bandages || calum hood

thirty-three

im eating those cookies they give out on the airplane and i just.

calum

The next morning was cursed with a massive hangover and my lips swollen for a reason I wasn't fond of. Well, I eventually figured out what happened when I saw Alice attempting to cook breakfast for me, but I kicked that bitch out before she even tried to explain herself.

It all made sense; I mean, I was dumb but not stupid enough to not understand what had happened. I spent a majority of my time curled up underneath my covers, the shirt Belle adored wrapped up my hand. I pitied myself to the extent where I downed another few bottles of alcohol to calm me down. If I kept it up, I would end up like my dad who died after a failed liver, but I honestly deserved it.

I deserved to die.

It wasn't because of what had happened with Belle (she still was part of my reason to want to kill myself) but it also had to do with the fact that I had nothing to do with my life. Michael taught me that the only things that we were meant for were fucking bitches and drugs. I didn't want that to happen to my future, but I dare not tamper with fate since I knew I wasn't going to have things the way I wanted.

It never worked like that.

"Calum," Michael whispered softly, gently shaking my shoulder. His eyes were rimmed with red, his tousled blue hair messed up. He wore his leather jacket and ripped jeans indicating that he just got home from yesterday. Tear stains remained on his cheek, but I could tell he was trying hard not to cry in front of me.

"Michael, what's wrong?" I sat up, pushing the palms of my hand to support my weight. Taking a shaky breath, Michael sat down next to me causing the bed to dip.

"Nothing," Michael faked a smile, no light or sign of brightness reaching his eyes. He bit his lip and closed his eyes once I furrowed my eyebrows.

"You're a shitty liar." I lightly punched his chest as he chuckled and ruffled my hair.

"Everything," he whispered, his voice cracking as his tears started to run down his cheeks. He didn't cry often, but there was something different about this time. He loved Rose too much to see her in that state.

"Is it about Rose?" Even though I already knew the answer, I wanted to give Michael some space to decide whether he trusted me enough to tell me what was going on.

"Yeah," Michael hesitantly uttered, his voice ending in a minuscule whistle. He stared at the ceiling, gulping as he turned to me. "I can't stand to see her like that, Calum."

"What happened?" I'm always out of the loop when it comes to drama that involved Michael and Rose. They were just so damn confusing sometimes.

"Parents found out what happened and lots of money was lost." Michael sniffled as he wiped his tears with the sleeve of his sweater. "They won't let me see her anymore, Cal."

Seeing one of your best friends cry was one of the worst fucking pains you will ever go through. Throughout all these years, Michael had always acted tough, unbreakable but now, he was vulnerable, and it fucking hurt to see him like that.

"You aren't going to listen to them right?" Rose's parents most likely were not interested in giving permission for Michael and Rose to be together. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if they sent her to another city.

"I have to," Michael sighed, picking at a lose strand on his leather jacket. His eyes narrowed as he sniffled, his tears drying upon his cheeks. "It's for her future."

"Yeah but that-"

"There are no 'buts' in this anymore, Calum. I almost got her dead, and she ended up in jail. Do you really want me to keep ruining her life?" Michael snapped, his eyes softening once I sank down in my bed. "Fuck, I'm sorry kid; I've just been so pissed off lately."