IMPORTANT AN: Not really an update? This is just some random extra chapter to keep you guys happy while I write the next chapter. I'm sorry about the shit I wrote last chapter. Most of you liked it, but there were some who didn't. I was quite happy with it at first, but now frankly I wish I could rewrite it. But what's done is done. Just bear with me with the rest of the story, okay?

I never planned on abandoning this story, by the way. I was actually thinking about only keeping it for myself, like I'll finish it but I just won't share it with you guys. Evil, aren't I? Don't worry, I think I'll share it with you guys anyway. Just don't expect anything good, okay?

All right, on with the extra chapter. I hope you enjoy it x

I woke up around six in the morning and took a quick shower before going towards the door to leave my hotel room. On my way out, I noticed that Luke and Ashton were out as well, heading over to the elevator. I quickly hid myself away, not wanting to be spotted by the two. I waited for the elevator doors to close before I fully stepped out of my hotel suite, closing the door and making sure it was locked in place.

Why Ashton and Luke were even up, I didn't even know. But then again, I was up as well, so I had no say in anything.

I walked over to an elevator, grateful that the hotel had two, and pressed the button for the main floor. I stuffed my hands into my pockets and waited for the elevator to finally take me down to the lobby.

Once there, the doors opened and I spotted the two once again, this time already exiting the hotel and walking off. I went past the front desk, waving at the person standing behind it, and then finally got outside, pulling out my phone to call Frederick.

After a couple of rings, he finally answered his phone and said, "Good morning, Mr. Clifford. How may I be of assistance?"

"I need you to take me somewhere," I said. "Could you come pick me up in front of Summer Hotel?"

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Frederick finally dropped me off in front of the place I wanted to be at. I quickly thanked him and told him to pick me up within an hour and he nodded, driving off. I turned on my heels, facing the building before me before taking in a deep breath, stepping closer to the main entrance.

Once inside, I walked up to the front desk where this lady was sitting and typing away on the computer. Her blue eyes finally looked up at me and she gave me this friendly smile.

"Hello," she greeted. "May I help you?"

"Yes, hi. I'm here to visit a friend of mine. May I have a visitor's pass?"

She placed her hand over a clipboard that was rested on top of the desk. "Sign in here and I'll give you one immediately. Do you know where to go?"

I nodded as I quickly picked up the black pen, scribbling down my name, the time, and the room I was going to. She handed me a pass and I thanked her, heading away and going through the hallway.

After walking around for a bit, I finally found the room I wanted to go to, seeing that the door was closed. I took in a shaky breath, my heart beating faster than normal. My hand was trembling as it reached for the knob, finally getting a firm grasp on the brass handle before twisting it and letting me inside.

My steps were slow, making sure that I wouldn't make too much noise as I entered the room. I looked over to where my friend was, my heart falling to the pit of my stomach just from seeing him.

Calum was still asleep, his breathing even and soft. I finally made my way over to him, pulling a chair up by the left side of the bed and sitting down.

Yesterday when Ashton, Luke, and I went to visit him and the other two were out in the hallway doing whatever, Calum asked me to come by at six thirty in the morning. For whatever reason, I didn't know, but I agreed anyway.

I glanced over at the clock that was hanging off of the wall, and I saw that it was already way past the time that he wanted me here. However, he was still asleep and I sighed.

Since I was wearing a large sweater, I pulled down the sleeves over my hands while I sneaked one of my hands into his, softly holding his.

When he didn't wake up, I leaned my head down to his hand, pressing my lips to the back of it. I took my hand out of his and then pulled away, my back against the chair. I kicked off my shoes and pulled my feet onto the seat. Calum still remained in his sleeping state, so I decided to rest my eyes just a bit.

I tilted my head slightly to the side, crossed my arms over my chest, and closed my eyelids.

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I woke up when I heard a shuffling noise. I opened my eyes, rubbing at them before I turned my attention to the sound, seeing Calum was finally awake looking at me.

"Hey, Michael," he greeted and I smiled, waving back at him. "It's already seven. I'm sorry I wasn't awake for the time I asked for you to come here."

"It's fine," I said. "At least you're awake now."

"Yeah, I am." He scooted towards his right and I raised an eyebrow, wondering what he was doing. Then he extended his left arm out at me and said, "Come lie down with me."

I thought over it before I nodded, standing from my spot and walking over to Calum, sliding into the space next to him while trying to be as gentle as possible so I didn't hurt him in any way.

Calum was on his back while I was on my side facing Calum. I draped an arm over Calum's body, careful to not touch his arm that was still in a sling. I pinched his hospital gown in between to fingers before releasing it and tracing circles into it.

"How've you been, Mikey?" Calum asked.

"I've been better," I mumbled. "I'm still a bit tired."

"Is it because I asked you to come by so early? I'm sorry."

"No, it's not that. I... I feel like I need to take a break from work, but that won't happen until after the party we're throwing for Ashton." I snuggled my face into his shoulder. "Sometimes I just want to sleep forever and never wake up."

"But if you sleep forever, who's going to be with me?"

I glanced up at his face and saw that his eyes were fixed on the ceiling.

"I don't know. A nice girl? There are many girls in the world who would love to have you as their boyfriend."

