"What parts of the word 'move' do you not understand, bastard?"
I pretended I did not hear the familiar growl from behind. Every day, I have to endure his harsh words, his threats, and his sudden outbursts on me. I don't know, but the moment I set foot on this school, his blood seemed to have boiled, and, yeah, here you go.
"I said, MOVE!"
He bellowed so loud, that everyone in the school hall stopped what they were doing and looked at us. I had no choice, but to follow. I slammed my locker door and turned around, facing a very pissed Michael Clifford.
Where are the school officials anyways? Isn't it supposed to be illegal to shout in the halls? But it's probably better if they aren't here, or I'd go through detention again even though I'm the fucking victim.
"Took you so long, lady," I heard him mutter under his breath in an annoyed tone.
For some reason, I found it amusing to annoy him even more, so I raised an eyebrow and smirked at him before I headed my way to class. I know how much he hates people smirking at him, but being the bitch I was, well, okay then.
"Fucking lady."
One point, Tim. You got one.
Events like that aren't really avoidable. A day in school isn't complete without him pissing the hell out of me. Either he'd purposely kick on my chair while taking an important exam (he did it for so many times, by the way), or steal my stuff and make them fall from the fourth floor of the school building down to the ground that I have to go down hurriedly and pick them up and go up again, and avoid being late.
Yep. You could say that Michael Clifford tortures me in school.
One time, I was humming a song down the hallway drinking some juice when he purposely bumped with me, causing me to be a fucking mess when the juice spilled all over me.
"What the hell is wrong with, you?" I pushed him, obviously very angry with what he's done. It's just 10am and I still have a whole day's worth of shitty classes to attend to when he messed me up like this.
"What the hell is wrong with you, too, woman?" he asked back, sporting a taunting smile.
"Clifford, I have put through with all of your shit, just because I sat on your table during lunch on my first day doesn't mean you'll have to torture me forever."
"Sorry m'lady with a guy's name, but I was born to do that and I plan to do it until the day I die. It's my life's purpose, and you cannot do anything about it," he said, rolling his tongue at the last words.
And with that, the red haired punk with tattoos walked away, leaving me in such a state, that all I could do was run home.
But as I reached the school gates, somebody covered my face with some black stuff, and pulled me. The last thing I remember then was the pungent smell of some strong perfume.
***
The moment I woke up, I was tied and gagged and placed in a room. There was food beside me, but no one was inside, except me.
"Fucking hell," I groaned the moment I tried tugging at my shackles but couldn't remove them. I kicked the door repetitively; wanting my abductors realize how they should not piss me off in any way.
But the moment I was about to hit the door using my back, a guy with muscular built, opened the door, and pointed a gun at me. While another, went at work to loosen the cloth used to cover my mouth.
"You stop making noises or your life ends here?"
That's when I shut up.
I lost track on how many days have I been in the room, tied and gagged, because all I had in mind was how the fuck could I even get out of this dismal place, and what have I done to deserve this. And while I was lost in my thoughts of murdering these people who kidnapped me, someone must have opened the door because all I felt was an aggressive grab, pulling me out of the room, bringing me to a place I could probably compare with hell.
I was brought to a room that was pure white, with tons of computers, and stuff. I was presented to a man who was wearing stupid black clothes. I was facing his back, so when the muscular guard called him up, he turned to face us. However, the moment he turned, was the moment the biggest shock in my life happened as well.
Bryle. My brother. He's the one who planned all these?
"What do you want from me?" I say, through gritted teeth.
"Is that how you greet me? Ooh, my feisty little sister still got the boyish vibe of being war freak eh?" he said, touching my face. I turned my head the other way so he knows how pissing that thing he was doing is.
"Well I just want to teach someone a lesson. Somebody's gonna come, my dear sister, and you have to see who he is," he whispered in my right ear. I flinched at the closeness. It's been years since he ran away, and here he is, doing illegal stuff. No wonder mom and dad forgot his existence.
"Fuck you, freak." I didn't want to call him by his name. I lost all the respect I had for him.
