him. He's the one who really likes you okay."
Luke's eyes are darting from person to person. He still looks kind of confused, but now his features are clouded by anger and hurt. He almost looks like he doesn't want to believe any of what they're saying.
"I'm so sorry.." Michael finally speaks up.
Luke sends him a glare. "Save it," he snaps.
Michael sucks in a sharp breath. He knew it. He knew Luke would hate him. Calum's rubbing his shoulder to try and keep him calm, but he can hardly feel it.
"How do I know any of what you're saying is true?" Luke asks.
The realization of what needs to happen hits Michael right in the gut. He quietly asks for a pen and napkin, which he promptly receives. He takes deep, steadying breaths. With shaking hands, he begins to write on the slightly crumpled paper napkin.
He hates that he's always put on the spot with his writing. It never results in his best work. For this, though, he just needs something simple to prove their story.
This poem ends up being only a few lines long and it's not the happiest, but it's clearly his.
He slides it across the table slowly. All eyes are on him, all lips are shut tight. No one says a word as Luke picks it up and with a doubtful expression begins to read it.
"Oh," is all Luke says ones he's finished.
Michael looks down at his ice cream, which he had set aside, and finds that he no longer has an appetite.
"Well that's certainly the same person.. So it was you?" Luke asks.
Michael shrinks back into his seat with a small nod.
Luke shakes his head at them, trying to think. Then he abruptly slides out of the booth. "I'll see you all around," he says before exiting.
A feeling of despair takes root in each of their stomachs. The poem is later left on the table- why not continue the tradition they reason.
