she's a dark pastel ; michael clifford au

Chapter 10

"I don't." At least that's what I thought.

"Sure you don't." Luke chuckled. I turned around to see Skylar walk into the cafeteria and go into the lunch line. 

"Are you sure you have no feelings for her?" Calum asked.

"Yeah I'm sure." I mumbled.

"So if i invited her over here you wouldn't mind?" He asked.

I swallowed as I thought it through then shook my head. "Okay good cause there she is and I'm gonna go talk to her." He said before he walked toward Skylar. I saw them exchange a few words as a look of worry passed over her face. She sneaked a peek at me before leaning in close to Calum and whispering something. Calum shook his head and motioned for her to come towards our table. 

"Hi." The quietness of her voice made it seem raspy.

"Hello." Luke and Ashton said. I simply nodded in acknowledgement. Calum took a seat to my left and the only empty seat was to my right so Skylar took it. I examined her a little bit, just to take in her new appearance. The skirt and top fit her curves nicely and really showed everyone she actually had an hourglass figure. I never really thought about Skylar in that way. Not exactly. I mean, i'd noticed her curves and how beautiful she was, but now I notice... other things too.  I pushed the thoughts away as I saw her send me a weird look. I shook my head and turned to my food. There was an awkward silence until Calum broke it.

"So Skylar, what's with the new style?" He asked. I felt the necessity to slap him because that had to be the stupidest thing he could have asked.  Of all things he had to ask that.

"I just... I-I... I wasn't comfortable dressing like them just to fit in so I guess I just... changed my wardrobe up a bit?" She said, but it sounded more like a question. 

"That makes perfect sense." Calum said as he returned to his food.

"So about stage crew..." Luke began, "Since we're all here I wanted to say to Skylar that we are arranging a tiny, and believe me I mean tiny, get together. Just the stage crew. Do you think you could come?" 

"Um... yeah, what day and time?" She asked.

"Saturday at eight." 

"Okay, at you all's house?" 

"Yup." Luke confirmed.

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SKYLAR'S P.O.V

I arrived home early because stage crew was cancelled. Apparently the guys had to be somewhere and didn't think it would be fair to leave a ton of work just for me. I was feeling a bit lazy anyway so I decided to take the opportunity and take a long-deserved nap. I saw that my Step-parent's car wasn't in the driveway, so I went through the front door. I closed it behind me and walked towards the hall that led to my room. As I was about to walk in, I heard some whispers coming from my Step-Parent's room. I slowly made my way towards the door and stayed outside with my ear pressed to the door. "I'm sorry." I heard Martha whisper, "I shouldn't have done this. You're just an innocent creature and I'm such a horrible person. You're going to grow up with some gold digging assholes, but hopefully you're close with Skylar. I'm sure she'd be a great mother-figure to you." I heard her sniffle. She must have been talking to the small bump on her tummy while crying. It was a bit strange to hear Martha crying since she always seemed like one of the cruelest people in the world to me. She seemed emotionless and incapable of giving a shit about anyone but herself, yet here she was, telling her baby she was sorry for her future mistakes. 

I shook the thought away and slowly made my way back to my room. I opened and closed the door quietly and placed by backpack down. I sat on the edge of my bed as I heard Martha's quiet whispers. I felt an ache in my heart as I heard the woman weep softly. She probably didn't notice I came in. She would have stopped if she'd noticed I came in. I stood up from my bed and walked out towards her room. I stood quietly outside as I continued to hear her soft sobs. I opened the door and peeked my head in and saw her sitting on her bed with her head in her hands. Her small belly was visible through her shirt at four months. (She had already been three months along when she told me)

"H-Hey, are you, um, are you alright?" She jumped when she heard my voice and quickly wiped her tears.

"Why are you here so early?" She asked quietly. I nearly gasped at the soft sound of her voice. I was so used to seeing her strict and unloving that I didn't realize she could speak softly. 

"Stage crew was cancelled." I said back as I fully entered the room and closed the door. 

"Why don't you go out with some friends. I-I want to be alone right now." She said in her lovely soft voice. It was so nice to hear her talk to me like that, even if she wasn't saying anything sweet or important. 

"No, I want to help you. What's wrong? Where's Marcus?" I asked. 

She sighed as she ran a hand through her hair, "I'm fine, Skylar. He went out... to some club." 

"Why didn't you go with him? You always go with him." I knew she was pregnant, but that didn't stop her before.

A laugh escaped her lips, "Apparently to Marcus I'm 'A fat and disgusting pig.'" She put air quotations around some of her words.

"What? No no no, don't let him get to you. He's an asshole." I said quietly as I sat next to her on the bed.

"I should've seen it coming. Once I got fat and ugly he would drop me and find someone else." She laughed a little bit more, but tears leaked from her eyes.  

"Do you know if he's cheating on you?" I dared to ask. I was really pushing it, she could snap at me any minute.

"No, but i'm pretty sure he will. He's a man, he's going to want sex and since I can't give that to him he'll find someone else." She sighed as she looked down at her belly.  

"It's going to be okay, Martha. I'm going to be here to help you take care of the baby." I said as I awkwardly placed my hand on her back. It felt weird to console the woman who has been making my life a living hell.

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A/N: I'm going to try to make shorter, but more frequent updates instead of long and infrequent ones. This wasn't that good so sorry. It'll get better int he next one I promise :)

~J