Beating scars, Relapse hearts [Malum af]

Chapter 18: You've just added to the level of rudeness

Last chapter :'(
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When Michael didn't return in the morning Calum wasn't surprised. He wasn't expecting him too. After feeling sorry for himself for a few hours he decided to drag himself to Luke's before he had a chance to leave for college - there was no way in hell that either of them would be attending today.

"What crawled up your butt?" Luke asked as soon as he opened the front door and saw Calum leaning against the door frame with his head hanging low.
"Fuck off," Calum muttered, pushing past Luke and heading straight to the kitchen. By the time Luke had closed the door and trailed after him half his carton of apple juice was running down Calum's oesophagus.
"Well that's rude."
"Your face is rude."
"You've just added to the level of rudeness."
"Luke, please stop talking, there are no such things as levels of rudeness, if there were fucking Michael would be at the top tier," He put the carton back the the fridge and slammed it shut as Luke let out an exasperated sigh. "And if you want to talk about being rude that was." 

"What did he do this time then?" Luke asked, jumping up on the counter which caused Calum to roll his eyes.
"It wouldn't hurt for you to sound a little more caring," Calum mumbled. "He just left, like right in the middle of the night and didn't come home."
"Is that it?"
"The fuck do you mean is that it?" Calum snapped.
"He probably went to meet some guy, don't take it personally."
"What do you know?" 
"Just a guess," Luke shrugged, "Come on, don't want to be late for sociology!" He fake grinned, patting Calum's shoulder as he planted his feet back on the ground.
"We're not going."
"Yes we are!" Luke chimed, wrapping his arm around Calum's shoulders and dragging him into the hallway. "And you never know, Michael might be there."
"He doesn't have any classes today, doofus."
"Still, we've got A Levels to take, my friend!" 
"I don't even have my books," Calum sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets.
"Good job I have mine then."

By the end of the day after a few calls and messages from Calum and Luke sent to Michael, there was still no response. Calum was worried. At first he thought that maybe he'd got Ash to pick him up and they were too busy humping to let anyone know that Michael was okay. Calum decided that if anyone knew where he might be it would be him mum.

"Calum?" She asked when he walked in through the front door, "If you're looking for Michael he's not here."
"Do you know where he is?" She sighed and ran a hand over her face before nodding.  "Well?"
"He left me this," She said, fishing out her phone from her pocket and opening up a text.
'Before you panic I'm safe, I'm going to be spending some time with a friend for a while in Boston, I don't know when I'll be back.' 

All of Calum's anger seemed to rise in his chest and bubble in his veins. He handed back Ms Clifford her phone and stormed out, shaking the flat when he slammed the door. He couldn't believe Michael could just pack up and leave because of him. He didn't even say goodbye. He grabbed his ringing phone from his pocket and resisted the urge to smash his screen on the pavement rather than answering the call.
"What?" He spat, stomping down the street.
"Okay you're not in a good mood," Ashton nervously chuckled.
"He's fucking gone, Ash!"
"What? Who left?"
"Fucking Michael fucking left."
"Did he say anything?" Calum was shocked at how worried Ashton sounded. He almost laughed.
"Something about a friend in Boston, ring any bells?"
"None. Did you ask Luke?"
"Well seeing as I found out twenty seconds ago no."
"Calm down, Cal."
"Don't fucking tell me to calm down! Fuck this!" He shouted down the phone before hanging up, ignoring the dozens of stares he was receiving, and marched over to Luke's house.

He didn't bother knocking this time and walked straight into the living room where he found Luke watching an episode of Sponge Bob with unopened text books and notes scattered around him on the floor. "Twice in one day, aren't I lucky?"
"He's in Boston with a friend," Calum said, side stepping the papers and sitting down next to him.
"Really?" Luke asked and Calum nodded "Fuck. Did he say when he'd get back?" Calum shook his head. "So what? That's it? Let's go to Boston!" Luke said, jumping up and sitting down straight away due to the wave of dizziness that hit him.
"We're not going to Boston."
"Why not?" Luke asked, wrapping an arm around Calum's waist hoping to provide some sort of comfort.
"He just left Luke, he doesn't want us to go after him."
"How do you know that?"
"Because Michael doesn't like people knowing shit about him, he won't be back for a while," Calum sighed, moving away from Luke's embrace.
"You're his best friend, Cal, you should go."
"Do you think he'd do the same for me?" Calum asked and Luke didn't respond, which was all the confirmation he needed.