"I can't believe the bartender fell for it!"
"I know! Insane, right?" Ashton asked while unlocking the door of his house, the both of them laughing their asses off.
Calum looked at his buddy as they stepped into the kitchen, smile on his face.
"Hey..." He paused in order for his mate to look at him. "I don't know if I said that lately, but I am so glad you are still here."
"I will always be here." Ashton reassured him. "I am doing way better now, I promi-"
"Don't." The gamer cut him off. "Don't promise, it never ends up well when you do."
"Right, sorry..." The tattoo artist scratched the back of his head. "Point is, this won't happen again."
"Good." Calum smiled, wrapping his arms around the other lad. "Thank you for hanging out with me tonight, I had a lot of fun."
"Me too."
They hugged for awhile. "So..." Ashton slowly pulled out of his friend's embrace. "Do you want to smoke in the backyard?" He asked, taking the packet of cigarette out of his pocket.
"Sure."
"Go ahead, I just need to turn on the porch lights."
Calum nodded, making his way to the terrace. The luminescence got him to cover his eyes with his hand for a second, before he finally decided to look in front of him.
"Oh my God!" He raised his voice, his fingers now plastered in front of his mouth.
Ashton rushed outside, laying his back on the glass so he could watch what was about to happen.
Rose petals were everywhere on the ground, as well as hundreds of white and gold balloons. Sierra was standing right next to the "Marry Me" sign, filming everything on a phone.
As for Michael, he was wearing a black suit, along some black pants and loafers. He styled the look with some silver chains and bracelets, which went very well with the whole theme.
"Mike, what is all of this?" Calum asked, still trying to process this beautiful scenery.
The one with brunette hair smiled, slowly approaching his partner.
"Calum..." He started, sounding a bit nervous as he took both of his boyfriend's hands. "This year was really tough for me, and I don't know what I would have done without you by my side... You took care of me, you loved me, you comforted me... You made me a better person. I gave you a million reasons to walk away, but you didn't... which made me realize that you are, in fact, the one."
Sierra and Ashton glanced at each other, smiling for a moment before looking back at the happy couple.
"With that said..." He continued his monologue, now getting down on one knee. "Calum Thomas Hood, will you marry me?"
The Kiwi man gasped when Michael grabbed a little box in-between his hands.
"Mike, oh my God..." Calum started, looking at the gold ring. "I'm speechless, all of this... it's so beautiful." He proceeded to say as Michael smiled wildly.
"So..." He answered excitedly. "Is that a yes?"
Hood bit his lower lip, trying to contain the huge beam that was about to form his lips.
"Of course it's a yes."
Everyone cheered when Michael got back on his feet, placing the ring on Calum's finger before going in for a kiss.
"I am so happy for you guys!!" Ashton said, running towards them so he could give them a hug.
"Congratulations!" Sierra stated after stopping the video, giving Michael his phone back.
"Thank you." He answered with a smile. "For everything."
"Of course!" She grinned back.
"Wait..." Calum looked at her. "Did you do all of this?"
"Yeah, well... Michael helped too." She giggled. "I will leave you guys, the food is in the living room."
"Where are you going? You should stay." Michael insisted as his fiancé nodded in approval.
Sierra shot Ashton a look, making him nod as well.
"Alright!" She clapped out of enthusiasm, making everyone cackle. "I will go get you guys some champagne, then!" She said before dashing to the kitchen.
"And I have to call Mali to tell her about the news!" Calum delightfully said, giving his lover yet another peck. "I love you."
"I love you too." He answered, watching his significant other walk away.
"Hey, man..." Ashton paused once Michael looked his direction. "Thank you for, you know... letting Sierra help you with everything. It was also really nice of you to let her stay."
"Well, I appreciate her volunteering. Your friends are my friends."
They grinned at each other as Michael's phone began to ring. He pulled it out of his pocket, rolling his eyes at the sight of the caller ID.
"Who is it?" Ashton asked while lifting an eyebrow up.
"This blocked number keeps calling me, and every time I pick up nobody answers. It is beginning to feel weird and creepy."
"It's probably just some scammer, ignore it."
"Yeah..."
Frankly, Michael did not agree with that.
There is more to these calls, and he knows it.
"I am going to go check on Sierra, do you need anything?" Ashton asked.
Clifford shook his head, just now waking up from his daydream. "Um- no, no. Thank you."
The tattoo artist grinned, tapping his friend's shoulder. "Alright, I will be back."
The groom-to-be faked a smile, groaning when his phone rang yet again. He angrily picked up the call, walking outside the backyard.
"Hello?? Who is this??"
...
"You're a fucking pussy, aren't you?" He spat. "What is the point of calling if you are not going to fucking talk?"
...
"Just tell me who you are, mate. What do you want from me?"
...
"You know what? I don't care, I'm changing my number soon anyway. Good luck trying to contact me then, fucker."
...
"Fine, be like that." He sighed, frankly tired of all of this. "Goodby-"
"Congratulations on your engagement, Michael."
His eyes popped out of his head once he heard the person on the other line talk.
He knows this voice.
He knows it way too well.
No, there is no way...
"Wha-" Is all he was able to say, before hearing a bunch of beeps.
He stared at his phone, his facial expression reaching another level of numbness.
No, no, no.
Uh-huh.
He surely is dreaming.
That did not happen.
That absolutely did not-
"Baby?"
Michael jumped slightly, quickly turning around to face his concerned fiancé.
"Is something wrong?" Calum asked as soon as he noticed the long face. "You don't look too well."
The one with green eyes looked to the ground, holding onto his phone really tightly.
He cannot hide this from his partner, can he?
An uncomfortable silence took over, only for Michael to finally cut the tension off a minute later.
"I think Luke just called me."
Calum's face decomposed, skin becoming as pale as a ghost.
Luke called?
Why?
What's his motive?
Calum had no clue.
However, one thing was for sure...
Ashton does not need to know about this.
Ever.