mute // cake

37: You and Me

After dinner, Mali Koa excused herself. She had to go to work. Calum later told me that she took tonight off.

I didn't realize that this would be such a problem for Mali Koa.

Mrs. Hood was so happy that Calum was happy. And Calum was speaking again. Every time he said something, her face lit up all over again. He couldn't go back to being mute again, not around her. She would be crushed.

Calum and I cleaned up, falling into a comftorable silence. Now that we were out to our families, we would be out to our friends. That wouldn't be hard to do. Calum was more willing to do that than tell his mom.

"I think it went well," I said.

Calum nodded, smiling. "So, boyfriend, when my mom inevitably goes out for Girl's Night Out, want to go downstairs and fulfill your wish?"

Sex to Zeppelin. Almost forgot.

"Most definitely. However, the music must be vinyl," I teased.

Calum bit his lip. "How does plugging in my phone to speakers sound?"

"Satisfactory," I said.

Calum looked over to his mom in the other room. "Mom, what time is Girl's Night Out?"

"What even is that," I whispered.

Calum held one finger up to me.

Mrs. Hood shuffled some papers. "Seven."

It was 6:20.

"She goes out with a few other moms and they have a few drinks, gossip, go to a male strip club- I honestly don't know."

I laughed. "Sounds like fun."

"Male strip clubs?"

I nodded. "We should go to one sometime."

Calum smacked my arm. "When my mom leaves-"

Mali Koa walked into the kitchen, seeing the two of us together, laughing and touching. She looked... I don't even know. But not pleasant.

"Hi Mali Koa," Calum said, his hand still on my arm and his other wrapping itself around my waist.

"Hi Calum. Hi Luke," she said, with fake pleasantness.

"Hi Mali Koa," I said.

"I'm going to be downstairs while mom's out. You two can... Do whatever you do... Upstairs," she said, not trying to hide her discomfort.

"Actually," Calum said. "We were going to-"

"Okay, I'll be going out," she said, turning around and changing her mind.

"We aren't-"

"No!" She yelled, cutting Calum off. "I'm going out!"

I looked to Calum, who had a strange mix of emotions on his face. Confusion, fear, anger, and sadness. The moment he looked at me, that all went away, leaving something happier. But still bittersweet.

Mali Koa wasn't taking this too nicely. And it was hurting Calum.

-----

Calum finished lighting the candles, leaving us illuminated in the shadows. The lights flickered, constantly changing. Calum's tanned skin looked golden brown in the light.

Calum sat on his knees, taking off his shirt. I loved his body, and every time I saw it, I wanted him. I removed mine, carefully throwing it away from the candles. Calum began to take off his pants, and I followed his lead. Soon enough, we were both naked, sitting across from each other on the blankets. The ground was soft, and the air was arm. It was beginning to smell nice from the candles, too.