Friends with Benefits [m.c.]

Catch Her If You Can

Michael's POV

My body jolts as I hear a vibration on the desk.

I reach to my left to grab my phone, my eyes shut, only to drop it and disconnect it from the charger.

"Fucking shit," I mumble as I lean over my bed to search for it.

Refusing to open my eyes because I won't be able to go back to sleep, I fumble around for my phone until it magically ends up in my hands.

"Alyssa?!" I yell groggily into the phone.

"No, mate," a voice says. "It's just Cal. We still have no idea where she is."

I let out a loud gasp and feel myself fall off my bed. "AGH!"

"What did you do?" Cal asks shortly.

"Nothing," I lie quickly. "How are you feeling?"

He sighs. This is the first time he's talked to me since we lost Alyssa last night. He was so mad at me, he stayed with his family and didn't even get me up for recording at 10 like he was supposed to. Now, six hours later, I have to face an angry group of songwriters and my ex-best friend.

All I really want right now is to find Alyssa and figure out if she really does love me, and for Calum to be my best friend again.

"I'm doing alright, I guess," he replies. "I'm not gonna lie, I feel like she ripped my heart out and took a bite out of it, then proceeded to crush it with her heel like a huge ass spider. Other than that, I'm alright."

Eyes wide, I drag myself out to the kitchen. Luke is sitting alone on the couch watching the telly, and Hailey is cooking dinner.

"Are you mad at me?" I ask stupidly. Of course he is! She broke up with him for me.

A laugh echos in the phone. "You didn't do anything wrong. I mean, of course I'm royally pissed about the fact that my girlfriend loved you the whole time, but it isn't your fault."

I lean my head against the fridge door and smile as a sigh escapes my lips. Luke and Hailey glance at me in confusion, and I put up my pointer finger so they know I'll explain later.

"I'm still really sorry about everything, Cal," I say. "You guys were a really good couple."

"We were," he says with a bitter laugh. "But now that I think about it, I could see you guys together."

My heart practically stops as butterflies fill my stomach. What the hell is he saying? There's no way he's okay with this. If he is, he's fucking crazy.

"Really?"

"For shizzle, my nizzle," he says. "If she were to come by the house and say, 'Michael, let's fuck,' I would be okay with that."

I laugh louder than I intend to. If only he knew what happened before he dated her.

"But let me ask you something," I tell him. "Are you sure that she's in love with me? How did you know?"

Silence.

"I'll come by and explain it. I dunno, this doesn't seem like a proper conversation to have over the phone."

"Oh," I let out. "Okay, mate. I'll see you soon, then."

As I hang up, Hailey catches my eye.

"What's going on?" she asks as she hands Ashton a plate of eggs and he kisses her cheek.

Silently, I sit at the island in the kitchen, my left leg bouncing rapidly. I drum my fingers on the granite as I attempt to mentally prepare myself for Calum's impending wrath. The thought of our conversation makes me shudder with chills.