Social Media «ᴄᴀᴋᴇ»

Chapter 14

I groaned slightly out of discomfort. "No, Mom," I said with a slight sigh. If I was completely honest, it physically hurt to call Liz my mom. "He's not my boyfriend. I'm not gay, either."

"Well, you'd think hanging around Michael and his boyfriend so much would rub off—"

"You can't influence gay, Mom."

Liz shrugged. "You can influence gay just as much as we've been influenced our entire lives that a man marrying a woman is the only acceptable kind of love."

My lips pursed together. She was wrong about that, but I wasn't going to correct her now.

"But, who is this kid, Lucas? And why does he call you 'Babycakes'?"

"It's a simple term of affection," I said calmly.

"Yeah, it's a term of affection," Liz sassed, "a term of affection used in cases like your father and I."

"He's my friend, it's totally fine."

"Where'd you meet him?" she asked me. "Is he from school?"

I gulped. All of my life, I've been lying to everyone. One more little lie won't hurt, right? Of course, this was already breaking me. My parents already found out about me being suicidal. I didn't need them knowing about Calum, either. Not that I had to hide Calum, because he was my best friend, but I had a feeling that my mom wouldn't approve. Hell, she doesn't even like Michael, and Michael's one of the nicest people you'll ever meet.

"No," I whispered. My strong expression was starting to fade, and I believe my parents knew that, too.

"You met him online?!" Liz shrieked.

"It's fine—"

"No, it's not fine, Lucas! He could be some—some old, sick man trying to get to you! People in this world are sick, Lucas, and I will not stand for you being some social predator's prey."

"He's not a social predator!" I cried. "He's a kid, my age. He goes to high school, just like I do! Or, went, because our school systems are different, but that's beside the point. He's just a kid; it's all the same. He's my friend!"

Liz huffed. At this point, she was no longer sitting on the couch. She was pacing back and forth, her hands on her hips, occasionally brushing her fingers through her hair.

"What's his name?" Liz asked me.

"Calum."

"How old is he?"

"Seventeen."

"That's exactly your age, Lucas."

"I know."

"He could be a predator trying to get to you! He's telling you that he's the same age as you just to reel you in!"

"He's not a predator," I said again. Calum Thomas Hood was not a predator. I was sure of it. I may have been failing my math class until now, but I wasn't entirely stupid. I know how to keep myself safe.

"Where'd you meet him?"

"Instagram."

"Where's he from?" Liz asked.

I let out a sigh. "Australia."

Liz pursed her lips. "Even if he wasn't a predator—"

"He's not," I said with a low growl.

"Interrupting, Lucas," Liz snapped.

"Even if he wasn't a predator, and let's say that for now he isn't, you wouldn't be able to be friends, Lucas. He lives in Australia. Where do we live, Lucas?"