Torn In Three | Malum, Muke, Mashton

Chapter Eight

-Michael's point of view-

After three knocks on our bedroom door, Calum granted me to enter.

"What do you want, Michael?" Calum had his face buried in his hands, as if he was avoiding eye contact with me. I wouldn't be surprised of he was.

"I want to talk about," I hesitated whilst piecing together my words, "what you just heard"

"Don't you think it's too soon? You haven't even given me a chance to take it all in" Calum's voice cracked at the end of his sentence, leading me to believe he was trying to suppress crying. Now I knew why his face was hidden.

"I understand if you're mad-"

I was cut off my Calum: "you're bloody well right I'm mad"

"It wasn't supposed to happen, trust me"

"So you accidentally fucked someone else? That seems feasible" Calum sarcastically laughed, however hurt was still evident in his voice. The boy sat on the edge of our bed, remaining in his shrouded position. It hurt to see him like this, on the verge of tears; the fact I caused this only made my heart feel a million times worse.

"Can we just talk about this?" I begged.

"Fine. What did it feel like? Was it nice to go behind my back? Did you feel any guilt, or are you just some inhuman prick who takes pleasure in building a relationship, then crashing it within only four hurtful words?" Calum was finally looking at me now: his eyes were a light red and glassy from tears. Seeing him like this only made me realise how bad of an impact my actions had done - regardless of that, I still did not feel as much regret as one should in a situation like this.

Letting Calum's words sink in, I replied calmly. "No. It does not feel nice; it does not feel nice that I've played with you and left you in your current state. It pains me to see you so distraught. If I could turn back time and undo my actions, I would, Calum" I lied through gritted teeth at the last part. The truth is, even though I'm getting the backstabbing now, it was fun while it lasted and I wouldn't want to change the enjoyment I've had over the previous few months.

"Are you sure? Because it seems like you feel the same way about the other person. How am I to know you won't go away and tell them the same you told me?" Calum's voice persisted in cracking, despite his obvious efforts to stay strong infront of me. What did he mean by 'the other person'? Does this mean that he doesn't know it was Luke and Ashton?

"I promise I won't, that person is long gone"
They're right on the other side of the door.

"What if you're lying, Michael? I don't think I can trust you anymore" Calum's words finally made something snap in my mind. We've known each other for too long: he can't just lose all faith in me from one - two - mistakes.

"I can't lose you, Cal, please. Please forgive me. I'm desperate. I'm desperate for you. We've known each other for far too long to give everything up now. Please don't move away, my life would be nothing without you" I didn't know where these words were coming from, but they sounded convincing; not that I didn't mean them of course - it's just it will take so much to regain the same relationship I had with the Kiwi boy.

"You know I won't leave you. It's just I need space. What you've done to me is scarring, and it hurts just to look at you right now. However, I still want answers. This isn't over" the crying was coming to a stand still - but the dried tear tracks said more than anything I had heard today: I had caused Calum so much pain to his little and innocent heart that he cried. He cried because of me and I just wanted to wipe the tears away, yet I couldn't, because that's just not sociably acceptable at that current point in time.

I nodded in response, knowing there was no way of getting out of Calum learning the truth behind my unforgiving and relentless activity. "Ask away"

"How long has it been going on? Was I before them?"

"You were before them. It's being going on for a couple of weeks" I replied as nonchalantly as possible.
A couple of months, actually.

Calum nodded, soaking in the information. "Do I know the person you cheated with?"

"Most likely, yes" I closed my eyes, once again praying that if I can't see anything, everything will go away. However, life is cruel and doesn't work that way. In a sense, just like me. "D-do you want to know who they are?" I stuttered on my words; my heart felt as if it was going to fall out of my body at any moment. My blood was boiling and tingling every part of me. All I could do was stand and count the milliseconds to my unpleasant, yet deserving, fate.

"No" Calum's words took me by surprise.

"What?"

"I'd rather not if I would have to look at their face knowing they got to kiss you when we were together"

A large weight was lifted off of my heart, surprisingly Calum's words after that did not hurt me as much as he probably intended. He must not have much sense though, because only earlier Ashton and Luke made it quite clear I had hurt them in some way, too.

"We were together?" I questioned, now putting Calum's words into context.

"I've said this before: you hurt me. I've got a whole new view on the boy standing infront of me right now, however, that doesn't change all the sweet and loving things you've said and done in the past. I don't want one selfish craving to ruin the beautiful relationship we once had" Calum sat up from his seat and moved towards me. I was glued to my place as he brushed his hand across my pale cheek and looked directly into my eyes. "I still love you, Michael, I just need time to forgive you"

With that, the olive skin boy walked swiftly out of our room to God knows where. The conversation we had was brief, but relieving nonetheless. If time is what it takes to win Calum back, then I have all the time in the world.

**

I perched myself onto the spot Calum sat in only moments ago, to be greeted by Luke.

"Hey, Mikey"

"Hi" I replied, surprised at how nice Luke was being to me, because I didn't deserve this at all. Yet I still accepted it.

"How's Calum?"

"As good as he could be I suppose" I replied; not really knowing what else to say. "What about Ashton?"

"Still pissed" Luke replied. He walked towards me and sat himself next to me. He then proceeded to shuffle left so that he could get us as close together as possible. "Me, not so much"

"And why is that?"

"Because, I find badboy Michael quite attractive"

"Oh really?" My cheeky side began to rule out my guilt and I tickled Luke's sides.

"Really" Luke confirmed.

"So, if I were to, I don't know -" I looked around the hotel room until my eyes fixed onto the complimentary tray of tea every hotel seems to provide. "Maybe steal these tea bags, you would find it hot?"

"Oh, that's so minor, Michael - but I'm not stopping you"

I moved away from Luke and shoved the tea bags in my pocket, then moved back towards him sensually. I didn't stop until my lips were pressed against his ear.

"You like that?"

"As much as I shouldn't like this side of you, I do. And being sneaky could come as a great advantage to the two of us" Luke whispered seductively and grabbed my chin in order to make me face him. I licked my lips in the sight of his: oh, how I've missed a boy's lips against mine.