Locked In [Malum]

Chapter 15 mikey

"You know that wasn't really cool." I tell Ashton as the three of us remained seated at the ice cream store after Calum walked out. 

"I was just teasing him." Ashton defends.

"Maybe, but this isn't really the place, and obviously both of us were uncomfortable so I don't think it was nice of you to do." I reply.

"I'm sorry." Ashton says.

"Come on guys, it'll be okay, just don't argue. " Luke comes in to mediate. 

"Well I think I'm gonna go after him." I tell the boys, "he's obviously not okay and maybe we can talk some things out." And then I throw my empty cup from my ice cream in the garbage bin beside the table. 

"Keep it PG." Ashton directs at me.

"You keep pushing it, if we did ever end up together I don't think we would even tell you guys." I tell him with my palms gripping the table and leaning so my face was in front of him and then I get up and walk out the store. I realize that I don't know where Calum went .

Me: Where are you?

Hoodie: beach, why?

I don't respond, instead I make my way to the beach that's just a few minutes away. As I walk I'm engrossed in my thoughts, I don't know what I will say when I'm with Calum, I'm hoping things will just click when we are together. But I was keeping my word when I told Ashton that I wouldn't say if Calum and I were dating. I feel the need to protect Calum and I don't know why but I oddly like it, I find it comforting. 

Once I'm on the beach I take a moment to try and find the dark haired boy. My eyes scan what appears to be an almost deserted beach with only a couple of people on it. I find Calum leaning up against a log a couple hundred meters down the beach and I begin to make my way towards him. One thing though he better appreciate this because I hate the beach, I can't stand all the sand that gets everywhere. I hate feeling it between my toes while I'm trying to walk, it's uncomfortable. 

As I near Calum it almost looks as if he's been crying, and he hasn't noticed me approaching him until I'm standing in front of him.

"Michael? What are you doing here?" Calum questions. 

"I came to talk. Plus Ashton was getting on my nerves, and I wanted to make sure you were okay." I shrug before going to beside him. Our shoulders touching but our hands are kept to ourselves. 

"Well I'm fine." He croaks out.

"Really Cal? I beg to differ, you're obviously upset." I turn to look at him and he sighs. 

"I just don't get him, I tell him how I am feeling and it's like he is using it against me. What kind of best friend does that? First he was helping me and now all he does is tease me!" Calum exclaims.

"Look, I don't really know Ashton, but maybe he's trying to come to terms with it the same way you are. I mean he helped you figure yourself out as far as your sexuality is and now he sees you with someone who you could possibly be with and maybe he feels like he's losing you in a way and on one hand he's happy for you but he also doesn't want to lose his friend."

"I'm not going to just drop him if I started dating someone, that doesn't give him the right to tease me to the point I don't want to be with him." 

"You're right, he shouldn't have done that and I told him that." I tell Calum. 

"You talked to Ashton for me?" Calum looks up surprised.

"For some reason I feel the need to protect you, I don't know why." I sigh and take one of his hands in mine and just kind of play with his fingers as I pull his hand into my lap and he just kind of lets me.