Don't Stop | Michael Clifford

Chapter 21

"It'll be alright, El," Michael's voice sooths me as we sit on my couch. I was sitting sideways, my legs over his as I hug his torso, him trying to calm me down. I had been bawling my eyes out on the floor, ending up in a fetal style and had been lying there for a few hours, when Michael came over. He wanted to hear how it went since I hadn't called, maybe even see how Maddie was doing if she was still there. But to his surprise, he found me on the floor. He'd taken me up in bridal style, us sitting here ever since. I hadn't even calmed down enough to tell him what had happened. I feel him pressing his lips to my temple as I let out a shaky breath. "What happened babe?"

"She didn't believe me Mikey," I tell him as I play with one of the buttons of his shirt, I could see his bare skin underneath. But I knew the only reason why I wanted to just turn around and kiss him, tearing off his shirt was to get my mind off things. I wasn't going to do that (no matter how tempting it sounded)

"What?" he asks, confused.

"She'd rather believe what he says after being with him for a month than believing her best friend." I sigh, closing my eyes as I lean my head to his chest. "She thinks that I want to be the only one to be in a relationship, that I can't handle her being with someone."

"What? That's just stupid." I nod, Michael tightening his grip around me as we kept sitting there in silence.

"I'm gonna call Maddie to t-" I say, about to reach out for my phone on the table, when Michael grabs my hand, bringing me back into his arms.

"No," he interrupts as he holds my hand. "Let her cool down. Let it sink in, maybe she'll realize you were right."

"Michael you know how god damn stubborn she is, and if not, I've told you countless of times. Even if she comes to the terms that I'm right I doubt it, she won't admit it and will end up staying with him just to prove a point," I tell him as I sit up more straight, my hand moving to prove my point. Michael sighs as he grabs my hand again, pulling it down to my lap.

"You just have to wait and see. Do you really think she'll let something like her stubbornness to come between the two of you? That you will fight forever? If that's the case, I'm sorry, but she just isn't worth it then, if she thinks that Jack is more important that you." I sigh as I look down in my lap, he was right. It's not the greatest feeling to choose between your boyfriend and your friend. But I already knew that I would choose Maddie over Michael, friends before lovers. That's what you say right? If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends. Make it last forever, friendship never ends. "She'll come around." I nod, kissing his cheek, taking my arms around his neck.

"Thank you Michael." I hear him chuckle a bit.

"Still using the full name are we?" he laughs as I just nod, before he lightly pads my thigh. "What about we get our minds off things, huh?" he suggests, and I know he already knows the answer to that. "I'm voting for gaming." I smile before I nod, Michael lifting me off as he makes my way to my TV. I like the fact that he already knew how to set up things here, that just shows how much we've been playing.

"I'm thinking of ordering some takeout, what do you want?" I ask as I stand up, wiping the tears off my cheek. I would need to wash my face because of the dried tears, 'cause it doesn't really feel good to have them on my cheek.

"Babe, you already know the answer to that," Michael laughs as he looks through my games, sitting Indian style on the floor.

"Oh yeah, I forgot you're made of 50 percent pizza," I laugh, picking up my phone. It felt good to be able to laugh a bit, even if it was just a bad joke as that one.

"So what's the rest?"

"Mixed between color, weirdo, talent, 'cause you are quite good at guitar and singing, and hotness. And the last one is just because I have to say that." I laugh as I wait for his responds. He turns around on the floor, raising an eyebrow at me as he laughs.

"Geez, thanks babe." I laugh as I dial the numbers to the pizza place, making my way upstairs to my bathroom so I could wash my face. I order a family-sized pepperoni pizza (I was almost positive we would eat it all, or else make it a midnight snack. I put down my phone on the counter before turning on the water. I take my hands under, feeling it as it gets lukewarm. I look up in the mirror, almost gasping. I do not look like myself at all. I look tired, my eyes are red and puffy, my nose being puffy as well. I was dark under my eyes, darker than I thought was possible and I feel like taking tons of makeup on just to look somewhat decent. I can't understand why Michael hadn't run out when he got here, that's how bad I look.

Sighing, I make my way downstairs, Michael's oversized shirt now on my shoulders (after I had been at their practice I had taken it with me home and kept it) Michael was sitting on the couch, the game all set to play as he was silently singing I Miss You by Blink-182 to himself. I'm not even sure if he heard me coming, but I made no intention on trying to scare him or anything. I sit beside him, him letting his arm go around my waist so he could still hold onto the remote with both hands as he handed me the other controller. "Thank you for being here," I say, slightly whispering as I look at him. He turns his head so our noses were brushing as he smiles at me.

"Of course. And I'm not leaving until you're feeling better, I promise."

"What about the band? Don't you have things to go to?"

"They'll understand that you need me right now. Well, no matter what I'm planning on staying the night if you don't mind."

"I never mind, you know that. It's nice to have you here in case I wake up all freaked out the day," I tell him as he squeezes my waist a bit.

"Good, 'cause you can't get rid of me that easily, you will have to kick me out or make someone come and get me." I laugh as I lean my head on his, looking at the loading screen patiently. I don't know how long we played, but I eventually went up to get the pizza. "You ordered a family-sized one!?" Michael happily exclaims as I just laugh, letting myself fall down in between his legs, setting it on the table in front of us.

"Yup, I want to feel fat today," I tell him as I grab a piece, not even caring to get plates from the kitchen as I start eating. I hear Michael laugh as he kisses my temple, reaching for his own piece, taking a huge bite of it.

"Let me guess, after this, ice cream is on the menu?" I bite my lip, that is exactly what I was planning. I had bought some in case Maddie and I was going to have a day on the couch, eating her sorrows away in ice cream. But that's obviously not going to happen. "Babe, you're so predictable," Michael laughs and I can just hear all the food he has in his mouth.

I loved the fact that the rest of the night, I only left Michael's arms a few times, because of toilet visits and that. But every time we sat close, Michael pulled me in to him, knowing I needed it. I didn't even have to tell him that I did, he just knew it. He genuinely made everything better. I didn't have to say anything for him to know how I felt, or at least what to do about. I barely felt it myself before he pulled me in, kissing my temple, or tightening his grip around me. I would lie if I said that I regret giving him a chance due to the fact that I wasn't ready to be in a new relationship. I might not be ready or completely sure about what I feel about this whole thing, but that would be because I'm scared of finding out. I'm afraid to fall in too deep, that's the deal.

But maybe, just maybe, I will open myself up completely to Michael one day. Hopefully, it'll be worth it. If not, I'm probably not going to let my guards down, ever.