Gray Area (sequel to White Noise)

Ch 21 - We're Really Doing This?

"What the fuck was that?"

"Excuse me?" I questioned Michael, matching his pissed off tone.

"You and Luke. Are you two fucking or something?" The accusatory tone of his voice and his clenched jaw revealed it wasn't just a casual question.

"Why do you even care?" I snorted. "Last I checked, it was none of your business who I fuck."

"It's my business when it's my best friend!"

I laughed in his face at that one. "Ha! Okay, then. I'll be sure to tell Luke that before he hooks up with anyone, he needs to start checking with you first. And besides, why are you getting all bent out of shape over me flirting with Luke, when you were all over that bimbo at the bar? Hypocritical much?"

I couldn't read his face as he turned away and looked at the ground. And he didn't have a chance to respond before the car pulled up in front of us. I walked ahead of the others to get away from Michael, but he followed quickly on my heels and sat beside me.

I looked out the window and tried my best to not acknowledge his existence. I know I was being a brat, but he was really pissing me off. Plus, my bitchy side always seemed to be more evident when I was drunk. Michael copied my actions, sitting with his arms crossed and staring straight ahead. Everyone else was engrossed in their own conversations, so they paid no mind to us.

Our little spat got me thinking, and I couldn't help but question my own actions lately. What exactly were my intentions? Was I really flirting with Luke because, well, Luke? Or was I flirting with him because, subconsciously, I enjoyed seeing Michael jealous? I'd never act like that in private with Luke, so maybe the latter was true.

Eventually, Michael decided to be the more mature person for once and apologize. He put his arm around me and I wanted so badly to shrug it off. But there was another part of me that wanted to bury my head into his shoulder and stay there forever. Fighting with Michael was the worst feeling ever. He gave my shoulder a squeeze and quietly said, "I'm sorry for being a dick, Alexis. The last thing I want is to fight with you."

"Whatever. It's fine," I shrugged, turning towards him slightly. "I guess I'm sorry, too. I'm just so fucking tired and I had too much to drink and my best friend is getting married in a few days so I'm stressed about that and I...."

"Stop," he interrupted me with a laugh. "Slow down, Speedy."

I cracked a smile then. "Oh, fuck you."

"It that a promise?"

And there it was. Flirty, perverted Michael was back, and it was like our fight never happened. I elbowed his ribs, and he didn't say another word about it.

The rest of the short trip was lighthearted and relaxed, exactly as it should have been. When we finally reached the hotel, I damn near busted my ass on the sidewalk as I was getting out of the car. Luckily, a pair of strong hands caught me on my way down.

"Whoa there, Boozy," Michael joked with a laugh. "You alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine," I grumbled, pissed at myself for letting Michael see me so vulnerable.

"Come on. I'll help you up to your room."

"I'm fine, Michael. I'm not even that drunk." I really wasn't. I was just a natural klutz and when that was paired with alcohol, the probability I'd fall on my face was almost tripled.

"Yeah, okay. And I'm not Michael Clifford," he told me, rolling his eyes. "Come on."

It didn't seem like I was getting out of this one, and I honestly didn't have the energy to argue with him anymore. I turned back to the car, along with Tori and Calum, to say goodbye to Luke and Ashton. Michael went last, whispering something to Jared before closing the car door and throwing his arm around my shoulder. The SUV drove off then, and I silently wondered how Michael was going to get back home. I quickly forgot about it, though, as we started towards the hotel doors. I needed to focus on my steps if I didn't want to trip again.

Tori and Calum had already gone inside, but we caught up with them at the elevators. Calum didn't really pay us any attention, as he was too busy trying to get it on with Tori. But I couldn't miss the look Tori gave me. It was a look that said, "What is this? Why is he going up to your room? Holy shit, Lex."

Yes, I knew that one look said all of that because we practically shared a brain. I tried to shoot her one back that said, "It's not what you think," but I don't think she caught it. As soon as the elevator doors opened, Calum pulled her inside, pressed her against the wall, and started making out with her right in front of us.

"Um, we'll take the next one," I told them with a little laugh. Pretty sure they didn't even hear me, though.

I don't know why, but the ride up to my room was one of the most awkward of my life. It's like as soon as the elevator doors closed on us, some sort of weird electricity filled the tiny space. Thank God Michael stayed on his side and didn't try anything stupid, because I'm positive I wouldn't have been able to resist.

When we finally arrived at my room, I pulled the key card out of my back pocket and slid it into the slot and back out. Nothing. I tried again. And again. The fucking thing wouldn't work. "Son of a bitch!" I tried one more time with the same result. I was already feeling on edge and struggling with the fucking door wasn't helping.

I swear I was just about to scream, when Michael gently and calmly took the key from me and tried his luck. "Let me try." It opened on the first try. Of course it did. And he topped it off with one of those arrogant smirks I'd grown to love.

I huffed and pushed by him, making my way inside and kicking off my heels. Before I even turned around, I was dismissing him. "Okay, Clifford, I made it to my room safe and sound. Thanks, but you can - " What the actual fuck?!

Before I finished what I was saying, Michael hugged me from behind with one arm around my waist and used the other to move my hair to the side. I froze, completely surprised by whatever he was doing. Then, he leaned down and gently kissed me right under my ear. Holy. Fuck. His lips felt even more amazing than I'd ever imagined they would. Not that I thought about it much. Or maybe I did.

"Michael, what are you doing?" I asked him shakily when I remembered to breathe. He didn't answer, but I could feel him smirk against me as he placed another kiss on my neck. "Michael," I said again, trying to sound a little more stern. He let go of me and sighed this time and took a small step back as I turned to face him.

"So, you wanna watch a movie or something?" he asked, running a hand through his already messy hair.

His attempt to change the subject didn't work. "What was that?"

"What was what?"

"Michael Clifford. Don't play dumb. What the fuck was that?" I demanded, louder than before.

He sighed again and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, Lex. I'm drunk. I don't know what I was thinking. Sorry if I overstepped the stupid boundaries. Just forget about it, okay?"

I'm not sure what got into me, or why the next words left my mouth. I'd like to blame it on the alcohol flowing through my veins because it always did make me feel a little braver. But, if I'm being honest, I probably said what I said next because Michael kept running his hands through his hair and biting his lip, and pleading forgiveness with his eyes, and I just couldn't resist him anymore.

"What if I don't want to forget about it?"

From the look he gave me, I thought he was going to pass out. "W-what?"

I took a brave step towards him and placed my arms around his neck, pulling his head down towards mine. "You heard me."

I'd never seen Michael with such a serious expression. Serious, yet hopeful, lustful, and surprised all at once. He licked his lips again as he surveyed my face, looking for any kind of hint that I was just kidding. When he didn't find what he was looking for, he asked in a whisper, "We're really doing this?"

If that was his attempt at giving me a chance to take it back, I completely ignored it. I simply answered him by pressing my lips harshly to his. He paused for a second, caught off guard, until finally, he eagerly returned my kiss.

As our lips worked to gain control, I had the brief thought that this could all be a huge drunken mistake. But as soon as his hands started creeping underneath my shirt, I decided that it didn't matter. I didn't plan on thinking any more for a while.