fortuity - mgc

nine

almost the entire day, michael sat in his room. sydney accompanied him. he was pacing back and forth from his door to the end of the room, over and over again. sydney had to physically pull him to sit down. even then, michael tapped his fingers on his leg in a rhythmic pattern. "michael it's truly not as bad as you think it is." sydney tried to stifle her laughter, putting her hand on his shoulder.

"it's normal to like people, more than a friend, mike." michael shook his head, "no i've never done - i've just never been - fuck i don't know what i'm trying to say." he grumbled, stressfully running his hand through his hair.

sydney sighed, "tell me what you think about lily." michael's head cocked in confusion, "well she's nice-" he got cut off by the look he was being given by her, "you know what i mean by what you think. don't play stupid, clifford." he rolled his eyes, "i don't know, she's tolerable, likes you guys, has this thing where when she talks about something she really likes her eyes will light up-"

sydney was smiling at him, if there was one thing sydney didn't think she'd cross off her bingo card, it was this. michael clifford talking about his feelings to her. "now, i'm not expert. but if youre smiling while talking about her? i think that means something." she remarked, tauntingly poking at his face.

"oh come on, i'm not that red!" michael whined, falling back against his bed, pulling a pillow over his face. sydney held her stomach while she laughed, taking the pillow from him and tossing it to the other side of the bed. the lilac-haired boy turned over to continue to hide his face, sydney groaned. "if you sit up i'll tell you about calum."

she swore up and down she's never seen him sit up so fast. "okay talk about him then." sydney rolled her eyes, and continued on for the next twenty minutes about how she really liked him, and michael watched how fearless she was to talk about him like that. it kind of baffled him.

"why don't you two date then?" michael questioned, genuinely confused. sydney shrugged, "i thought you might've known the answer to that one, mikey." he shook his head, "no, i don't. maybe he's planning for some little romantic asking you out thing?" sydney giggled, shoving michael's shoulder with her hand. sydney and michael have been friends since the first grade, they have gossiped against so many people that they have run out of people to talk about. so now, that leaves them with the inevitable.

talking about their friends and their love lives.

around two hours later, finishing off their second bowl of popcorn. "what about luke and erin? they seem to be pretty physical with each other lately." sydney spoke up, michael humming in agreement. "they do, but now ashton's back in the group, so i don't think she knows what to do anymore." she nodded, setting the bowl on the ground, and was silent for a minute or so. "hey, you okay?" michael asked, some worry in his voice. "yeah, just i never thought i'd see calum be that aggressive towards someone."

michael moved his gaze to the floor. "oh, me neither. but i guess he had some pent-up anger from that day at the park." sydney nodded, she would never admit it. but that is the first time sydney ever thought that calum would hurt her, erin, or even lily.

michael awkwardly coughed, clapping his hands and getting up. "im making more popcorn, and we are topic-changing from that day." he spoke sternly, he never did like seeing as much fear in her eyes as he did that day. mike went downstairs to grab more popcorn, placing the bowl in the microwave and shutting the door.

that's when he heard the most guttural, ear-piercing scream from his room. wasting no time, michael ran to the stairs but sydney got there first. she was sobbing and handing him his keys. "hospital, go! we have to go now!" she yelled, running to the door.

michael had never been more confused in his life, he got in the driver's side and quickly started the car, trying to ignore sydney's frantic sobs in the passenger seat. "sydney just tell me what happened!" michael raised his voice, which probably wasn't the best idea but he didn't mean to. sydney wiped her tears, "erin said he's okay but," more sobbing. "luke's been in an accident." michael's heart plummeted. pressing more on the gas.

luke hemmings was in a car accident.

his best friend was in a car accident.

his brother could've died.