― s t a r c h i l d ― (michael clifford a.u.)

4

The rest of the school day flew past, and Ciara's mind didn't leave Michael, or what he had told her before she'd closed the door and hopped back in Luke's car. She hadn't even voiced her concern for his other shipmates, yet, as if he took a cue that was as obvious as her saying it aloud, he'd told her that.

Of course, his words hadn't reassured her whatsoever. While she didn't doubt that he was genuine in his intent-- to keep her from blaming herself-- she doubted that he didn't at least blame her partially.

Before she knew it, her last class was over, and Luke was beside her, chattering on about guitar class, and how he had learned a new song in just one class, and wasn't that so amazing?
Ciara nodded, "Yeah, pretty cool," she commented absentmindedly; her mind was still on Michael. They walked at a fast pace toward Luke's car, and Ciara was eager to get home to the extraterrestrial.
"I think it's a little more than 'pretty cool'," he muttered, opening the passenger side door for Ciara, and closed it behind her after she had slipped inside.

She could detect the hint of hurt in his tone of voice when he spoke, and Ciara knew that she'd offended him. In fact, she knew exactly what she was doing; she just couldn't be bothered to stop being insufferable. It might have been a problem for someone that truly cared, but she didn't care. Whatsoever.
The only thing she cared about right now was getting home, making sure Michael was okay, and probably passing out on her bed without doing her homework; a dreadful habit she'd gotten into lately. Doubtless, once she saw Michael and he got her talking, she'd be helpless to listen to whatever he had to say and then some. Her awfully lazy plans would then be stopped completely in their tracks, which, to her great surprise, she didn't mind.

Luke drove in silence, and then, after some hesitation, he spoke, "Ever since Michael came around, you've been..." he trailed off, and Ciara braced herself, her small smile that her thoughts of her new extraterrestrial friend had created fading. "Different."

Ciara's eyes fell to the window next to her, and she lazily gaze out of it, "How so?" she asked, though she honestly didn't want to know. But she humored Luke, for his sake if no one else's. She did have sort of a soft spot for the guy, anyways; might as well hear him out.
"You just... you're so distracted. You don't pay nearly as much attention to your friends as you used to--"
She rolled her eyes, "Oh, alright, this is about how I can't spend every waking moment doting on you like before."
Luke hadn't stopped, though she had tried to interrupt him, something that was unusual as he would always hang on her every word, "--were practically fucking him with your eyes today at lunch--"
"Where is all this even coming from? I wasn't 'fucking him with my eyes' today at lunch, okay?" she exclaimed, and Luke finally fell quiet. "Why do you even care, Luke?"

"I don't know," he murmured, "Maybe it's because I care too much. About you, I mean."

There it was.
Ciara was sure, as soon as she saw Luke gaping at her this morning, as soon as his glances transformed into stares when they used to be fleeting. In short, she'd known that things were going to change, somehow.

"Luke--"

"No. Let me speak, Ciara," he interrupted her, and she saw that he'd stopped the car, just around the corner from her house. She was so close to home. To Michael. She'd almost made it, but Luke's dumb feelings had to act up. "I need to get this out. You're the most beautiful person I've ever met in my life, okay?"

"I grew up in this town, too, Luke," she tittered nervously, "It's pretty slim pickings, but I know I'm not--"

"You're smart, funny, and I can't get you out of my head."

Ciara sucked in a deep breath, pressing her fingers to her temples, massaging them gently, "Luke, please--"

"Ciara, I couldn't hold back these stupid feelings for you any longer, okay? If I could, don't you think I would? I've survived this long, right?" he sighed, "I hate them. I hate these feelings I have for you."