calum --
he left this morning. luke texted me and told me he and allison were going to the saint patricks day fair, and that i should come. i never really understood why we had a fair for an irish holiday, considering this was australia, but i agreed since i had nothing better to do.
my mom came into my room while i was getting dressed, scaring the living shit out of me. i could see her holding back laughter at my shock, but i ignored it and continued getting dress. she asked me where i was going, and when i told her she ripped the red and black t-shirt from my head and rummaged through my closet.
just when i thought today couldn't get any worse, my mother pulled out a snot-green t-shirt from the dark recesses of my wardrobe. i was never one for fashion, but i did have boundaries, and this god-awful shirt was definitely pushing the limit. "mom," i signed, "no."
"but calum, it's so adorable!" she pleaded. "please?"
i sighed and gave into her whim, tugging the shirt over my head. it was tight and ill-fitting, but my mom obviously didn't care, since her face held a joyous smile.
a half hour after luke texted me, he was on my doorstep. according to my mother he was "obnoxiously ringing the doorbell like a child," which evidently pissed her off. i hit luke over the head with my backpack on the way out, walking down the cobblestone pathway in the middle of my yard to his car, old and rusty, parked on the street. i noticed allison in the passenger seat and sighed a little, climbing into the backseat.
she turned around as luke started the engine, waving and smiling at me. "hi, calum," i read her lips, and i waved in reply, bitch-facing her as jealousy seeped into my heart. how could luke give her the front seat? it's always been mine, and now this girl comes along and just takes it. what a bitch.
they're both wearing green, i notice, which normally i would gag at the matchy-matchy couple thing, but i understand. sorta. it's not even saint patricks day.
luke pulled up at a house i don't recognize, and hit his fist against the center part of the steering wheel a few times, as if that would make whoever we're picking up come out. i leaned forward to see a boy, probably around my age, walk out the front door (and leave it open) to luke's oldsmobile. as he nears the car i notice his glasses and unruly curls, and a dark green shirt. great, more green.
the boy climbed into the car, sitting next to me. i looked him over, noting the holes in his jeans and his dirty combat boots that didn't even go with his outfit. he turned to me and started talking, his lips too unfamiliar and moving too fast for me to read. just as i was about to begin my pointing and shrugging routine for the thousandth time, luke turned to the boy and told him of my disability.
curly's lips made an 'o' shape. he held out his hand, speaking slowly. "ashton."
i tapped luke and signed the letters of ashton's name, just to be sure, before looking back at the hazel-eyed teenager and smiling. i just assumed someone had told ashton my name, since i couldn't unless he knew sign language. which, obviously, he didn't.
every year the fair was the same: kiddie rides, concessions and games that were only useful for guys trying to impress their female company. it was honestly pathetic compared to other fairs, like the australia day fair in january. i climbed out after ashton when we parked, gazing enviously at the shorter boy as his head bobbed to whatever song was on. luke gave me a thumbs up and i gave him a sharp glare in return, narrowing my eyes at him.
"you owe me," i signed to him, and returned my gaze to a wildly dancing ashton. he grinned at me before realizing the situation, falling completely still with a pitying look at me. i just shook my head a little and began walking to the booth marked 'TICKETS & WRISTBANDS', pulling out my wallet in the process. i'd never been one for rides, but i figured i could sit in the ferris wheel while luke, allison and ashton rode whatever lame rides the parking-lot fair possessed.
i bought a wristband, knowing tickets would be evidently more expensive, and made my way to the ferris wheel in the center of the fair. i jumped when a hand landed on my shoulder, something that seemed to be happening more and more often lately. i turned to see allison, of all people, with her dark purple hair and brown eyes filled with excitement to be here. i did not share her excitement, unfortunately.
"-ris wheel?" she spoke, my eyes barely flickering to her lips in time to see her words. i figured she said "ferris wheel", so i nodded, pointing to the large moving circle in the midst of every fried food stand to ever exist. after our one-sided conversation, allison went back to luke (wherever he was), leaving me alone. not that i minded, being alone was nothing new to me.
keeping my head low, i made my way to the spinning wheel where a good size line kept me from the only fun i'd have all day. i wasn't even paying attention as i took my place in line, surrounded by disgusting couples making out. by the time i was almost to the front, a few people had come behind me, also waiting. for the millionth time in my life, a hand on my shoulder scared the shit out of me. i spun around to see michael, red hair prominent against the over-bearing green theme of this fair. i couldn't help but grin, waving excitedly at him.
"hey, calum," i read his dark lips, shivering at the thought of hearing him speak my name. his green eyes looked up at the slowly rotating wheel behind me, his expression changing from friendly to idealistic. "you wanna ride with me?"
it didn't take long for me to agree, nodding enthusiastically at him. all was well until i realized who his actual plus one was- a girl. for the second time today, i'd be third wheeling. with an entirely new group of people. if only i could speak to michael, i'd back out and let him enjoy all the time he had with whoever this whore was. she probably wasn't a whore, but still.
as we boarded the tea-cup shaped seats, michael's lady friend sent me a jealous smile. i raised a confused eyebrow, but straightened myself when michael's darkened eyes found mine. i waved awkwardly before somewhat rudely pointing at his 'date' with a confused look. "this is khloe," he said, and it was hard to read his lips due to the uncontrollable grin pulling his maw up. i looked her over. their hair matched, her long faux-red curls reminding me of ariel from the little mermaid. i remembered that movie from being a child, always watching it and singing along- back when i could hear.
michael looked away from me and started talking to khloe as we began to rise, my eyes flickering from their disgusting giggles and soft touches to the disappearing sea of people beneath me. i'd always loved heights, whether it be up in planes or riding carnival rides. everything looked different from up high, and that's what i loved most about it.
the next time i looked back at michael and khloe, they were sharing light kisses between each other. i almost gagged, feeling white-hot jealous burning my chest, sending pink into my cheeks. i wanted to get off as soon as possible, feeling claustrophobic in the sky for the first time in a long time.
why did he even invite me up if all he wanted to do was talk to the red-headed bitch raining on my parade?
time seemed to be on my side as the ride ended sooner than expected, allowing me to get off and hide from michael and khloe before they could find me. i felt terrible, but he shouldn't've thought his gay friend would be okay with seeing major hetero pda.
it was a good thing i couldn't hear him calling my name (if he was), since that'd make me melt under the pressure and reveal myself to him. i walked around to the other side of the ferris wheel and mixed in with the crowd, trying to remain unseen and irrelevant among everyone else. my eyes caught sight of ashton, his thick rimmed glasses and messy curls beckoning me like a sign from the universe. "go to ashton, they'll never find you.
i tapped him on the shoulder, his head turning around to greet me with a beaming smile. he was talking to some guy with shaggy blonde hair who, under different circumstances, i would've admired from afar. "hey, calum!" he was seeming to yell over whatever noises plagued the area. "what's up, mate?"
i bit my lip. how could i talk to him? no- that wasn't the problem, the problem was not knowing what i wanted to say. i really wanted to find luke and go home, since today hadn't been the best of days, but that was unlikely. i knew he'd want to enjoy the rest of today while it lasted so i just shook my head at ashton and walked off, waving goodbye.
i just prayed i wouldn't run into michael again.
a/n: cliffhanger dun dun duunnnn
update: michael's a shit
double update: i love you guys
question: what do you think about allison? she's based off my best friend im_allison whOOPS