Twins | Malum

24

When it was time to return to school, everyone was pissed – in a way where it was difficult to explain, but Michael was genuinely pleased to learn again. He felt like spending too much time alone effected him greatly, and he didn't want to rely on his twin or Calum for comfort twenty four seven. Michael was one of the first people to arrive at school, and he sat against his locker with a sketchbook in his hand, and he'd just draw. Normally, he'd paint, but there wasn't anything to paint at school because nothing was beautiful enough and Calum Hood wasn't there. Calum was always beautiful to him. He wondered why his brother didn't offer to drive him to school, or why he was often late, and he wondered why Calum couldn't be here early enough to chat before class.

When there was five minutes until the first bell, Michael groaned. He saw Mitchell walking in with Kate, the two of them holding hands — and Mitchell had a box of cigarettes hanging from his back pocket. He shouldn't be smoking. Behind the couple was Calum, who had his hands in both of his pockets and earbuds in his ears, and he was jamming out to whatever was playing, and Michael couldn't stop smiling because that boy was his.

Michael quickly gathered his belongings just in time to stop Calum from walking past him, and the Maori gazed down at Michael's soft, plump, pink lips before smiling and waving to the lad standing in front of him. "School is exciting."

"Right," Calum nodded, protruding his lip outwards. "I hate school. Though I shouldn't complain too much since I met you here and all."

"Yeah, you shouldn't." Michael threw the strap of his backpack over his shoulder and looked in the direction of his classroom. "Can I walk you to class?"

"Yes, I mean, yeah. You can do whatever you'd like to or with me, ha." Calum bounced on his heels, suddenly feeling awkward and trying to avoid the fact that he was flustered. "Just pretend you didn't hear me say anything."

"I wasn't even listening, I'm out of it today."

Calum released a breath that he didn't know he was holding and opened the curtain that was constantly closed inside of his mind. He continued to bounce on his heels, elevating them one at a time, then at the same time, and Michael liked seeing that he was anxious. It meant that he had some sort of effect on Calum, and that meant he was finally starting to move on from Mitchell. "I was thinking we could do something after school today."

"Yeah?" Michael smiled, his lips hanging by a thread. "Like what?"

"Maybe I could come to your place and we can watch a movie, or just. . I dunno, something," Calum reiterated, putting an emphasis on the last word. He wanted to get his point across, but it just wasn't working. It felt impossible trying to say things without it coming off as needy. He wasn't, or, didn't want to be a needy person.

"I think it'd be fun if we rented something on Redbox. My selection of movies stashed at home aren't that great."

"Alright."

It was then that Michael felt like it was wrong to be around Calum, and he didn't even know why.

-

When the end of the school day approached, both boys were exhausted. Too exhausted to do homework, too exhausted to walk home, and too exhausted to even bother with a movie, but they still did anyway. Michael and Calum held hands the entire walk to Walgreens, where there was a Redbox right outside. Calum kept pressing quick kisses to Michael's cheek, and Michael would try his hardest not to blush but it would never work.

They slowly, but surely, arrived at the Redbox within twenty minutes, and stood behind a female who looked angry, and neither knew why until she decided to speak up and scoff, as if she didn't want them to hear it. "You know, being gay is wrong."

"I - I," Michael was stumbling over his words because he knew this would happen at some point, and he hated how the community just wasn't as accepting as he was, and he wanted all of it to end. Calum noticed that his crush was staggering, so he decided to unlace their hands, stand in front of him and look the woman straight in the eye until she felt uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry, but we weren't bothering you. Our sexuality doesn't concern you, nor does it have anything to do with you. There's nothing wrong about loving somebody of the same sex. Love is love. But I'm sure you wouldn't even know what love is, since clearly, there isn't a ring on your finger."

She scoffed once again, grabbing her movie out of the slot and eyeing Calum up and down in the rudest way possible. "I didn't wear it today, for your information."

"Feel bad for the guy you're with then," Calum answered, grabbing Michaels hand again, the hand that was shaking. "Doesn't even know how horrible of a person you are."

"Not accepting gays doesn't make me a horrible person."

"It's not your homophobia, it's how you choose to bash people for it. Judging others before you get to know them is what makes you a horrible person."

"Whatever." — And after that sentence, she walked away, and Calum took a deep breath before turning to Michael who was looking down at the pavement.

"Thanks for standing up for us."

"It's what you do for love."

"Love?" Michael asked, and his eyes were glistening like the stars in the sky, and he was beautiful. He was so beautiful.

"Yeah," Calum smiled, one last time before selecting a movie. "Love."

-

A/N;

Thoughts?

I hate this book. I hate it. The rest of my books are written fine but this one is just all over the place so I never update it bc I never know what to write. I'm literally just winging it and I want to give it up. Like sometimes I just want to delete this story but I'm trying not to think that way.

Anyway, please leave a comment and a vote. I love you all.