Between The Books-Michael Clifford

Fifty Seven

Star's POV

"Hey, Laney, is Michael close?" I say. I'm sitting outside on the step of the Thompson statue. It's 7:50 and Jax is no where to be found. He was supposed to pick me up at 7:00 and I've called him twice and texted him. Nothing.

This is so reminiscent of that Saturday when his mom died. I hope he's ok.

"Yeah. Are you on your way?" She asks. It's loud in the background. I can hear them playing one of their songs. Probably warming up before they go to the bar.

"No. Jax never showed up and he's not answering his phone."

There's a couple of guys trying to walk a tightrope not too far from me. This might seem like a weird thing to be doing if you're new here or it's your first time walking through the Oval, but actually this is very common. Strangely.

"Oh, that's weird. Ok, here, hold on." I can here Laney telling Michael it's me.

Lickit stops playing.

"Hey, you ok?" He says, taking the phone from her.

"Yeah, Jax never showed up. Can you come get me? I'd walk, but it looks like it's going to rain again."

"Sure. Where are you?"

"Just sitting on the Thompson statue. If it starts raining, I'll go back and wait with Leo, otherwise I'll meet you on the back side at the street."

"Ok, be there in ten."

We hang up and I decide to text Nate. I know he's stopped trying to babysit Jax, but he might be with him hanging out.

*hey, is jax w u?*

The guy who's the best tightrope walker finally gets off to let his girlfriend try again. She's horrible, but it's cute to see him trying to help her.

I smile.

My phone buzzes. I look down...Nate.

*no, haven't seen him since lunch*

Hmm, ok.

*if u c him tell him I went to scutter's*

I'm really done with this. He's fine, I'm sure. He's BEEN fine since the funeral. I don't know why I'm doing this. People break up all the time, it's never the perfect time, and it usually doesn't go well. Still we all somehow get through it. I'm going to Scutter's and being with Michael. When, and IF Jax shows up, I'll tell him.

I decide to walk back after about ten minutes. The rain has started again. I walk back around the library to the other side where the street is, where Michael would pull up. I really love the smell of rain. It just smells fresh, clean. As I get to the corner of the building, I see not Michael's jeep, but Synna's car. She pulls over to the curb and flashes her lights at me. I rush over, holding my purse above my head.

I like the SMELL of rain, but I don't like being caught in it.

As I get almost to the car, the passenger door opens and I see not Synna, but Scutter.

"Hey, Star." He says.

I get in quickly and close the door.

"Hey. Sorry, thought Michael was coming." I put my purse on the seat between us and pull down the visor to look in the mirror.

"Yeah, well, Becca and Toby are fighting and he had to stay and deal with it."

"Oh. What're they fighting about? I've never seen them fight before." Literally, Becca and Toby never fight.

"That'd be you, actually. Well, you and Mikey. Becca's on another rant about you still with Jax and how you're never gonna dump him. Whatever. I told her to shut the fuck up and worry about her own shit. Sick of hearing it. Mikey and her were goin' at it when I left." Scutter checks his side mirror, then pulls out onto the street.

"I'm breaking up with him tonight! Doesn't she know that?" My hair is a mess but my makeup looks ok. I flip the visor back up.

"Yeah but then when you called sayin' how Jax never showed, she thinks you're just trying to get out if it. She's a bitch, don't worry about it."

Jesus, Becca acts more like Michael's mother then his sister.

"I don't know where Jax is. He was supposed to come get me."

"He'll show up."

"Thanks for coming to get me. Hey, congratulations on you and Synna! Not to embarrass you, but the way you ended up doing it, aside from your fight, was AMAZING." I say, looking at him

He smiles. Such a GREAT smile!

"Thanks. I didn't know if she'd say yes! Really...I was fucking nervous as shit."

"How could you have thought she wouldn't say YES?! She's so in love with you! You should see the way she gushes about you when you're not around." I grin.

They really are ridiculously cute together.

My phone buzzes. I look and see it's from Wade.

*hey Jax is here. Wasted and all over some girl. Want me to break his face?!*

Fuck yes! ASSHOLE!

"Wow....so that was a text from Wade. You know where Jax is right now?! Drunk and makin' out with some chic at The Basement. Of all the STUPID SHIT! Why'd I even waste these last few weeks trying, to be good?! When we messed up that Saturday night....I felt SO horrible about that, Scutter! Oh my GOD! Who knows how long he's....you know what...fuck it." I say, looking at Scutter.

"This is a good thing!" He says, watching the road.

I'm looking at him. How?

"Star, now you can quit feeling guilty! You guys are good now." We pull up to a red light and Scutter looks over at me. "You know? It makes tonight a LOT easier! Fuck Jax! Actually, let me take you back to my house and you can fuck Mikey!" He says, winking at me.

We both start laughing. He's so stinkin' cute....and ABSOLUTELY right!