FIFA || Malum

21

Calum was stuck, not physically of course, but it almost felt that way. Michael's plane left in about three hours and there wasn't enough time in the world for Calum to say what needed to be said--he didn't even know what to say--but the thing was that he'd made a promise to his sister to visit today and he didn't want to go to the hospital while Michael was on his mind because he didn't think it would be much of a visit if his mind was somewhere else.

It wasn't until Michael started packing that Calum really realized that the boy was leaving for good. He wasn't sure when he'd see the boy next, or if there would even be a next. This could be the last time he saw Michael, due to distance and other ridiculous stuff that would only get in the way.

Calum wished he'd been able to show Michael all of the sights, a stupid last minute thing that meant almost nothing in the grand scheme of everything else. It was so stupid, so small, he didn't understand why he was focusing on the stupid things he didn't get to do with Michael.

There were so many, all ridiculously stupid, like the zoo; he doubted Michael wanted to spend the day surrounded by weird smelling animals. He could have taken Michael to so many places and he'd wasted this time, wasted it on a cup of tea and a trip to the park. He was surprised that Michael had even wanted to stay longer the first time because they'd done close to nothing, unless one were to count Calum's footie practice where Michael just kind of watched.

Calum wouldn't count it.

Ashton was already saying goodbye to Luke and Michael, he had an interview with a sports magazine that he couldn't exactly skip out on. Michael was the only one to notice that Ashton didn't approach Calum when saying goodbye, they did a weird nod towards one another before Ashton shut the door, that was it. Ashton seemed like the cuddly type to, it was odd to receive a rather long farewell hug from someone Michael barely knew and then see that same person turn around a give some lame nod goodbye to a long standing friend.

Luke was off packing--always the last minute kind of guy--and Michael was lounging on the couch downstairs frowning down at his sketchbook, he didn't quite have the supplies he wanted for the drawing. When he thought of Calum, the lad was almost always bathed in a warm orange glow, whether it be from the sunrise or the sunset. He'd only bothered to bring a few pencils with him because he was purely there for work after all, he felt that in limiting his resources he would stay on the ball, judging by the off task drawings of squirrels and the dark skinned lad that kept reappearing across these pages, he found that the limited resources were more of a hindrance than anything else.

Calum appeared in the attached kitchen, sipping from a steaming mug. Michael thought it would probably be the only chance he got to talk to Calum without Luke tailing them like an extremely loyal golden retriever. "What's with you and Ashton? You guys seemed off when he left."

Calum looked slightly startled by the sudden break in silence but he raised his eyebrows at Michael across the distance, unsurprised by the question but seeming not expecting it at the same time. "He and I had a disagreement, we'll get over it in a few days. That, and I'm shit at goodbyes."

Even though an easy chuckle escaped Calum's lips, Michael's eyebrows furrowed at the honesty, he'd asked but he didn't think Calum would be so open about it, Calum hadn't admitted what they disagreed upon but Michael didn't look that much into it.

Calum was sweating a little, he didn't know if Michael had overheard the disagreement that he had with Ashton earlier, whereas Calum was the more realistic of the two, Ashton tended to keep his head securely in the cloud. He often enjoyed the stark contrast in personalities because it tended to work in his favour, this time wasn't one he could see past.

Ashton was the kind of guy that would drop everything for someone he loved, and he had before although it turned out badly in the end, the lad wouldn't hesitate to do it again. Calum, on the other hand, had difficulty imagining himself in that position.

As the clock drew closer and closer to Michael's eventual departure, Calum seemed to get more and more fidgety, up until an hour and a half or so before Michael and Luke were set to board the plane.

He glanced at his wristwatch with a frown, Calum then glanced from Luke to Michael before standing. "I'm off,"

It was far from a goodbye but Calum doubted that anyone would ever get a decent farewell out of him, he didn't want to think about Michael leaving so he needed a distraction.

Luke frowned then, "Aren't you coming to the airport?"

"No, I've got plans." Calum explained, shaking his head with his keys dangling from a finger on his way to the door. The pair followed him out, having nothing else to do without the owner of the house around.

The three parted ways, two of them headed to the nearest airport, the other had turned his back towards them on his way to the hospital.