The Bass Player » [cashton] √

2.5

[30th of November - Boston]

Boston was a city Calum knew pretty well, before transferring to another university he had gone to college there at Emerson. He'd transferred after his second year and met the Lesedi and the girls. He'd spent most of his time in his third year being ostracised by their fandom and working incredibly hard on his studies to try and make his transition as easy as possible. They'd planned on being on campus this year and finishing their final year before trying to make something of the band, but they'd gotten an email over the summer with an offer they couldn't refuse, and that series of events had led Calum to exactly this moment.

Which was he and Luke strolling along the river of a city he felt like he knew from another lifetime. Luke asked questions intermittently about Boston and college, even going so far as to ask why Calum had left, as he seemed to like it so much here?

"It was a long way away from my family, and as much as I liked it here, still like it here, I never really felt like I'd set down any roots, it was just a place I was living, you know?" He tried to explain, despite the fact he'd never really known why he was so sure it was time to leave Boston behind.

Luke hummed his understanding, "Do you think LA will be different when you finally move?"

That wasn't a question Calum had wanted to think about, but if he were honest the thought of living in LA, so close to Ashton and knowing that their relationship, whatever it may be would be over, left him with an immense feeling of loneliness. Which he reminded himself he had another three months to work out and just pushed it down, you know the healthy thing to do.

"If I'm busy I'm sure I'll settle in quick enough, that's the key when you move somewhere new," Calum told him, tapping his temple knowingly, Luke chuckled and Calum moved quickly to divert the conversation. "You seem a lot less tense lately, I like this Luke, he's got good vibes," he chuckled.

Luke smiled modestly in response, "Thanks, it's a lot easier to chill out when you don't have a creep for a bassist," he ran his hand through his hair as he spoke, it felt like it came from a nervous place, maybe Luke didn't think he should be saying anything. He pretty much confirmed Calum's suspicions when he lowered the hand but his eyes remained diverted.  

It was quiet for a moment, almost awkward until Calum decided to just ask what he wanted, "so," he began slowly, "you guys knew?"

There was an achingly long moment before Luke responded that Calum was so sure he'd asked the wrong question, "Knew it was only a matter of time," he paused again and Calum thought he was going to leave it at that, but he kept going, "But he hadn't breached his contract, we couldn't have gotten rid of him unless we'd had the money to essentially buy him out, which we would have if we hadn't have kept giving him writing credits for shit he didn't write." They'd come to a stop, and the only reason Calum had even noticed was that Luke had looked down at his shoes for a very long moment. The frustration had been clear in his voice and Calum got the distinct feeling that if they hadn't stopped and Luke hadn't stared holes into his shoes he might have raised his voice like that day Calum had overheard he and Angus from the cupboard.

"We did want him out though. Thought it might give him the kick in the arse he needed to get his act together. We knew we would get so much backlash for it though, there are so many of our fans that really genuinely like him," He shook his head as he spoke but he still didn't make eye contact with Calum, "That was the plan though, ride it out another six months and then when it came time to renew our contract, just refuse. "

Calum was floored, how could things been so close to changing drastically and Angel & Trinkets and himself hadn't even known, Luke finally looked up and Calum's thoughts stopped, waiting for what he would say next, "We were gonna get a new band name and record deal and all that shit but it would have been worth it," He looked at Calum with large sad eyes for a moment before they seemed to harden, "I just feel so guilty, like maybe if we'd been able to get him out of the spotlight sooner he wouldn't have been able to do something like this," he swallowed thickly, shrugging, but his shoulders didn't relax.