"I just want to let your Romeo know you're not the Juliet he's finding."
What?
And the moment he said that, another door barged open, and was that a lucky surprise to find Clifford?
"Just in time, Cliff!" my brother approached Michael and patted his back. They know each other?
But the moment my brother touched Michael's back, Michael swatted his hand away.
"Get your hands off me, you prick. What do you want?"
"You do know, I guess?" my brother asked him with a smirk on his face, looking at my direction. Michael followed his gaze, and I swear I saw him grit his teeth the moment he saw me. Wow, I couldn't believe this.
"Let. Her. Go."
"Brad, put her in that capsule," he asked the muscular guy, and pointed to some glass capsule over the corner. Brad had no trouble lifting me up, knowing I'll protest and prevent him if he just pulls me. I screamed in protests, but I am sure I heard Michael say 'Stop this, you devil'
Did I even hear it right?
In no time I was in the capsule, freed from all my shackles, yet trapped inside some stupid glass.
That's when I looked around. What are they planning? I need help. I need someone to help me.
Michael. I see him. It's only him I see that moment, because everybody else, has a bigger chance of obeying my brother's orders. But why him? He hates me so much, but why is he here? And why am I feeling a sudden surge of hope inside me? What is going on?
The small and enclosed space inside the capsule prohibited me to move and disabled me to hear any sound from the outside. But as much as I can't hear a single thing, I could see Michael's green orbs, flicker with so much anger, that in a few seconds, my brother was sprawled on the floor, with Michael tackling him. I don't know why, but at that moment, I knew my tears are at the brink of falling, and I was pounding on the glass.
Michael might have always made me pissed, but I don't want to see him this way, I don't want to see him unleash his demons. I don't want to see him hurt, because the longer he tries to whack the living lights out of my brother, the bigger the chance they'll hurt him.
I was a crying and pleading mess when I felt something drip on my skin and burn through it. Then there was another, and another. That's when I saw a screen that blared the word ACTIVATED in glowing green; some smoke starting to fill the capsule; and drops of what I guess was acid.
I pounded on the glass using more strength for Michael to know that I'm being killed, that I am being suffocated and burned to my death. I know what he's been to me before, but he's my only chance to live now.
However, as time passed, my vision started blurring, and breathing became a difficulty. I don't even have any idea if Michael had gotten the message, but at the moment, I let myself succumb to lose the grip on my own life. I started counting down as I am letting go of who I am.
5...
4...
3...
2...
"Fuck."
"Wake up."
"God damn it you wake up, Tim."
"Tim, just fucking open those eyes, and tell me you could hear me."
Why am I hearing voices? Am I dead? Am I a ghost already? That's when I felt lips touching mine, and seem to breathe air into me. Somebody is trying to revive me!
"Tim, please."
I felt a tear drop on me. I let go of weak coughs, slowly opened my eyes, and I couldn't believe I saw Michael crying in front of me. He... He, saved me? And did he just say, please? When did this monster learn how to?
I felt so weak to open my eyes further, so I shut them, but I held his hand, and I felt him squeeze it, so I guess he knew I'm a bit alright. I swear I let go of a weak smile at the thought of him able to save me from my possible death.
The next thing I know, I was being hoisted up on his back, and he started running.
"Hold on. We'll get out of here, okay? Please hold on, Tim."
I felt so weak after everything I've inhaled and my feet ached so badly even with the little amount of acid. It must have been strong.
And speaking of strong, I never knew Michael could have been this strong, carrying me and running down the halls, going to the left, going to the right. I don't know where he actually turns, my mind is so clouded, and my thinking isn't at its normal rate. But at the moment, I could never ever be so thankful for Michael's existence, because at the moment I was crying for help, and my brother has turned on me, he was the only one who came.
We were already in some forest when he suddenly stumbled, causing both of us to fall on the floor.
And in an instant, I was being pulled away from Michael, and the cold tip of the gun was pointed at my temple.
"You really think I would buy it, would you? I wasn't born yesterday not to see through all your actions, Clifford."
