Forced | cake au ✓

Chapter FIVE

Edited - 7/27/19

Luke

After the waiter has brought us our food, I tried to make decent conversation with Calum. I really did. So far, it was okay. But neither of us could ignore the tension in the air. I knew it was my fault, saying all those stuff, but it was only because I honestly couldn't deal with the fact that he does know me, and he does remember things about me no matter how long ago I told him these things.

It hurt. A lot. Because it made me remember how close we actually used to be.

And now we couldn't even look each other in the eye.

"So, um," I decided to ask the question I've been debating to ask after swallowing the food in my mouth. "Did you really like her?" We were previously talking about the things Leila told him while they were still going out.

Calum thought about his answer for a moment before he shrugged. "I'm not sure. I mean, I liked Leila a little, obviously, but when her," Calum made a disgusted face. "Boyfriend, answered the phone and told me to stop bugging her, I felt more pissed than heartbroken."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, but it's probably because she hasn't tried to contact me for over two weeks."

My eyes widened a bit. "Two weeks?"

"Yup," Calum nodded, sipping his drink. "Two weeks she didn't text or call. She didn't answer any of my messages."

I blinked. "Was that the reason you.. didn't bring her up earlier?" When Calum mentioned that he had a girlfriend and his manager, Patricia, seemed like she forgot all about it, of course it came as a shock to me. Usually you'd discuss these things thoroughly before bringing in another celebrity into the equation.

"Yeah. We never officially broke up, so I thought we were still together. I guess it is true that having no communication whatsoever makes you forget about a person, or at least makes you brave enough to do things with other people like you're single."

I stopped poking at my food, slightly lowering my utensils.

Calum noticed immediately, unfortunately. Damn him. "Shit. Luke, that's not what I—"

"No, it's fine." I cleared my throat, forcing myself to lift my head and showing him a smile. I just needed to get through this date without snapping. "Anyway," I cut him off before he could even speak again since I could tell he wanted to explain some more. He winced, but kept quiet. "How's your family?" Small talk was definitely the safest way to go.

He still seemed a little guilty, but I didn't care as long as we got through this date. "They're, uh, they're good. Mali-Koa graduated from uni a few weeks ago, and she's living with her boyfriend."

"That's great! I'll be sure to congratulate her." Whatever happened between me and Calum, Mali-Koa was always nice to me. She texted me from time to time, just asking how I was. It was always never about Calum, she never brought him up which I was thankful for. She just sent quick messages about how she saw me at one of the billboards she passed by or about the movie she saw starring me.

"She misses you." Calum added, catching me by surprise. "Mom and dad too, actually. Whenever they watch one of your movies they try to ask me how you are. I always tell them you're busy."

"You didn't tell them what happened?" I asked, my eyes remaining of my food.

His silence confirmed my thoughts. Of course they didn't know what happened.