Let Me Keep You Safe - 5SOS boyxboy

Chapter Ten

 "I'm so sorry, babe," Michael says into the phone, a cough erupting from him.

Calum giggles softly. "It's not your fault, Mikey. Everyone gets sick. I'll be fine to walk to school for a few days."

It's a little over half way through the month of March, so at least Calum knows that it won't be completely freezing in the mornings. Cal used to walk to school before he started dating Michael anyways seeing as how riding the bus makes Calum anxious. Having to deal with the bullies at school is one thing, but being trapped in a metal box with them for over an hour with no way to escape is another.

Calum glances at his watch and sees that he only has about half an hour to get to school. It's usually a fifteen minute walk depending on how quickly he moves so he should probably start getting ready to leave.

"I'll be over right after school to take care of you, okay?" Calum says, walking around his room and collecting his things.

Michael laughs. "Cal, I'm fine, really. I think it's just the flu or something. Besides, I don't want to get you sick as well."

"Michael Gordon," Calum warns. Mikey knows that Cal is serious when he uses his full name. "I won't take any arguments on the subject. You're sick and nobody is there to take care of you. I'll be over after school."

Michael sighs, knowing he can't win this argument. "Okay but can you at least call a taxi or something? It's a really long walk from the school to my apartment and I don't want you getting hurt or lost or-"

"Mikey," Calum smiles, cutting him off. "I'll be fine. You just worry about getting yourself healthy again, yeah?"

"Alright," Michael agrees. "Text me between classes, okay? I might not answer if I'm asleep but I just want to know that you're okay."

"I will," Calum assures him as he slings his backpack over his shoulder and walks down the stairs and toward the front door.

"Love you," Michael says as another cough erupts from him.

"Love you too, Mikey," Calum smiles. "Now go get some rest and I'll see you soon."

Calum hangs up the phone and takes a deep breath as he gets ready to walk to school. He's extremely nervous about being at school without Michael. This will be the first time since the two of them started dating. Jake and his friends haven't stopped sending threats and demeaning texts to Calum, and he just hopes that they won't try anything while Michael is away.

He arrives in front of the school about ten minutes early, just as he had expected. Calum walks in through a side door, hoping that since he didn't use the main entrance, there will be less people around to see him. He quickly makes his way to his locker, trying to keep his head down the whole time so that nobody will notice him.

His hands shake as he puts his locker combination in, and he has to redo it a few times before he can actually manage to unlock it. He quickly takes out the books that he's going to need for the rest of the day. They make his book bag a lot heavier than usual, but he'd rather deal with that than risk coming to his locker between classes and leaving himself so exposed.

He closes his locker and checks the clock on the wall. First period starts in five minutes. He walks quickly to his classroom and sits down at his desk even though no one else is there yet. He feels slightly safer in the confines of a classroom than he would in the hallway.

The next few minutes go by slowly as the rest of the students begin to trickle into the classroom. Calum keeps his head down, but he is very aware of the fact that one of Jake's friends, Matt, has taken his seat directly behind Calum. He can feel Matt's eyes boring into him, but he doesn't dare turn around. He's nervous enough as it is.

The teacher walks in just as the bell rings and he immediately starts his lesson. Calum can't bring himself to focus on what's happening in the class. He's too scared of what might happen during the next few hours.

He knew that coming to school without Michael was probably a bad idea, but he couldn't just skip simply because his boyfriend did.

As soon as the bell rings to end the class, Calum is immediately out of his seat, trying to be the first one out of the room. He walks quickly through the hallways, squeezing himself through groups of people as he makes his way to second period.

The door to the room comes into view and he breathes a sigh of relief as he sits down in his usual seat. None of Jake's cronies are in this class, so at least he'll have an hour to breathe and recollect himself.

He pulls out his phone, quickly typing a message to Michael so that his boyfriend doesn't get too worried.

Just got to second period. How are you feeling? xx

Michael doesn't reply before the bell rings to start class, so Calum puts his phone on silent and slides it into his backpack. As much as he wants to text Michael, he also doesn't want to get himself in trouble with the teacher. The teachers are just about the only people at this school who actually like Calum, and he's not about to jeopardize that.

Calum keeps up his routine of rushing from class to class and texting Michael brief updates throughout the day. So far, it seems to be working. When the final bell of the day rings, Calum is up and out of his seat before anyone else, eager to get out of the building and go see Michael.

Just as he walks out of the classroom, however, Jake is standing there, a sick smile on his face.

"Hey, Calum. Where you running off to so fast?" He asks, taking a step toward the small boy and trapping him against a wall.

Calum begins to tremble as he looks down at the floor. "H-home," he answers.

"How about you and I have a little conversation out back first, huh?"