Saving the Reject | Michael Clifford | Editing

t w e n t y n i n e ;

Michael

"Mikey, can you take me home?"

I looked over at Charli with a hurt expression on my face. Why does she want to leave? I was looking forward to spending the entire day with her. "Why?" I asked.

"Don't look at me like you're a kicked puppy," she whined, tearing her gaze from mine and causing me to smirk. "I need to shower."

"Shower here," I retorted automatically.

"I need a change of clothes."

"Just wear mine," I replied. "You look good in my clothes, anyway."

Blushing, she sat beside me, hiding her face in the crook of my neck, whining, "Please?"

I chuckled, my stomach practically doing flips with how adorable she was being. "Give me an actual reason, and I will. And don't say because you want to get away from me, because that may break my heart."

Charli laughed as her phone began to ring. She pulled it from her pocket, flipping it open, and reading the caller ID. Then, oddly, she handed the phone to me, saying, "Here's your actual reason."

The caller was her brother. I sent her a wide-eyed, fearful glance, thinking back to the reason Harper and I broke up. I hadn't wanted to meet her family, but what I felt now was fear. What if Dawson didn't like me? Would he even let me see Charli again?

"Jesus, Michael, talk to him!" Charli whisper-shouted, holding up the phone to my ear. I knew for a fact that this was entertaining her.

"Uh - hello?" I stuttered into the phone, a new kind of nervousness falling over me. Charli said she's very close with her brother - would she want to be with me if he didn't like me?

"Who's this?" Dawson responded, sounded utterly confused. "Did I dial the right number? Is this Charli's phone?"

"Yeah - uh - " Charli was trying her hardest to keep her laughing as quiet as possible. "I'm Charli's - um - friend - Michael."

I glanced nervously at the now red-faced ginger beside me as there was now a silence on the other line. Finally, Dawson broke it. "Okay," he said hesitantly. "Can you remind her that the rent has to be paid before noon today?"

"Yeah, I can do that - uh, nice talking to you,"

"Tell Charli to call me when she gets the chance," Dawson instructed.

"Oh, yeah, of course," I responded quickly as Charli fell over onto my chest in a silent laughing fit.

"Thanks." And without another word, Dawson hung up.

"Well that was awkward as hell," I said to Charli, causing her to burst out laughing again, this time audibly. "If he hates me, I blame you."

"Oh, he won't hate you," Charli assured me, turning, and laying her head in my lap comfortably, looking up at me. "He's too much like you to hate you."

I brushed a lock of hair from her face, raising an eyebrow. "How is he like me?"

Charli shrugged, breaking eye contact. "I don't know, tattoos - seems like an asshole but is actually a sweetheart. The only difference is Dawson's completely tone deaf."

I laughed a little, leaning over her slightly. "You always sound weird when you cuss, like you're holding back. Are you really that big of a goodie-goodie?"

She shrugged again. "It's not really that. It's just. . . I don't know. Growing up around Aiden, you can't really cuss."

I felt wrinkles form between my eyebrows as they furrowed together in confusion. "Why was that?" I asked hesitantly, hoping it was something she would share with me.