mute // cake

30: Monumental

CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE PICTURE ABOVE FOR A MOMENT

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Aleisha must have hugged me for a year when she first saw me.

"Luke! Oh my god look at you! You look so good! I've missed you so much!"

"Hey, you look nice. I missed you too."

She finally let go of me, moving over to my mom and hugging her. My mom was more enthusiastic than I was.

I texted Calum, COME OVER NOW SOS

Aleisha and my mom let go, and I put my phone in my pocket.

"We want to take you do DC! You're only in America once, right? And it's the capital, we haven't been there- I wanted to surprise you and Luke," my mom said, clapping her hands.

My stomach dropped. "Uh, mum. That's like four and a half hours away."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm aware, Lucas."

"Calum was gonna come over," I said.

Aleisha spoke up. "Who's Calum?"

"My friend."

"He the one who played football?"

"Yeah."

Mum spoke up. "His only friend."

"I have other friends! Michael and Ashton."

"You only ever hang out with Calum."

"Arrest me!"

"Why are you being so moody?"

Aleisha spoke up. "Are you PMSing?"

My phone vibrated.

Calum: What's happening? I'm coming now.

Me: We're going to DC

"Just- ugh. Can Calum come?" Why was my mom pretending she didn't know that I didn't like Aleisha.

My mom nodded, watching me suspiciously. "Of course he can."

-----

Calum had the window seat. I sat in the middle. Aleisha on my right.

Mrs. Hood in the passenger seat.

Four and a half hours later, we finally got to get out of the car and away from our mom's constant talking.

The entire car ride they talked, Calum and I touching each other's hands and pulling away whenever Aleisha looked over to us. Not a lot of talking between us three. In fact, Calum didn't say anything.

I wasn't sure if I expected him too.

The five of us walked along the mall, this big strip of grass with monuments along the way. It was pretty. It was beautiful. Everything was really cool. Our mom's stopped to take pictures of us at every monument.

Eventually, we split up. Our mom's went to the museums, and Calum Aleisha and I went to the Lincoln Memorial.

We walked along the side of the reflecting pool, talking about the mistake in the writing on the wall.

"I forgot which side it's on," Calum said. "I saw it before. They messed up a letter in one of his speeches."

"Lincoln was a president?" Aleisha asked.

"Yeah, the 16th. Abolished slavery. Was pretty important," Calum said snappily.

Aleisha's hand brushed against mine. I pulled away, and Calum and I's fingers intertwined for a moment.

"The pool is so pretty," Aleisha said. "How deep is it?"

"A few feet. You can walk through the entire thing," Calum said.

"Are you allowed to?"

"No," Calum said, as if it was the dumbest thing I ever heard.

I laughed quietly, sneaking a wink to Calum. His lips went to my ear, not trying to hide our closeness now. "Still deep enough I could drown her."

We got to the steps. Looking up, it was beautiful. The white marble, the pool behind us, the Washington Monument in the distance.

"Aleisha, take a picture of me and Calum," I said, handing her the camera.

The two of us walked up to the bottom of the steps, and I felt Calum put his hand around my waist, and one on my stomach. I put my arm through his and held up a peace sign. Moments later, we let go of each other.

"Wait," Calum said. He pulled me back, closer than before. And he kissed me. In front of everyone.

Aleisha took a picture of us kissing. Her mouth dropped open.

"I knew it!"

We looked at her, blushing and surprised.

"You knew?"

She smiled, nodding her head. "You're so scared by my come ons. I thought 'He's gay or I got really ugly'. So obviously you were gay."

Wow, so humble.

"But when I saw you and Calum holding hands in the car I knew."

Calum smiled, looking at me again. He kissed my cheek, and the three of us began to walk towards the 16th president.

Along the way, at least three people stopped us to tell us that we made a good couple.

I've never been happier in my entire life.