Give me Michael - Malum AU

.10.

When Michael went home from school that day, he didn't embrace his mother, nor did he say 'hello'. He went straight to his room and locked himself in it. He didn't want to talk to anyone, especially not his parents. He laid down on his bed, and looked at the celling trying not to think about anything anymore. However even against his will his mind was racing. Images from the afternoon were in his mind. He couldn't stop seeing the burnette, crying, hurt. The blue haired boy was mad. He was mad at his so called 'friends' for having been doing that, mad at himself for letting that happen. He was thinking that this time they had been too far, and he was right.

His eyes fell on a picture he had on his shelf. It was Calum and him a few years ago. Before the brunette told him he was gay, before he betrayed the younger lad, before the bullying and everything. They looked so innocent, so happy, so... themselves. When things had fallen apart, Michael hadn't been able to put the picture away, even after his mother yelled at him to do so. He just couldn't. A silent tear rolled down his cheek while he was reaching for the photobook hidden under his bed. It was full of pictures like the one on his shelf. Some of them were just Calum's one, some others were Michael's one that had been taken by the kiwi and most of them were pictures of the both of now teenagers. Pictures of them hugging, pictures of them making grimaces, pictures of them at halloween... The pale boy watched every single one of them, smiling. The last picture that was in the book was the one of a box. That's when Michael totally broke down, memories invading him.

"Mama, we're going to hide a treasor in the garden!"

"Go ahead boys, but don't snatch my flowers!"

The two kids ran to the garden of the younger and sat nearby the tallest tree. They put the silver box onto the groud and pulled out papers and two pens from the pocket of their jacket. Both of them were smiling widly, truly believing in what they were doing. The older look at the other one and began saying out loud what he was writing.

"Me, Michael Gordon Clifford, he's honored to be Calum Thomas Hood's friend, and promise to stick by his side and support him no matter what. I also promise to never ever ever hurt him."

Calum smiled and did the exact same thing. Then, the two little kids put the papers in the box, along with some objects that symbolised their friendship and buried the box deep into the ground. Both of the boys were feeling proud and happy. They felt like they were brothers.

Michael couldn't stop crying. He had broken his promess. It could seem ironic how one day he was loving saying hurtful words to the tan boy and the next day, he was crying over it but that's just what was happening. Michael himself would have found it funny if he wasn't the one crying his heart out. He watched Calum's face on the picture on the self in front of him and cried even more — if it was possible. The brunette was no longer smiling like on the picture. He always seemed sad, down and broken those days.

"What have I done?... What have I done?" He whispered.

The blue haired boy took his phone out of his jeans and called someone he hadn't called in a very long time. After three ringings, he picked up.

"What do you want?" His voice was cold, angry but at the same time, it sounded broken.

"Ashton hum... I... I wanted to know how he is. Please."

"What? You're kidding me right?! You think you can just call after all this time, after everything you've done, and ask me how he is doing?! Go fuck yourself Clifford."

The line went dead and Michael wiped his eyes. He knew he deserved it. He deserved all of this and even more, but Calum somehow didn't. It appeared to him during the event of the day, just like that. While he was watching the four boys, he realised that it wasn't fair and all his thoughts since then were in agreement with that 'revelation'. Feeling his breathing getting heavy, he closed his eyes, remembering Calum's words.

"Whenever you're panicking, just remember you can sort everything out. Nothing is impossible except if you believe it is. Now, focus on your breathing, in and out, slowly. In... out... just like that. Don't let the world ruin you Mikey' you're too wonderful for that."

He didn't thought he was 'wonderful'. He never did, but with the recent events, he knew he was the total oposite. He was a monster. However he felt his breathing going back to its normal rythm. He had lots of these recently and that slightly worried him. Besides, each time he was having one, what Calum used to told him in those moments was coming back to his mind and that annoyed him. The brunette was ALWAYS on his mind. Even more since Ashton had punched him.

He knew he needed to apologize, at least for today and so he got up and went downstairs, knowing if he didn't go now, he would never. He grabbed his car key and left the house, still without a word to his parents. He drove faster than ever and arrived in less than 10 minutes whereas the journey would normally takes 20 minutes. He was about to get out of his car when he stopped abruptly. He didn't know anymore. Was it a good idea? What was he going to tell him? He breathe out and get out of the car anyway. He locked it and walked to the main entrance where you could read 'Sydney Hospital' just upon the door. He headed towards the front desk, and asked after a little hesitation.

"Hello... hum... I'd like to... i'd like know Calum Hood's room number please?"