"Too bad for them," he said. "I already have eyes for someone else."

"Oh." I looked back down, my finger that was drawing patterns into his hospital gown stopping. "What's she like?"

"They're hardworking and independent, a trait I like in a person. They're also quite the airhead, but that's what makes them all the cuter." He laughed weakly to himself. "To me, they're beautiful and perfect in every single way. But it seems like no matter what I do to get them to see me the way I see them, it always fails."

How could someone not notice a guy like Calum? He's the definition of perfect, inside and out. Whoever this girl is, she's lucky to have an amazing person like Calum to fancy her.

"I wish the best of luck to you that one day you'll make her yours," I said.

Calum sighed. "Luck just isn't on my side, Mikey. With every word I hear them say to me, it's a bullet to my heart."

I frowned. "No talk about bullets. They're evil. They put you here."

"Sorry," he apologized. "But honestly, I really don't think I'll be able to make them mine."

"Don't say that," I told Calum as I glanced up at him. "What's not to like about you, Cal? If you liked me, I would be insanely happy."

He looked at me with large eyes. "Y-You would?"

"Of course. Someone as amazing as you liking me would be like a dream come true."

Calum bit his bottom lip before he responded, "But let's say that you didn't like me and didn't see me the way I see you. How would you react if I confessed to you?"

"Well, I can't imagine myself not liking you. It's kind of impossible for me to not like you."

He raised an eyebrow. "Is that a confession of love I'm hearing from you?"

I gasped, slapping a hand over my mouth and looking away from him as my cheeks instantly turned red. Did I really just say that?! It just slipped out of my mouth, and I didn't even have feelings for Calum. It's like my mouth was going on on its own without me thinking about what I was saying.

"I-I was just saying that there's nothing to not like about you," I quickly said. "I wasn't confessing or anything, because we're friends. I can't like you."

"Oh. Okay, then," Calum mumbled, sounding disappointed. Did I hurt his feelings? If a girl told me she would never like me as more than a friend, of course I would be hurt. "Now I really feel like I have no chance with them."

Hearing how sad he sounded made me feel sad. I didn't like Calum being sad; he was usually all smiles around me.

"Calum, have faith," I said.

He shook his head. "I just lost it all."

"Please?"

"No."

"Calum, you're giving up too easily. You don't even know if she likes you or not--"

"Will you shut up?!" he shouted as he instantly shot upright, glaring down at me, but then his face twisted into an expression of pain as his good hand reached around to his shoulder. "F-Fuck..."

"Calum!" I yelled, instantly sitting up to make sure he was all right. "How badly hurt are you? You're not dying again, are you? Do you want me to call a nurse in here? I don't want you to die. You're one of my best friends and I need you in my life."

"Michael, it's just a bullet to the shoulder," he grumbled. "I didn't get shot in the heart or anything. I'm not going to die." He turned his head away from me so he was staring at the floor on his right side. "Can you just... leave now? I shouldn't have asked you to come here."

I felt a sharp pang of hurt in my chest when he said that. "You're kicking me out? But Calum--"

"I'm serious when I say this." He looked at me and it looked as if his eyes were brimmed with tears. "I have no hope. I just lost it all, but it doesn't matter. We weren't meant to be anyway."

"We?"

"Yeah. As in she and I, apparently. I'll never make her mine, because she doesn't return my feelings." He buried his face into his left hand, his elbow rested on top of his thigh. "Why did I have to fall for her?"

Except instead of her, it sounded more like 'you' to me. But I could've been mishearing things. My hearing wasn't always the best anyway.

"I'm sorry, Calum," I mumbled, standing up from the bed. "I'll... I'll just head back to the hotel. I'll visit you tomorrow."

Before I could walk away, he grabbed my wrist and I looked back at him, seeing that his eyes had tears in them and they were going down his cheek.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you, Mikey," he said. "It's... It's not your fault."

"It's fine," I said. "Um, does that mean I can stay?"

"... I think it's best if you leave now."

I actually wanted to hear him say the opposite of that. But if he wants me to go, then I'll leave.

"Okay. I'll go. Do you know when you'll check out of the hospital?"

Calum shook his head. "I don't know. They told me I'll stay here for at least a week, just so they could monitor me."

My eyes widened. "B-But we're supposed--"

"I know, I know. I'll just have to postpone mine." He brought his hand up to my face, caressing my cheek softly.

"You and I were supposed to go together."

"You have Ashton and Luke, don't you? You can go with them."

"Luke's not going with us. And I want you to go with me, too. I-I can just change mine so we can go together."

"And inconvenience Ashton? You don't have to do it."

Shaking my head, I said to Calum, "I want to. For you."

He bit his bottom lip. "You're not going to change your mind, are you?"

I shook my head. "I want to be with you." I pulled my wrist out of his hold and reached into my pocket, pulling out my phone and instantly dialing down a number.

While I was talking to the person on the other end, I heard Calum say, "I wish you meant that in another way."

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AN: Malum chapter? I'll probably do this once in a while. Do you guys mind that? (The correct answer is: no)

Anyway, what did you guys think of this extra chapter? Does it make up for the sorry excuse of the last one? I hope it does.

I hope this was worth the read (: Until next time! x