Bad News | Punk Michael Clifford

thirty two

So I said I was going to start doing some chapter dedications!

This chapter is dedicated to @bigdirectionerkatie <3

Stay cool

-

"Wait, are you serious?" I asked Luke with a look of disbelief written on my face.

"I'm 100 percent serious! Why don't you believe me?" Luke pouted.

"I just can't picture it. You're too awkward and uncoordinated!" I laughed. I'd seen the skyscraper sized boy trip over air and lines painted on the floor many more times than any normal person. It was like his legs were growing at a faster rate than what he could adjust to.

"I am not!" He protested just as he tripped on a crack in the sidewalk.

"Point proven," I laughed as his face turned beet red in embarrassment before composing himself quickly again.

"So, you really can't picture me being in a band?" He asked seriously, taking the attention away from his almost-face-plant.

"Nope." I said whilst popping the 'p'.

"It's literally my dream. It's all I've ever wanted," His ocean blue eyes held a distant sense of longing in them that made me realize just how serious he was. There was a flame in this boy's eyes that I could see wasn't going to fade away any time in the near future, and it made me believe in him.

"Well, then, good luck to ya, Lucas. You'll have to play something for me sometime," I smiled and patted him on the back. I also wondered what it would be like if he actually did make it. Would he still remember me? Remember any of our memories? The good and the bad? Even with our rough past, I could only hope that he would.

-

Surprisingly, I was actually enjoying my ditch day with Luke. He thankfully avoided bringing up the Michael situation and related topics, allowing me to actually enjoy myself. It was obvious that he was trying to cheer me up though- I could tell by his unusually goofy persona. But I didn't mind because it was working. And I was letting down my guard around him faster than I had anticipated.

"Do you wanna hear an embarrassing story?" Luke asked. We were currently laying in the grass of the park telling stories of our childhood. We laid in identical positions with our arms behind our heads and ankles crossed in front of us, staring at the blue Australian sky and puffy white clouds. It was comfortable and almost serene.

"Oh, yes, do tell," I encouraged with a giggle. Out of the many truths I learned about Luke today, one was that he had quite the interesting childhood. He was a weird a kid to say the least.

"Okay, well, one time, I was at Ashton's house- this was like three years ago- and he wasn't home, so I was just chillin in his room and going through his drawers because I was bored, you know? And in one of his drawers, I found a box of condoms. And being the innocent little 15-year-old boy I was, I got curious. So I opened one of them, and I wanted to see how big it would stretch, so I stretched it over my head. And then as I was sitting there with the condom on my head, Ashton's mum walks in." Luke explained as I burst into a fit of laughter, clutching my sides. I was actually picturing the scenario, and it was hysterical. I couldn't stop myself and was nearly in tears from how hard I was laughing.

"O-oh my gosh! Wha- what did she do?" I panted through the laughs.

Luke was laughing with me now, "she just looked at me and was like 'oh Luke, honey, that's not what those are for'."