the hating game ; lrh

three

"RORY, WE'RE NOT WAITING for you," Calum says, shaking his head as we exit the classroom, books and pencil cases in hand.

After the ruckus that Luke caused during class, I had asked Calum ever-so-kindly to wait for me after school until my detention finished to drive home, so that I wouldn't have to walk. Upon influence from Luke (AKA the bane of my existence), Calum decided that he would be an awful brother today and leave me stranded at the high school.

"Calum, please!" I groan, tugging on his arm annoyingly as we walk to our lockers, ready to finish up the day along with the rest of the seniors. "I'll do your laundry for a month!"

"That's tempting..." Calum trails off, and he gazes questioningly at Luke, who simply shakes his head. Calum turns back to me instantly and repeats the action, shaking his head firmly. "No, sorry. We have rehearsals with Michael today."

"You're so whipped," I groan, shaking my head at my brother's codependence. I let out a frustrated sigh and run a hand through my long, dark hair, trying to think of other options. "Can't you just delay rehearsals?"

"No," Calum and Luke answer simultaneously, both of their gazes snapping towards me, stern looks on their faces.

"Okay, okay," I raise my hands in defence, my brown eyes wide. Calum and Luke were both a part of a band-type-trio, in which they played at different venues across the coast and occasionally recorded an acoustic cover for YouTube. "How about you pick me up after detention's over?"

We arrive at our lockers, which are (not so) conveniently set very close together. The lockers were set in alphabetical order, so, naturally, because Calum and I were twins, our lockers sat right beside one another. Luke, having been born with a last name that also began with the letter 'H', had a locker a few spots to the left of Calum and I.

Luke and Calum share a glance, and Calum looks back at me uneasily. "I don't know..." he says, tugging his plump lower lip back into his mouth with his teeth as he thought on the topic.

"Please, Cal?" I beg, pressing my hands together in a prayer sign. I jut out my lower lip, widening my eyes and raising my brows. "Please? You can't leave me stranded at this hellhole, I'm your sister."

"Stop trying to do the puppy-dog face," Luke snaps, frowning at me as he throws his books carelessly into his locker. "It doesn't work on you."

"Shut up," I rebut weakly, my attempt at a pleading face dropping momentarily as I insult the boy.

"Well, I could pick you up afterwards," Calum says slowly, letting out an unsure sigh. "But you'd have to come to practice."

"Yes!" I cry out in a cheer, clapping my hands together. I step forward and throw my arms around my brother, pressing a sloppy kiss to his cheek. Calum winces, attempting to pull away, but failing. I step back and pull my bag from my locker, sliding some books into it for the homework that I would complete later that night. "Thankyou, Callie!"

Luke snickers from his locker at the nickname for my brother, as a red blush creeps up Calum's neck and taints his cheeks red.

"Yeah, Callie," Luke sneers, rustling my brother's dark curls. "You're such a good big brother!"

I roll my eyes at the sarcasm that slips easily off of Luke's tongue. I swing the door of my locker shut, twisting the lock closed and hooking my bag over my shoulder. I punch Luke in the shoulder, to which he winces and rubs the spot painfully, and wave goodbye carelessly over my shoulder.

"I'll see you at four!" I call back over my shoulder, and make my way into detention.

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