the boss ➟ muke ✓

twenty eight

"yeah," michael said with a sharp intake of air, trying to clear his stuffy nose. calum smiled at his best friend and gave him one last hug before he had to leave and go back inside the chapel. michael was left alone again, and his time was running out.

he took a final shaky breath and then pushed his shoulders back before leaving the dressing room, seeing his mum standing outside waiting for him.

"you're ready?" she asked, watching him concernedly. michael nodded quietly and walked with his mum to the chapel doors, where the wedding was being held. he could hear talking from inside and briefly peeked inside to see what was going on.

brooks was standing in front of the rows of people talking to the minister, who would be marrying them that morning. michael's gaze shifted toward the crowd of seated people, seeing calum and ashton sitting toward the front. his heart did a flip-flop behind his ribcage when he saw the back of a certain blonde's head seated next to ashton.

no, stop, michael thought to himself, you shouldn't get so excited over this; it means nothing.

"how're you feeling, sweetie?" his mum questioned, making michael pull his gaze away from the blonde and onto his mum. he met her eyes and gave her a small smile, genuinely feeling better after seeing luke sitting there with calum and ashton.

"b-better," he replied after exhaling breathily. she gave him a thumbs up and then shifted her weight from one foot to the other, probably unsure of what to say next. they heard a wave of people shh others from inside and they peeked their heads in again so that they could see what was going on.

michael felt like he was going to piss his pants when he saw that the minister was starting the wedding reception. he pulled his head back before brooks could notice him in the back of the room and exchanged a nervous glance with his mum.

the minister talked and droned on for about five minutes, before michael heard his name being called from inside. his mum carefully held onto michael's arm before they both walked in, the crowd of people turning their heads and standing up as they walked in.

michael felt like his legs had turned to jelly and he was finding it hard to breathe. he kept his gaze straight ahead on brooks, but then found himself shifting his gaze to the floor the closer they got to the front.

his mum took her seat in the front row as michael took the two steps and joined brooks at the front, joining hands with him. brooks eyed michael up and down and mouthed, 'you look beautiful,' which made michael blush.

the crowd of people took a seat and michael felt the urge to glance over to where luke was sitting, but he kept still for the moment. his gaze kept darting to his hands in brooks', brooks' light blue eyes, and the minister standing a bit behind them but in the middle of them so they made a triangle.

the minister talked for quite a while, going on about the duties between them as husband and husband. michael was starting to become bored and wondered if luke was, too. what if luke got up in the middle of the whole thing and left?! michael would probably start crying.

another what if dawned on michael. what if luke, so overcome with the fact that michael had ended things between them, got up and told everyone that michael had been cheating on brooks?! gosh, these scenarios flying through michael's mind were making him sick.

the black haired boy met brooks' eyes again and took a deep breath. 'you love brooks, you love brooks, you love brooks,' michael chanted to himself in his mind, sending a closed-mouthed smile at brooks. before michael had the chance to catch brooks' smile, he was turning his face and glancing out into the crowd.