10:53 [calum hood]

30

➸ r i l e y

"Guys, I got KFC! Hey, where is--" Michael stopped short when he saw us all in the kitchen, and his gaze darted from Luke to Ashton. "Did I miss something?"

Luke glared at Ashton and I as he spoke to Michael. "Ashton is a whore, that's what you missed!" Luke spoke harshly, making Michael flinch in surprise.

"I'm sure that's not the case, I mean... Here, have some KFC. I got it just for you!" Michael said with mock enthusiasm, waving the bag in front of Luke's face to try and distract him from us.

I looked at Luke with pleading eyes. "What would you tell Calum anyway? That Ashton and I hugged? I would never cheat on Calum, especially not with one of my good friends. He wouldn't believe you anyway." Part of me was trying to reassure myself while the other part was trying to convince Luke not to spread false rumors.

Again with these false rumors.

There was no hint of remorse in his eyes. "When Calum finds out, he'll be pissed at Ashton, right? And hopefully he'll put on his big boy pants and fight Ashton. Then when Ashton finally gets what he deserves, the universe will be in balance once again."

I was almost positive that the alcohol was speaking for him right now, because there was no possible way that an angel like Luke would ever do something this cruel. "I didn't do anything! Not with Riley, at least. Just please, please don't hurt her for my stupid mistake," Ashton said, trying his best to lure Luke away from Calum and I.

"Save it, Irwin."

"He won't believe you."

"Oh, I'll make sure he does."

Michael stepped in between us, eyes darting wildly from side to side. "Woah, woah, easy guys. Why can't we just have some KFC and be happy?"

Ashton shook his head and gave me a sorry smile. "I should go." Before any of us could speak, he was out the door and had successfully made an escape from this dramatic scence.

"Luke, go to sleep. Again," Michael said, placing the bag of KFC on the island and taking Luke's arm. "Come on, Ashton isn't coming back. Me and Riley aren't even going to hook up, I promise. She's not my type. I'm more of a boobs over ass kind of--"

"Mike, just take him to bed!" I interrupted loudly, and the volume of my voice surprised even me. Michael led Luke upstairs without another word, and as soon as I heard their footsteps fade I groaned and rubbed my temples slowly.

Michael knew what he was saying when he said that Luke could be Lucifer.

✿❀✿❀✿❀

"Calum!" I squealed, pushing past confused faces in the crowded terminal and running towards the boy I had been waiting weeks to see.

He opened his arms up wide and caught me in an embrace, rubbing circles on my back as I hugged him close. After a long hug, he pulled back slightly to look me in the eyes. "I've." Kiss. "Missed." Kiss. "You." Kiss. "So." Kiss. "Much." Kiss.

"Hey, Riley," his mother said from behind Calum, who was still clinging to me with a large grin.

"Hi, Mrs. Hood." I gave her a smile that she quickly returned.

"Oh, and I've missed you more," I teased, returning my gaze back to Calum. "How was California?"

He chuckled. "As good as the movies. Can we go home now? My fish haven't gotten food in weeks and I don't really want my room to smell like rotting corpses."

I could always count on Calum to be a total goof after going through something as difficult as losing his grandma. "Let's get your bags and go, then."