The Bet (Muke Clemmings)

Eight

Michael's problem from a few days prior was even bigger now. When he kissed Luke, it was on a whim, almost totally and completely just for the bet. But after hanging out with Luke that night, going out to dinner with him the next day, and now cuddling on his bed while watching a dumb movie on Netflix, Michael's "little feelings" are stronger than ever. 

And it was starting to scare him, because, this all started out because of a stupid bet with his best friend. In the beginning, Michael figured, "I'll seduce the kid, he'll fall in love with me, and after a month, Calum will give me a hundred and I'll continue on with my life like nothing happened."

But now, all Michael can think is, "I'm a douchebag playing with this poor, amazing, funny and cute kids feelings, and whenever this damn bet is over, I'll be the idiot." And besides that, Michael didn't want it to end after the month, if he could even make it that far without messing anything up. Maybe Calum's right. However, it's already been two weeks now, and Luke was still around. 

Despite all of Michael's confusing thoughts, he really loved spending time with Luke. And when Luke would look up at him and kiss his cheek, he felt butterflies in his stomach - a feeling that he hadn't felt in a while. 

It was really nice, the two of them laying together on Michael's bed. Luke was in between Michael's legs, laying with his head on his chest, and Michael's arms wrapped around him, head resting on Luke's shoulder. 

However, it was getting late, almost 1 am, and Michael was getting tired. He yawned in Luke's ear, making Luke shiver and then the both of them laugh. Luke then mumbled something about not being able to go to Ashton's this weekend to stay over, because he and Calum were camping. 

Michael found that amusing, but then asked, "Why can't you just go home, babe?" He didn't know where the 'babe' came from, but it made Luke blush and flash his dimples slightly, so that made Michael happy.

Luke sighed a long sigh, before answering, "Because my brothers are home... And my brothers suck." Luke went on to tell Michael little things about his brothers, and started to open up a little more about his family. Michael was holding him even tighter out of protection, and frowned sympathetically afterwards.

"I'm sorry you have to put up with them," Michael confessed honestly; Michael thought his family was slightly dysfunctional because his parents were never home, but Luke's... Luke's was definitely worse. 

Luke sighed again with a shrug of his shoulders, and got up to move, but Michael held him there, and half smiled, offering, "Stay with me."