Wrapped Around Your Finger\\M.C.

<<<five>>>

<<<Michael>>>

Michael wanders into the kitchen with the rest of the gang while Stacy shows them where the booze is, flirting so massively with Ashton that Mikey can practically smell her hormones over her strong sweet perfume. He takes a shit COORS and leans against the counter while he watches Stacy inch closer and closer to Ashton before she finds ways to touch him. Ashton smirks at her after she brushes his arm, encouraging her as her cheeks flush and she slaps her hand on his shoulder as she laughs overly hard at a joke they all know wasn't very funny.

Being the smooth bullshit talker he is, he plays it off cool and runs his fingers over her arm to her wrist, making her chest begin to rise and fall quickly. Luke shakes his head and bails from the kitchen, prowling the main room before a girl quickly finds her way to him, playing with her hair and subtly pushing her chest out. Stacy begins laughing again and leans her forehead onto Ashton's shoulder before offering to make him a drink, to which he obliges.

"Would you like one?" she looks at Mikey and then Calum.

"Sure," Calum says before Mikey lifts his COORS.

"Nah, I'm good."

"You're missing out, Mitch," Stacy sing-songs.

"It's Michael," he corrects her and her already drunken flushed face turns bright red.

"Oh my god, I am so sorry!"

"It's okay," Mikey waves her off as Ash and Cal begin laughing, finding her embarrassment adorable.

"Please let me make you a drink after that. Oh my god," she covers her face.

"I'm good, truly," Mikey smiles as she peeks out from behind her hands. "How about I come find you when I'm done with this?"

"Okay," she says shyly and begins making a drink for Ash and Cal.

"I'm gonna go get some fresh air," Mikey tells them before leaving the kitchen, hearing Stacy whine.

"Oh my god, he hates me."

"He hates everyone today, including me. No wukkas," Ashton says and she starts laughing.

"What did you just say?"

Mikey shakes his head with a smile before he takes a drink, loving when their Aussie slang confuses American's, especially when they are drunk. He spots Luke already on the couch with that girl, their knees touching as they sit facing each other with a leg up and Mikey rolls his eyes as he realizes he is the only one with no chance of getting laid tonight. A good fuck would probably make him feel better, but quick one night stands are hard for him, unless he's fucking wasted. He looks at his COORS as he exits onto the balcony, deciding to chug it so he can go ask Stacy for another drink when a loud whooping startles him.

A large group on the balcony are smoking joints and clapping as a girl in a bikini top and mini skirt dances on the low table, laughing her ass off while she does it. Mikey chuckles before he goes to the railing, the strong ocean wind trying to catch his hat as he looks out at the ocean, the moonlight dancing along with the waves and he freezes in awe. His heart aches as he begins to miss home, craving to feel the Australian sand under his feet and smell the Australian ocean air. Luke doesn't think it smells different, but to him it does.

He flinches as the crowd hollers again, daring someone to pick up and smoke a joint with their feet. His mouth curls up in a smile, as he knows, because he's witness the party trick himself, Ashton can do that creepily well. Mikey brings his can to his mouth for another drink when the wind blows roughly and this time wins at removing his snapback, the headwear flying into the side of the house before it falls onto the deck.

"Fuck," Mikey groans as he sets his can on the wooden railing and goes to retrieve his hat.

The wind blows again and tussles it along the side of the house to the end where it gets caught on a stack of chairs. Mikey huffs as he walks down to it, speed walking to catch it before another wind comes. He fails and another gust pushes it through the chair legs and it skates under them to around the house where the wind can no longer touch it.

Mikey gets down on his knees and tries to reach for it, his shoulder girth making it difficult to reach under the stack of chairs. Groaning with annoyance he stands back up and pushes between the chairs to get to the other side, bending down to get his hat with a complaining grunt. He puts it back on, feeling with his fingers that the hair beneath is decent before he turns to squeeze through the chairs when the rowdy group begins chanting, "CHUG CHUG CHUG CHUG!"

Not wanting to be around the loud group and also not wanting to go inside and fake being in a good mood, he leans against the house and sighs. He stares at the deck before he eyes wander to the side, noticing the deck also goes all the way down the length of the house. Grateful for an escape and some quiet he moseys his way to the end, realizing it turns to the other side of the house, but he stops there.

The sound of the ocean is muffled from here, but two large palm trees tower over him, the crunchy leaves blowing in the wind making up for it. He leans on his elbows and listens before he closes his eyes, letting the soothing sound relax him and transport him to a happier place. His mind begins to clear and he feels peace for the first time in days when he jumps with a fright at the sound of a voice.

"You're not supposed to be over here."

"Fuck!" he exclaims, grabbing his chest and the balcony railing in unison.

"Oops, sorry, I thought you saw me," the voice says as he squints his eyes, willing them to adjust.

"No, I can't even fucking see you."

A small movement appears in the darkness as his pupils strain and relax, a small seating area coming into focus and a figure laying on a patio sectional sofa waves at him.

"Can you see me now?" the figure asks kindly as Mikey walks over to them.

"Yeah," he huffs as he approaches the sofa, "Sorry I didn't know I wasn't allowed. My hat flew under the chairs and then I just wanted some stillness."

"No, I understand. Why do you think I'm here?"

"How come you can be here then?"

"This is my cousin's house."

"You're Stacy's cousin?"

"Yes, I'm Samantha," she reaches out her hand and Mikey shakes it before sitting down as she realizes this is the red haired fourth guy she didn't get a view of.

"Michael. Okay if I join for a bit?"

"Michael you said? And no, go ahead."

"Yes, Michael."

"Okay," Samantha giggles, confusing Mikey as she recalls Stacy calling him Mitch. "Nice to meet you Michael."

"Nice to meet you, too," Mikey says, being polite as he tries to see her in the darkness, liking her kind gentle voice and wanting to know desperately if her face is just as beautiful.