flipped :: lh [UNDER REVISION]

18.you complete me(ss)

Luke tries not to punch him. “Ashton doesn’t like me though, especially not after what happened now.” He sighs, running a hand quickly through his hair.

“Doesn’t matter what Ash thinks, I want you to go. Plus he’s kinda mad at both you guys, said something about you both being idiots.” He smirks as if it’s some big secret that he accidentally (and not so accidentally) exposed to Luke. ”But that’s none of my business.”

Luke has to keep from rolling his eyes, “you’re the idiot.”

He keeps a steady pace with Calum as he changes the subject to something about a funny thing Ashton said in class that he was reminded of. Luke’s so busy staring at Calum’s shoes that he doesn’t really register that he’s run into someone until he’s being shoved out of the way with a harsh shoulder check that sends him stumbling to the side. He can hear the way Calum shouts out profanities all the while trying to check on Luke.

There’s two different sets of panic Luke goes through in that moment he recovers: one is the fact that Calum is actually standing in front of Luke as if blocking him. His height almost matched to Luke’s but he’s still an inch or so shorter. And two…

“Well if it isn’t Hemmings. Thought you disappeared for a while there, hadn’t seen you around.”

Two, is the fact that he ran into Carver. His face is scrunched up in annoyance as he keeps a steady eye on where Luke stands. He’s nowhere near as tall as Luke is, but what he lacks in height he makes up for in muscle. Luke tries his best to remain indifferent to the situation – he’s watching carefully, waiting for anyone to move.

Carver continues ominously insightful despite his opening phrase, “Calum, just who I wanted to see. Make sure to be at practice early tonight. And bring Hemmings if you want – sure he wouldn’t mind right?” His gaze is sharp against Luke’s, like he’s trying to figure Luke out. Luke doesn’t hesitate to nod. “See, bring him along, heard all the girlfriends are gonna be at practice today. Maybe Hemmings can be a cheerleader.”

Carver snickers a bit as Luke tries his best to keep the blush from rising up to his cheeks. There are a few of the other football guys standing around Carver, but none are as rude or nearly as intimidating as Carver is.

Calum takes a careful step back in towards Luke, making sure to box himself in if need be. Luke almost forgot that Carver and Calum were on the same footie team making them friends or at least teammates before Luke ever showed up. Calum is barely brushing against Luke as he answers, “Sure,” not acknowledging the fact Carver mocked both him and Luke two seconds before.

Carver doesn’t once take his attention from Luke, even going as far as to watch them as they retreat towards the school doors. His mouth in a straight line, brow creased as if deep in thought. When Luke finally breaks eye contact he can only feel doubt in the way Calum stays silent for the rest of the walk.

✦  ✧  ✦  ✧

Luke Hemmings comes to the sudden realization that he might have the tiniest sliver of a bit of a crush on Calum when Calum comes to pick him up at his house, all the while blasting Mr. Brightside by The Killers. He’s singing at the top of his lungs and Luke is sure he’s hearing at least two dogs howling in the distance, but he doesn’t care because it’s the closest to happy he’s been since the incident.

Calum promptly pretends to bring a rose (it’s really a garden flower that had grown up from the sidewalk) as he fixes the plaid button-up that’s tied around his waist. Upon reaching the door he knocks twice, to which he is greeted by Luke himself. Luke gapes at the flower in mock admiration as he takes it yelling to no one in particular about how sweet Calum really is to him.