mute // cake

43: Spring Break

When Ashton and Michael got here the next morning, they brought with them food (which neither Calum nor I thought to bring), ping pong, and booze.

The four of us set up the ping pong table in the garage, playing music and drinking while we had a tournament going. We didn't keep score of how many games we won, we just kept playing until we were too drunk to even serve without the ball going off the table. Except for Calum. I noticed him pouring Coke into his red cup. That was one thing I liked about Calum, he was himself. No peer pressure or anything would make him change.

Around ten, when we were finishing up our ping pong games, a few girls showed up in their bathing suites. Three of them, all friends. The one had purple hair.

"We couldn't help but notice your game, can we play?" The one with the purple hair asked.

Ashton and Michael immediately nodded. "Yes."

I handed my puck to the blonde with the belly button ring, and I stood back with Calum and watched Michael and Ashton play against the blonde and the purple haired girl. They introduced themselves but I didn't really listen.

The third girl, a quieter blonde without a belly button piercing, stood next to me, slowly getting closer and closer. I started a conversation, both of us talking about surfing until I felt Calum's hand on my waist.

"I'm going to go inside to get some more drinks, you want to come?" he whispered in my ear.

I nodded. "Yeah. I'll be right back," I told the girl, following Calum into the house.

"Those girls are so annoying," Calum said.

"Not really, the one was nice-"

"She was trying to get into your pants, Luke. Did you see the way she kept pulling down her shorts bit by bit?"

I shook my head. "No, Cal. I wasn't paying attention to that," I said, pulling him into a hug. "Stop being so jealous."

Calum kissed my neck. "I'm sorry. I just... I don't like girls who flirt with my boyfriend," he said. "What can I say? I'm a jealous person."

I kissed Calum slowly, not sexually or lustfully. Just to kiss him, to reassure him that I hadn't suddenly developed feelings for girls. Or for anyone other than him, really.

"I have a secret," Calum said. "And you can't get mad."

I nodded, taking his hands in mine. "I won't."

Calum smiled, bouncing on his feet a little. "I tried out for the football team."

I smiled. "Football football or soccer?"

"Soccer," he said. "But you know how it is in America. It's football to me," Calum said, squeezing my hands. "And I made the team."

We hugged, more as friends than boyfriends. "That's amazing, Cal! What position?"

"Center. And I'm starting varsity."

I kissed his cheek, totally boyfriend like now. "That's so amazing. I'm so happy for you!"

He nodded, running his hand through his hair. "Yeah... Will you cheer me on at my games?"

I nodded. "Of course. I'll be front row in your practice jersey."

Calum kissed my cheek. "Good. But you can't be angry that I have practice 6 days a week," he said.

I nodded, thinking about it. "I can survive. Maybe boost my grades up. Do some homework. Find a hobby."

Calum rolled his eyes, his fingers intertwined with mine. "Thank you. So much. I needed you to approve before I could do it."

I kissed his cheek one last time. "I'm always supporting you one hundred percent. With everything."

Calum pulled me into a hug, and we stood there listening to Ashton and Michael yell, then the girls laugh.

"I don't really want to go back down there," I said. "Let's watch Breaking Bad."

Calum nodded. "And snuggle."

"Maybe a little," I teased him.