Faker | Muke

Chapter Sixteen

"I'll post the video later," Connor informed, he was packing up his camera and lights he let Troye and Michael borrow for their Q&A they did for Troye's YouTube channel per request of Jennifer. Connor had spent a lot of time finding the questions and preparing it for them. Something neither of the two had time for and Michael was thankful Troye had someone like Connor in his life. Connor was a lot like Luke in a sense that he had always tried to make Michael's life a little easier, and that's exactly what he does for the small brunet singer. 

"Thank you for doing this. I know it's probably the last thing you wanted to do." Michael said, leaning up against the couch as he watched Connor packing away his things. Troye had to leave for a meeting with his label leaving the two alone in the apartment. Michael still didn't know much about the youtuber and best friend of Troye, but from what he's seen he's laid back and loves photography more than anyone Michael knows.

"Anything to make Troye's life easier," Connor smiled, grabbing the last of his things. He stood face-to-face with Michael debating if he should continue this conversation or leave and spend the rest at home cleaning up the mess that was left their the previous night from friends. "His life has been hectic and to add this fake relationship into the mix definitely didn't help." 

"You're telling me." Michael said sarcastically, earning a chuckled from Connor. 

"Well, I better get going. Tell Troye I left him some papers in his room when he gets back." Michael nodded, bidding his goodbye and closing the front door behind him. He finally had the apartment to himself and he didn't know what to do. If this was under any other circumstances he's ask Luke to get his ass home to cuddle, but it's different now and he can't do that. They're not longer together and it hurts too much for him to think about that. Never would he had guessed this is how his life would turn out to be while being in a band with his best friends who now hate him for what he's done and there's no way to explain to them why this is happening without telling them he's a puppet in Jennifer's game.

Michael made his way to his room, closing the door behind him. He stripped of his clothes and desperately looked around for one of Luke's shirts he packed with him. It was the only way for the faux blond to feel closer to Luke. It still faintly smelled like him and Michael never wanted the scent to go away. He wanted to bask in it forever, drown himself in the faint smell of Luke's cologne off of the fabric.

Michael was planning on collapsing on his bed and to sleep the rest of the day away to forget about his problems and that's exactly what he did,

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When Michael woke up again the clock on his phone read 5:31 p.m. when he reached for it, he also had several missed messages from Calum? Michael sat up quickly and unlocked his phone to see what the maori boy needed from him. Maybe that had finally had a mutual decision to kick him out and to save themselves from the effort to tell him in person they texted him instead. When he clicked on the message he was confused by the words written. Calum wanted to meet up for dinner at 6 o'clock. Instead of messaging Calum back Michael opted on calling his best friend instead to see of this was some sick joke or if he really was being serious about getting dinner together, even after all that he has done.

"Hello?"

"Calum?" Michael asked, clutching the phone in a tight grip.

"Mhmm, hey! Did you get my text?"

Michael hummed in response, but he knew that wouldn't be a sustainable enough answer for Calum. "Yeah, I got your message."

"So?" Michael could hear rustling in the background and faint voices, he figured it was just the TV in the back, but then he heard Luke yelling and the name Ashton thrown around. "Oh, sorry. Luke's taking his anger out on FIFA. You want to get dinner instead of staying silent on the other line."

"Oh, uh, sure. Let me get dressed first." Michael informed, earning a light chuckle from Calum.

"You never do wear clothes." Calum said, still lightly laughing at Michael. Michael smiled to himself, this felt like old times rather than now where their friendship is crumbling to pieces. "I'll text you the details, see you soon." The other line went dead, Michael tossed his phone on his bed to go on a search for some clean clothes in the mess of his room.

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"I haven't been here since–" Michael started, but stopped once he realized where he was going with his sentence. The last time he had been to the Santa Monica Pier was with Luke. They had made it full day out there playing games, riding the small rides together, and then ending the day with food and each other's company. It's been a few months, but he remembers it like it was yesterday.

"Yeah, you came here with Luke." Calum answered. "He wouldn't shut up about that damn stuffed animal you won him when you did. Luke's always had a knack for convincing you to win him those. Doesn't he have a bin full of them back at the apartment?" Calum was rambling about Luke and in the moment Michael forgot about him not being in a relationship with him. It felt like old times when he'd tell Calum all the little secrets about Luke and things he'd done on a date. Calum would listen because his best friend was in love and he'd never met anyone else before who was so love sick like Michael is–was.

"He does, right next to his nightstand. Luke would always choose a different one to snuggle with at night. It's the most adorable thing that he does." Michael smiled, stuffing his hand deep in his pocket before he realized what he had said. Michael whipped his head back up to look at Calum. Calum had a goofy grin on his face like he knew all along. Knew Michael is a dirty liar and he's about to ding deep to make him spill the beans on the lies he's been keeping.

"I fucking knew it! Maybe not fully, but now I do."

"What?" Michael asked, eyes wide with fear. 

"You still love Luke, yet you prance around with some brunet twink? Was a blond twink not good enough for you?"

"I–I what-t?" Michael was stuttering, at lost for words. His best friend has him cornered with nowhere to go and is demanding answers to questions he can't talk about.

"Luke's had some weird theories and he might be right, but your side of the story doesn't make sense. When did you have time to go behind Luke's back to cheat? On you ten minute trip to the store you meet a famous guy and make out in the store bathrooms?" Michael winced. He doesn't have anything to say to that. Jennifer only told him so much to say and now he's stuck between his lies that are piling up. "C'mon Michael, you can tell me." 

Michael nervously chewed on his bottom lip, "Not here... Let's drive somewhere down the beach and I'll tell you."

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let me know your thoughts?? (-:

if he tells Calum how do you think it'll go?

love you lots and i figured y'all needed this double update for the day. 

thanks for reading cuties.