"Shut it," Michael growled, standing up, "let her go."
"Rules are rules you shit," my brother continued taunting Michael.
"I don't care about the rules this time, because I'd be more than willing to fucking break the rules for Tim. You have no idea how I am willing to take all the risks for her."
I was starting to process things a bit faster, probably for getting enough oxygen in my system, but I had no idea what rules are they talking about. But whatever that is, I resorted to putting it aside because the only thing that my brain processed was 'I am willing to take all the risks for her'.
Michael started walking towards us, and suddenly, I felt my brother lift the safety off the gun. Michael stopped walking and I closed my eyes. How many times should I be in death row again for today?
"One small move and she'll die."
I took a deep breath, and looked at Michael. He was scared, I could see it. The red haired guy who sends me threats in school, is scared. And for the first time, I knew he had feelings, and that deep inside, he is still a young person, and has his own weakness.
And, for no reason at all, I felt bad knowing he felt hopeless. He saved me and he has gotten me out this far, but only to still not get me out, when the escape was so near.
That's when all the adrenaline kicked in and all I did was kick my brother in his shin, divert his gun far away, and run. I had no idea where to go, but I let Michael lead the way.
We went to the left, to the right. I didn't mind the stinging pain at my feet knowing I had nothing to cover them. All I had in my mind that time was to run, run, and run.
I didn't know how long we were running, but I was so glad I could see the clearing. But when I heard the shuffling of feet behind us, I knew we got not enough time to find a hideout.
"This way," I heard him say, when we reached the edge of the city. All I did was run, and I was feeling the fatigue as the adrenaline started dying down. He was taking us to some place. I was being overtaken by fatigue, but I let him take me.
The last thing I know, he pulled me into a dark alley, and that's where I collapsed into his arms, straight to his chest, breathing heavily. I could feel him, as well, with the rise and fall of his chest.
And boy, he smells awesome.
"Why did you," I said, in between breaths, praying we wouldn't be seen, "come for me?"
I don't know if he heard me.
"I wasn't worth saving, Michael. You shouldn't have put yourself at risk. You shouldn't have wasted your time on me."
I don't have any idea how fast everything happened because as soon as that statement rolled out of my lips, Michael suddenly pushed me to some wall and crashed his lips to mine.
I have no idea what to do but it felt so good, the taste of his lips was so addicting my lips started to move in sync, and my hands started tugging his red hair.
When he pulled away, he rested his forehead on mine, breathing hot minty breaths in front of my face.
"I wanted you to stay away from me, so I pissed the hell out of you. I wanted you to keep away from me, because I wanted to save you from my fucked-up life," he said.
He took one of my hands and pulled it closer to his face, and opened his mouth to speak once again.
"I didn't want you to be involved in any way with all the gang fights. It was a rule. It was one rule, one important rule. We weren't supposed to love anybody, but I did. I broke it, that's why your brother got this angry. However, you were always on my radar, I couldn't get enough of you."
I had my mouth agape with his sudden confession. But at that same moment, I realized I really had care dfor Michael, beyond words could express.
"You're worth saving," he told me, his sweat mixing with mine on our foreheads. And it was that moment, I pulled his face and kissed him, making him know I feel the same way, too.
I didn't care if we looked like horny teenagers making out in that fucking alley, because, the only thing important then, was he saved me from my death, and I was able to save his heart from becoming as cold as stone.
***
Hi. Okay, this one has to be my favorite as of the time of writing, because, why not, it's Badboy! Michael. Anyways, apologies in advanced for all the mistakes that I probably committed since I had no more time to proofread due to the fact that it took me all night to finish this. But hey, I'll get to that when time allows me.
So, this one goes to the person who was somehow my closest internet friend, Tim! Hey bro, advanced happy happy birthday! I had to do it like a month early because my finals are scheduled on your birthday and I couldn't get you something and ship it up there in the north so here you go with the best-est gift I could ever ever give you.
I know you shift from lane to lane so I hope getting a Michael one shot doesn't bother you so much? Lol. Either way, hope you know how much I love you to bits.