A Certain Romance || Ashton Irwin

Reevaluating

Saturday afternoon's were reserved for homework and junk food binging and ignoring the rest of the world. But a frantic phone call from Luke, telling me to rush to Michael's house now was the only thing getting in my way of solace. I had Sam drop me off at Michael's since he was going to that part of the city anyway. I donned sweatpants and a hoodie without a shirt underneath because the hoodie wouldn't even be coming off.

"Luke," I sighed, rubbing my temples. Luke sat at the foot of Michael's bed and Michael sat on the floor between Luke's legs. Luke played with Michael's hair and Michael closed his eyes, humming. That wasn't what was bothering me, though. Luke was wearing a pink tutu around his hips as if it was the norm. "You're wearing a fucking tutu, I cannot take you seriously in that thing."

"Mikey said I look cute in it." He said confidently. Luke combed his fingers through Michael's fading lilac hair.

Of-fucking-course. If Michael liked something Luke did, Luke was quick to keeping doing it - or keeping it on in this case. Luke lived for Michael's approval, even if they pissed each other off.

"Why am I here?" I took a seat on the floor across from Michael in desperation to get an answer so I could go back home and enjoy the rest of my Saturday after they deprived me of a lovely Friday night in.

"We need to reevaluate our plan to ruin Ashton and Calum." Michael fiddled with Luke's untied shoe laces. Michael probably complained about Luke wearing shoes in his house before I had gotten here.

"I'm going to repeat this one last time and I hope it sinks in." I took a breath of courage. "I do not want any part of this. You guys can do it on your own. Ashton is annoying and Calum is too self-absorbed to realize that someone's trying to fuck with him. After last night I don't want to have any part of being close to Ashton."

Michael placed his hands on Luke's, stopping the blond from playing with his hair. "We've made a breakthrough!" He began clapping his hands.

I swatted my hand harshly across Michael's cheek, "Shut up, Michael!"

"That was so hot." Michael looked at me with a smirk, leaning in closer to me. "Do it again."

"I'll kick you in your balls, Clifford."

"Luke and I have a proposition." Michael looked to Luke giving some weird signal for Luke to sit on the floor too instead of acting like superiority because he was on the bed.

"If it involves the video game club or masturbating to Ferrari's, leave me out." I held up my hands in surrender.

"Coach Buckley is holding cheerleader try-outs on Monday. We want you to try out." Luke laced his fingers together, placing them in his lap.

I needed to find the source of where that tutu came from and then burn the thing. I would even gladly burn Luke along with it if it came to such violence.

"N-"

"Before you object...if you try out and actually make the cheer squad Luke and I will do whatever you want."

There was a certain spot on Michael's carpeted floor that I enjoyed picking at whenever I was over. Over the years the spot had gotten so bad, it was noticeable. Michael usually covered it up with a random shirt or jeans and only brought the spot out so I could go back to work on it like right now. Call it a nervous habit, if you please. "I get wedgies very often, I am not cut out for the life of spankies!"

My ego gained nothing from wedgies and cheering. Nothing.

"Ever thought it's because your ass is big and you're wearing panties that aren't even your size?" Luke shot the dumbest look at me after his question of sass.

"Shut up, Luke." Michael shoved Luke to the floor. Luke just stayed, lying on his side and looking at the beige carpet.

"Why would I try out? Give me one good reason why."

"Your popularity would rise. It might look nice on your college resume. The football team will pay more attention to you - meaning free food. And you'll look hot as fuck as a cheerleader." Michael shrugged. "Do you need anymore reasons?"

"If I do this - if - you and Luke are trying out for the football team." Michael opened his mouth to speak, but he knew he opened it too soon because I was not done. "Before you object, it's only fair that all three of us embarrass ourselves because of your weird obsession with Calum."

Luke sat back up, looking to Michael, both nodded to each other and then looked at me with smiles.

"So, do we have a deal?" Michael asked.

"We have a deal." I confirmed.

"Perfect!" Michael sighed with relief.

"Ends up working perfectly, I suppose." I sighed. "You guys can get top secret locker room talk without anyone being suspicious. And I guess, I could get info about Calum from Elizabeth. His weak spots, his secrets, anything else of that sort."

"So you admit it?" Michael tried to hide a smile, but he was too proud of this defining moment.

"What?"

"That this is a good idea?" He booped my nose.

"Not a good idea, just me being a good friend." I corrected. "I don't care about destroying anyone. Maybe Ashton, but I could survive if I just let him be. I wish you were the same with Calum."

"I seek revenge. Something you're too lazy for."

"Guys? Do you think I'll still be decent looking if I play football?" Luke said, still lying on the floor.

I said, "Yes." At the same time that Michael said, "No."

"Then maybe I shouldn't try out."

"No one's backing out of this." I stood up. "Because I'm kind of tempted by the sound of free food to go through with this."

"Then it's settled, Miss Sirois." Michael shook my hand.