With each word uttered at the round table, Michael slumped in his seat a little more and got a little more bored. Ashton had promised that it wouldn't be that boring, but Michael wasn't interested in the college chemistry class and that was all they were talking about. Ashton managed to get a spot at the round table right next to Calum, and Michael swore that Ashton's hazel eyes had not left Calum's features since they walked into the college library.
Michael was seated next to Ashton, twirling his pen around and watching how Calum and Ashton interacted. There were three other guys at the table and Michael was introduced to each, but Calum just vaguely gestured to all of them and said all of their names quickly, so Michael didn't catch who was who.
"So, you know how to balance equations?" Calum asked, leaning closer to Ashton to point with his pencil at something on his notes from their teacher's lecture.
"Dude, those are so annoying to do," The guy sitting next to Michael groaned, causing Michael to glance over at him. He was the one who Michael assumed was named Brayden, but it could also be Brendon. Those two were twins, and albeit they were fraternal, Michael didn't know the difference.
"Oh, do you need help with them?" Calum asked, his brown eyes flickering up to meet Michael's gaze before he looked over to Brayden. Then his eyebrows furrowed and he glanced back at Michael, "Michael, buddy, are you even in this class? You don't have any notes out or anything."
"I'm just kind of chilling," Michael shrugged, causing Brayden to chuckle from beside him.
"He's just being a good friend and he decided to come along with me," Ashton informed, giving Calum a slightly crooked smile before glancing across Michael to meet Brayden's gaze, "I can help if you want. I think balancing equations is alright."
"More like I was forced to come along," Michael muttered jokingly, elbowing Ashton's forearm to get his attention. The wavy haired boy just playfully rolled his eyes at Michael before he and Calum indulged in a conversation about balancing chemical equations or whatever the fuck they were doing, so Michael leaned back in his seat and tried to tune it out. He reached for his phone on the table and smiled giddily at the sight of a new notification, a message from Luke.
Luke: hey sweetie. thinking about you
Michael: hey :)
Michael: aw you're so sweet i like you
Michael: i'm thinking about you too
Michael: this study session is so boring
Luke: i'll help make it less boring by texting you then
Luke: look at Amber being a cutie :-)
Luke:
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Michael: i'm in love
Michael: Amber is my one true love :')
Luke: aw i'm glad you love my dog so much
Luke: so, Tuesday night, me, you, the twins, Amber, bonfire, s'mores, campfire song song
Michael: a date?
Luke: nope
Luke: a date will occur without the twins but probably with Amber
Michael: yes pls ask me out whenever
Michael: wait did you balance a treat on Amber's paw
Luke: oh yeah i'm training her. she has learned sit and lie down already
Luke: she looks at me funny when i say roll over tho
Michael: i'll teach her how to roll over
Luke: cool
Luke: so was that a yes for tuesday night
Michael: yeah, i have work tomorrow and might try to pick up a shift monday just to get some extra cash. but tuesday i'm free
Luke: you should just quit your job
Luke: make me your full time job
Michael: what do you mean??
Luke: well with the babysitting
Michael: oh ok
Michael: gotta go i'm slacking with my smarts so might as well pay attention
Luke: okay. bye 😁
Michael: ur a single dad. pls don't use emojis
Luke: well 😂 i 🙄 find 🤙🏼 offense ☺ to 😏 that 😳🤔😻
Luke: and maybe i won't be single for long?
Michael: bye forever
Luke: wait no come back
Luke: i won't use emojis anymore
Michael: you promise?
Luke: i promise 😇
Michael: 🙄
Michael: i'll just talk to you later and disable emojis on ur phone
Luke: ok :-) bye ❤😍
"Why so smiley, Michael? Texting a special someone?" Calum smirked, noticing how Michael was smiling down at his phone excessively.
"Hm, maybe?" Michael smiled secretively, but gave Calum a playful look when the dark brown haired boy raised his eyebrows, wordlessly asking for more information. Michael just shook his head with that smile still on his lips and informed, "All you need to know is that I'm smiling because of him."
"Well, we didn't think you were smiling because of this chemistry shit," Calum chuckled, causing Ashton to also laugh. Michael gave his best friend a knowing glance before he cleared his throat and looked back down at his phone, acting like he was reading a message he had just gotten even though his screen was blank.
"Would you look at that? I have somewhere to be, so I have to go," Michael faked an apologetic look as he stood up from the round table and glanced over at Ashton, "Can you get a ride with Calum, Ash?"
"Um, if Cal wouldn't mind," Ashton bit down on his lip as he snuck a glance over at the Maori boy, raising his eyebrows questioningly. Michael had to contain a huge smile when Calum nodded with a smile on his lips without much protest or excuses, so Michael bid his goodbyes to everyone at the table before walking out of the library, taking his phone out and sending a text to Ashton.
Michael: let me know when you're headed home so you can fill me in on everything ☺
Ashton: sometimes I hate you
Ashton: you coy little bean
Michael: you love me because I'm helping you out so stfu
Ashton: do you even know what stfu stands for?
Michael: yes! shut the fruit up
"He left me on read," Michael pouted to himself before putting his phone down and twirling the car keys around his finger.
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a/n kind of a filler chapter, sorry friends. but more exciting stuff will occur within the next 2-3 chapters :-) i'll try to keep updating daily!!!
