Mirrors | Malum

37

Michael

When I told Calum I'd talk to his parents, I wasn't kidding. I knew that, one way or another, I was taking up space in his life that he didn't know he needed to fill. And I've come to realize that there's a bright side to everything, despite there being moments of blindness that covers the true meaning of what it means to be happy. I want to continue to outline Calum's life as though he's a map, and I'd travel everywhere I could, with his fingers interlocked with mine - even if we're sitting in silence for hours upon hours, I wouldn't mind it. I'd rather be completely corrupted with an afterglow of silence rather than losing my precious angel to a ridiculous mental hospital that he truthfully doesn't need.

Which is why I stayed until his parents came home, even if they had everything against me. It was simply because they thought I was a bad influence since I dye my hair a lot and have an eyebrow piercing. But they haven't met me, the super, friendly guy who has a soft spot for Calum, specifically.

I gave Calum an awkward kiss on the lips which caught him off guard, but he eventually smiled and pulled me closer with his hand on my neck, and I loved feeling his breath fanning against mine. It may have been weird to some, but he made all of the random shadows disappear and he prevented it by giving me a light that I didn't even know was necessary.

"They just pulled into the driveway," Calum mumbled nervously, his hands dangling inside of his worn out sweater that he loved so much. I wanted to get him another one, or give him one of mine, but I wasn't sure how he'd feel about it.

"Okay, I can handle this. I promise."

"You promise a lot of things, but I trust you," Calum mumbled with honesty. He never trusts people, but I was different in his eyes.

I watched as he pranced upstairs, nearly tripping on the top stair, due to being so clumsy. I found it adorable, nonetheless. I became so sidetracked with watching my boyfriend that I didn't even realize his parents were now standing in the living room with unpleasant glares on their faces.

"What are you doing here?" Joy asked as politely as she could, even though she wasn't very fond of me. At least she didn't try to threaten me.

"I apologize for intruding, but I need to talk to the two of you."

"We don't socialize with delinquents, such as yourself," Calum's father, David mumbled, almost quiet enough for me to ask him to repeat it.

"Look, I know you see me as a threat, but I'm so much more than you can imagine. And I promise I can and am helping your son heal. I've given up everything for this boy, and I've gotten fired from my job because I care so much that I couldn't even pay attention. I may seem as if I'm going to ruin his future because you think I'm some punk who only wears leather jackets and is in a gang, but I'm not. I'm human, Mr And Mrs. Hood and I'm doing everything I can to make him happy."

"Michael-"

"No, let me finish," I interrupted back, not pleased that they were possibly about to make assumptions, "I really like Calum, as in he's my boyfriend. And I don't care if you're not accepting of that, what so ever. I just care about the fact that you're considering sending him to a mental hospital. He's fine. You haven't done anything as parents to help him discover who he is, you only silenced him and pretended you didn't notice that he wasn't eating every night. I noticed right away. And while it doesn't make sense how somebody so incredibly beautiful can see himself as disgusting hurts me. Calum told me he didn't know what it was like to genuinely feel happy until I came along. Please just reconsider your options here. He's getting better and I need you to believe in him. Calum is capable of so many things and he inspires me every single day, so please."