The Mean Boys (Book 1)

Chapter 9

Calum Hood

"Omgee!" Ashton screeched.
          "Ash, it's 'omg.' Where did you get 'gee' from?" Michael corrected.
          "From my lady lover when I hit her with a book."
          "Speaking of books, look what I found." Michael called out. "Calum, check this out."
          I walked over to Michael and stood behind him, resting my arm on his shoulder. He flicked through the silver stained pages. Ashton walked over and stood behind Michael. He wrapped his arms around his waist and rested his head on his shoulder. Luke stood behind me, leaning over my shoulder to see the book. Michael stopped on a page that had Josh and Sophia on it. 'Goth freak 101!' was written under Sophia, but nothing had been written for Josh.
          "Is that the Burn Book?" Luke asked. "I haven't read that in for ages."
          "Look! It's Josh and Sophie." Ashton exclaimed, pointing at the book.
          "Actually, it's Sophia." I corrected.
          "Do you know her?" Luke asked in confusion, leaning his head on my shoulder.
          "She was my first friend at this school. I sit next near her in maths, but who needs her when I've got you guys?"
          "That's ma boy!" Luke exclaimed, patting me on the back.
          "You're so turning into a mini Luke." Michael scoffed.
          "Am I?"
          "Don't worry, Cal. The world of Luke is amazing." Ashton informed me, giggling.
          "And how would you know that, Ashton?" Luke asked.
          "Because you're so cool and sweet and cute and awesome and punk-rock and amazing and-"
          "Ashton, are you sure you're not gay?" Michael asked.
         "I'm... What? Mikey! That was so mean! I can't believe you would say that to me!"
         "It was a simple question. It's not like I was asking you to kill yourself." Michael replied, shrugging his shoulders.
         "Lukey, Michael wants me to turn gay and die!" Ashton cried. "Calum! Hold me."
         Before I could get a chance to reply, Ashton fell into my arms. I dragged him over to Luke's bed and threw him on it. I pushed his arm which made him roll over. He had fainted. I looked over at Michael and Luke. They ran over to Ashton, Luke immediately holding the small blonde boy in his arms.
          "Ashton?" Luke asked. "Wakey, wakey."
          "Lukey?" Ashton asked, reaching up to touch something.
          "Ashy, you fainted. You're not gay. You have a girlfriend. Don't worry, baby."
          "Lashton feels." Michael whispered to me.
          "What?"
          "It's Luke and Ashton's name put together."
          "Yeah, I got that part. What does 'feels' mean?"
          "Where something is so cute and meant to be. Like, Lashton never really happens, it's not real, but because their being all cute now, you have to love it."
          "Oh."
          "You're such a dumb person. Haven't you learnt slang?"
          "I know what 'lol' means."
          "The meaning?"
          "Lots of love."
          "You got it wrong. It's laughing out loud."
          "Oh."
          "Ashton, I think Calum needs to stay away from you and your stupid germs."
          "What? Why? I love Calum!"
          "But you're turning him stupid."
          "But...but..." The blonde boy started of before pulling me into a hug and crying against my neck.
          "It's okay, Ash. I'm not ditching you, okay?"
          "Promise?"
          "Promise."
          "So now that, that gay moment is over. How about we look through he Burn Book and add things?"
          "Jamie Smith is an ugly virgin." I read out loud.
          "Still half true." Luke chuckled.
          "Noah Johnson made out with a hot-dog." Michael laughed.
          "Why?" I asked.
          "Because he couldn't get a girlfriend." He replied, laughing.
          "Josh. The only person without a title." Luke said.
          "Don't you know anything about him?" I asked.
          "Nothing at all. He's so hard to get to," Michael muttered. "Do you know anything about him?"
          "Um, Sophia said that he was 'too gay to function.'"
          I didn't know why or if he really said it, but I could've sworn that Luke whispered, "Of course."
          "That's a good one. Put it in the book." Michael handed me the book.
          "Yeah, Cal. Put it in the book." Ashton repeated, handing me a pen.
          I took the book and pen out of my friend's hands. I placed the book on my lap and took the lid off of the fountain pen. I hovered the pen over the picture of Josh. I looked at Luke who had a pained, but encouraging look on his face. I looked at Michael who was looking at Luke in what looked like regret. Ashton was grinning at me like the Cheshire cat. I finally put the pen on the paper. I shouldn't have said that. Maybe it was only okay when Sophia said it. I handed the book and pen over to Michael who stood up and put them away. He sat back down next to me and leaned against the headboard of Luke's bed.
          "So..." Michael sighed.
          "Who wants some alcohol?" Luke's mother rushed into the room holding four glasses of some weird liquid.
          "Anyone want to have sex?"
          "For Calum's sake! Just go pick up some random slutty boy. Calum doesn't want you! None of my friends want you!" Luke exclaimed, standing up and pushing his sister out of the room.
          "So... Alcohol?"
          "Thanks, Mum."
          "Thanks, Miss Hemmings." Ashton and Michael thanked together.
          "Calum?"
          "Um, no thanks."
          "Can't you drink alcohol? It's not real. It's just lime, but don't tell Ashton."
          "I can't drink it anyway. I only drink water and milk. Anything else will make me small and weak."
          "Calum, I know for a fact that you are not going to turn into a fat person like Michael or a weak person like Ashton." Luke scoffed.
          "Hey! I'm not fat! I'm bulky!"
          "Whatever. You look fat to me."
          "Stop being mean, Luke!" Ashton yelled, walking over to Luke and slapping him.
          "Ash-"

          "Save it, Luke. You're so mean to everyone! Why can't you just learn that people have feelings? We're not all robots like you. You need to stop being an arsehole for once and actually be nice!"
          "Ash-"
          "No!"
          Ashton punched Luke right under his jaw. Luke's mum and sister were no longer in the room. Michael rushed over to Luke's side, picking up his broken body. I kneeled down next to Ashton and held his shaking body in my arms. He cried against my neck. Michael placed Luke on the bed and picked up the phone from the bedside cabinet. I knew he was calling an ambulance. Luke just sat there in shock...until he passed out
          "I-I'm so sorry, C-Calum! I didn't mean to hurt Lukey! I love him! D-Did I kill him? A-Am I going to go to H-Hell now?"
          "Of course not, Ashton. It's going to be okay. You didn't hurt him that much. Luke's a big boy. He's just..." I looked over at Luke. He was 'resting' his eyes. "He's just sleeping right now."
          "Is he gonna hurt me? Is he gonna hate me?"
          "No, no. Don't worry, Ash."
          "Calum?"
          "Yeah, Michael?"
          "I don't suppose you know how to help Luke, do you?"
          "Don't move him. Don't touch him. Just leave him alone. Don't even talk to or about him. The only thing you can do is check his pulse."
          "How do I do that?"
          "Put two of your fingers against his wrist or neck." I watched as Michael checked Luke's pulse.
          "It's really slow."
          "Um...mouth-to-mouth? Try that."
          "What? No!"
          "Move." I muttered to Michael as I left Ashton and made my way over to Luke.
          "He's probably gotten a broken jaw, just leave him alone!"
          "He was punched in the neck, Michael! He can't breathe!"
          I straddled Luke's almost dead body and pinched his nose. I ever so carefully parted his lips and started blowing air into his mouth, to his tubes and lungs. I didn't know whether this was supposed to help him in any way, but I knew waiting five minutes for an ambulance to come was not the way to go. I checked Luke's pulse. It was slow, but not slow enough to die. I was suddenly pulled off Luke and thrown to the floor.