The Dog Walker and the CEO [cake au] ✔

Chapter 24 - Michael's House

Hope u guys aren't too heartbroken lmao. Also, Michael's house ^

Chapter 24

Calum

Tuesday

I ran all the way to Ashton's house and bumped into Michael who was pulling his suitcase out the front door. I stopped dead in my tracks, trying my best to wipe the gushing tears and almost collapsed in front of him.

"Whoa, dude, are you okay?" he cried, ditching the luggage and helping me up. "You're a real mess, don't tell me... was it that Luke dick again?"

Despite my efforts to stop crying, the tears just kept coming out like there was no tomorrow. He grabbed a tissue out of his pocket and wiped the majority off my cheeks so that I felt a bit better.

"C'mon, let's go inside. You need to wash your face."

"M-Mikey," I whispered, tugging his jumper.

"What is it Cal?"

"C-can I stay with you for a couple days in Parkton? Before I head to Washington?"

He pulled me in for a hug and nodded immediately. "Of course you can, you're always welcome at mine. Still, we need to wash your face – bring your suitcases down too, the train leaves in an hour."

I took a deep breath and rushed upstairs to the toilet, splashing some cold water in my face and wiping it down with some toilet tissue before grabbing my cases and sports bags full of clothes, books and electronic stuff. I slung my backpack around a shoulder and brought them down the stairs.

After saying a quick goodbye to Ashton and his family, we grabbed a taxi and headed up north.

I felt awful, I really did. I know what I'd done had been so incredibly, outrageously rash and foolish, and yet I didn't have the courage to turn back, find Luke again, tell him how much I loved him and live with him in peace and harmony.

Because the truth was, that would never happen. Even if Marie hadn't interfered, we were just too different as people. He was the head of a massive corporation, for heaven's sake – whilst I was a measly college student who did a few jobs on the side to survive.

During the car journey I leant my head on Michael's shoulder, sobbing gently with a wet tissue scrunched up in my hand. I hated how everything had to be so hard, how nothing would ever go my way. From my youth till now, it had been the same. I guess some people were just luckier than others.

~

"Hi, Mr and Mrs Clifford!" I greeted a while later when we arrived at Michael's massive farmhouse.

"Calum, it's so lovely to see you again, come in!" Mrs Clifford proclaimed, pulling me in for a hug. "I set up a bed in Michael's room for you, is that okay?"

"Yeah, of course that's perfect. Sorry that I've suddenly intruded."

"Not at all; Michael tells me it's a family issue. Listen, you come and stay here any time you want, you hear me?"

We went inside and dumped our bags in Michael's childhood room that still had a bunch of old controllers and posters either on the walls or rolled up in tubes and held together with rubber bands that were falling apart. He had those cute glow in the dark stars on his slanted roof which was painted navy blue, and a window that could only be opened if you stood on a stool.

"Make yourself at home; I can show you the stables later if you want."

I nodded with a smile. "Thank you so much Mikey, for doing this and for sticking by me despite everything with Luke."