skylines - michael clifford

then vs now

Chapter 1

Age 7

I remember the day that Michael moved into my small but cozy apartment complex. I was 7 and he was 9 still enjoying the innocence of our childhoods. I remember him sitting on a box in the first-floor hallway crying heavily and definitely acting his age. He was wearing a bright red shirt with black basketball shorts. He was weeping in a heavy Australian accent telling his parents who seemed to be fed up with him that he wanted nothing more but to go home. I was confused because well wasn't that his home..? I had only ever lived in the same place my entire life so I didn't understand what he was going through. I live on the third floor, so I was on my way to the elevators to go to my apartment when I saw him making the cardboard box soggy with his tears. I went up to him and asked him if he wanted to go to my apartment for dinner. I thought that boys liked food so I figured that was the solution to getting him to stop crying. He whipped his tears and nodded. He walked down the hallway that was lit up by one beautiful chandelier, and that was the first time I had the privilege to call Michael Clifford my best friend.

Age 10

"Why is he.. here?" my friend Sophia asked me. It was my 10th birthday and all my closet girlfriends were sat in my apartment, dressed up in big pink and purple poofy dresses, wearing tiaras, and eating frosted animal crackers. Looking back it wasn't very fun, but for whatever reason I enjoyed it. Then there was Michael who had come to every single one of my princess-themed birthday parties without complaining, and I loved him for that. "Michael is here because he's my frog and I'm the princess!" I laughed and flashed a smile of my crooked teeth at Michael who simply laughed along with me.

Age 14

I had just started 8th grade and Michael started his sophomore year, but we still went to the same school as we had all the years before. Just like every other morning, we met at the lobby of our apartment building to walk to school together. We went to a private school with not many students, but we had to wear uniforms. I couldn't lie to myself Michael was becoming more and more attractive as the years went on. I couldn't say the same for me though because I had just gotten my braces on, and they were not a good look for me at all.

"How are you liking still being in middle school?" he laughed at me. It was hard having your best friend be two grades above you in school especially when you went to school with a bunch of assholes who love to assume they know everything. "Oh shut up!" I hit him very hard on his shoulder. "Ow! Ember what the hell?" He yelled while rubbing his arm. "Yeah, that's right cliffo.. I hope you feel it through your dumb blazer!" I laughed to myself while flicking him off.

His friends Ashton, Calum, and Luke and his only friends may I add used to make fun of us and say that we were boyfriend and girlfriend and I mean even though Michael was hot as hell eighth grade me fought everything in me to give in because I knew Michael would never feel the same way.

Age 16

After many months of fighting off my feelings for Michael, I got a boyfriend and his name is Dean! I admit it was hard at first but after I learned that Michael and I would never happen it worked out with Dean well up until now. Dean and I have been dating for two years and yes, of course, people around me questioned how dean could be so okay with me having Michael as my best friend but I would tell everyone that dean was an amazing boyfriend because he understood Michael was nothing but my best friend... Or at least I thought that until now. Dean hates my friendship with Michael now. I still get to hang out with Michael but I can't let Dean know. As far as Dean is concerned i see Michael only at school, but Michael is my best friend so obviously, I said to hell with that! But since Michael is my best friend I've never told him the way that dean treats me... The yelling, the fighting, the toxicity, and gaslighting all of it I've never been able to tell Michael. He would go crazy and destroy Dean if he knew, and to be honest i'm worried that if Michael found out and I'd have to break up with dean that all my feelings towards Michael would resurface. Trust me this was already hard as is. Michael is so hot it blows my mind. He had his hair dyed a faded light purple color and oh my lord did it look amazing on him. He also grew about a foot and has an eyebrow piercing. It was so hard not to stare at him all day.