The Bet || l.h.

- 22 -

"For the last time, Calum, just because you have sex with lots of girls doesn't mean that you're an expert in chemistry." Michael doesn't even look up from his game, scowling. "It just means that you probably have an STD."

Ashton snickers and Calum gives him a dark look.

Luke watches his friends with an unreadable expression, his arm thrown casually around my shoulders.

"A party will be fun," Cal says enthusiastically, leaning on Michael. "Maybe Cora will be there."

Michael's expression twists and he pauses the game, whipping around to face Calum. "Cora doesn't want anything to do with me," he says in a low voice. Hurt shines in his green eyes. "You know that."

Calum frowns. "Maybe if you tried to explain it to her-"

"I already did!" Michael explodes. "And she hates me. Leave it alone."

He stalks down the hallway, slamming the door shut behind him.

Ashton's brows draw together as he looks back over at Calum. "You know he doesn't like talking about Cora," he says quietly.

Calum throws his hands into the air. "I only wanted to help him! He's been moody for weeks! Maybe it's time he moved on-"

"Maybe he doesn't want to move on," Ashton snaps. "He loved her, Calum. You have to give him time."

With that, he gets to his feet and goes after his friend, not bothering to say anything else.

Calum sighs, his shoulders slumping in defeat. His dark eyes trail over to our side of the couch. "I just want him to be happy again," he says miserably.

Luke offers him a small smile, reaching over to pat his leg. "I know, Cal. He knows that too. But you can't keep pushing him to get better."

A heavy silence falls before Calum clears his throat.

"I'm sorry," he whispers, tears shining in his eyes as he looks at his best friend. "For saying that you should go back to rehab... I know what that place did to you."

Luke flinches but forces a smile onto his face. "I know why you did it, Cal," he says. "And I'm not mad. You just wanted to help."

Calum stares down at his hands, twisting them together nervously in his lap.

"Michael's not mad at you," I say gently, drawing his attention. "He's mad at himself for what happened with Cora."

"I still think a party would help," Calum mutters.

Luke opens his mouth to say something else, but a loud bang down the hallway cuts him off.

"Alright, shitheads, here's the plan," Michael says, walking back into the living room of Cal's basement. "We're going to go to this party and look like the sexiest motherfuckers in there. We're going to make out with lots of girls and Luke's gonna make sure he and Emmy don't fuck in front of us. And no one mentions Cora again. I'm done with her."

I look to where Ashton appears behind him. He shrugs.

"Oh, and Em, you should invite those friends of yours. Especially Natalie, she's cute," Michael throws in.

I hide a smile as I take out my phone. If only Natalie knew that Michael Clifford called her cute... She'd be having a heart attack.

"I'll make sure they're there," I say. "Actually, I should probably change before the party anyway." I frown down at my leggings and one of Luke's shirts. "I'll text Lindsay to pick me up."

"No need," Luke says, getting to his feet. "I'll drive you."

"If you can drive without pulling out a condom," Ashton mutters, earning a scowl from Luke. "You know we love you both, but we don't need little versions of you running around just yet."