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the universe is a coincidence. it was made by a series of urelated coincidences. some people believe everything is a coincidence.
michael clifford's life was a series of coincidences. he was born on a saturday in november of 1995. entirely coincidental, his birth date caused him to be in the same grade as luke hemmings and calum hood. (this will be more important later)
it was a mere coincidence that when they were 8, calum hood and michael clifford were both assigned to mrs. donald's class. coincidentally, they both had reached for the monster truck when it was playtime. the two coincidences resulted in an eternal friendship.
in year 7, by all coincidence, luke hemmings transferred to the same school as calum and michael.
michael hated luke from the day he walked into school with his cute chubby cheeks and stupid blue eyes. (some argue his "hate" was just a weak cover-up for his crush) (oh wait, not just some argue that, all agree on that)
in year 10, luke and calum were assigned the same homeroom because of then coincidence that they both had a last name that started with an h. this coincidence had been a making for years, maybe century's. it's lucky that this coincidence happened, though, because if it hadn't they'd never had become friends.
"mr. hood, you're next to mr. hemmings."
"hey, im calum." he intoduced himself, as if his best friend hadn't been terrorizing the boy for the past few years.
"i know. uhh, i mean, just you're captain of the football team. so, like, everyone knows you. also, you know, you're michaels friend." luke replied awkwardly.
"oh, yeah. im sorry about him." calum said sincerely.
"i've said my fair share of hurtful things to him, too."
"yeah, well. you hate him for a reason. he's just mean to you from the beginning."
*****
"luke, sit with us." calum calls at luch that day. luks jogs over as michael gives calum the dirtiest look anyone has ever given anyone.
"hey cal." luke says as he takes a seat at the table.
"why is he here?" michael asks.
"be nice, michael." calum warns like a mother.
"you're not my mom."
michael grumbles.
"i'd noticed that before." calum jokes.
michael gives luke the second dirtiest look anyone has ever given anyone.
"wow, mikey, don't look so happy to see me." luke grins.
'luke has cute dimples.' michael thinks. 'no, i didn't mean cute.'
then something else hits michael, and his odd cute thought is forgotten.
'i've never seen luke genuinely smile.' he thinks.
"did you just call me mikey?" michael asks. luke blushes, calum starts laughing.
"shut up." both luke and michael say to calum simultaneously.
"well, at least you have one thing in common-you're both mean to your poor friend calum."
both boys laugh until michael's laughter stops and, he glares at luke.
*****
michael, luke and calum spend luch together every day for a few weeks. each day is usually spent half laughing half fighting.
*****
it was just another coincidence that michael should walk into the school bathroom during third period. the same time that luke was crying because of something michael had said to him.
"luke, oh my god! luke, are you okay?" michael said as he ran to lukes side.
"y-yeah, im fine." he said, wiping his tears on his t-shirt.
"this is because of me, isn't it?" luke didn't have to say anything, michael already knew.
"oh, luke. im so, so sorry." he said with lukes face in his hands.
it broke michael's heart to see luke cry, especially knowing it was because of him.
*******
"lukey, over here!" michael yelled at lunch."
luke walked over to the table. calum stared confusedly.
"what happened?" calum asked when luke sat down.
"we're friends now." michael said easily.
"so, do you guys want to sleep at mine, tonight?" michael asked.
"are you actually inviting luke to hangout? and even better, at your house? all night?" calum was shocked.
"i told you, we're friends."
so, everything was forgotten, and the boys began talking about other things.
luke laughed, and michael's heart flipped. butterflies flew around in his stomache.
******
michael, luke, and calum ended up on michael's couch watching a scary movie. luke was cuddled up against michael on account of the fact that he was afraid of scary movies. yet another coincidence.
luke gripped michael's hand like his life depended on it, and maybe it did.
later, as calum layed on the couch, and michael and luke layed in luke's bed, a thought popped in lukes head. maybe, it was just a coincidence that this exact thought popped into his head at this exact moment.
"why did you hate me?" luke asked.
"i don't think i ever really did, i think wanted to, but i couldn't."
"why'd you want to?"
"because, luke, i like you. a lot." michael admitted.
"like, as more than a friend?" he asked. michael nodded hise head, and put his forehead against luke's.
"yeah." he whispered.
they lay like that from a while, forehead to forehead, hands intwined. it was a bit before anything happened.
luke was the one to tilt his head and kiss michael. his lips were soft, and tasted like beer that they snuck from his dad, and the butter from the popcorn. and lukes head felt dizzy.
maybe everything before the kiss was a coincidence that happened just for that kiss.
"luke, i really like you. you make my heart life flip and shit. and, like, i could listen to your laugh for the rest of my life." michael told him. it wasn't very articulate but maybe it was the only way he could even try to explain his emotions to luke, because they were too much at only 16.
"i like you too, a lot. i've had a crush on you for a while."
both boys layed smiling at eachother, with their hands intwined for a while before falling asleep.
so, the universe is made of coincidences, and some people argue that michael and luke are the best coincidence the universe has ever produced.
