Goner | M.C.

Part 5

[Michael Clifford]

I grimaced at the name but nodded anyway. "Yeah, that was almost two years ago."

Sure One Direction had aided us in getting our big break, but that was it. We had to work our asses off to get to where we were now, where they were now. It was like another stab in the chest every time I thought about it.

I sighed loudly and tried not to pay attention to the fact that this troubled girl was insanely beautiful, even with the thin layer of dirt that covered her skin, and a sarcastic personality that could almost top my own. "They're putting out a new album soon."

She studied me carefully, her head tilting to the side as she listened to my words before she nodded her head in understanding. "How much of that album did you have a hand in?"

Reed was obviously a thoughtful person. So much so that it was hard to hide anything from her. I gulped as I fought back the tears that burned my eyes. It was such a sore subject for me. It hurt just to think about it, much less talk about it.

I was still angry over the whole situation, 1) because I had co-written more than half the songs on that album and my ex-band mates were about to take all the credit and 2) because I still couldn't believe they had dropped me so easily. It's been months and I still couldn't wrap my brain around it.

"A lot of it." Was all I could get out without my voice cracking.

A cold gust of wind hit us abruptly and as if the fact that we were sitting on the edge of a building hadn't been noticeable before, it most definitely was now. My body shivered as I brought my coat closer to my body in hopes of keeping the warmth from escaping. My eyes turned toward Reed to see that the chilly weather didn't seem to faze her.

"Aren't you cold?"

"Hmm?" Reed glanced my way, though I could tell her mind was elsewhere. "I'm used to it."

"How so?" I was eager to know more about the mysterious girl.

"Can't you like sue for the rights to those songs or something?" Much like how our conversation had started, she yet again avoided my question and asked her own. What could have caused her to believe that this was the only solution?

I stared down at my lap and bit nervously as my lip. "I don't want them to hate me."

"You still want to be in the band?" She asked, looking appalled by my answer.

"Of course!" My voice instantly rose in anger, not from her asking that question, but because of the fact that I hadn't even tried to save my spot in the band. But at the time, I had no fight left in me.

"You should have tried harder then," She spoke spitefully, a heavy glare pointed right at me.

I tried not to let the hurt show through on my features, but I knew I had failed miserably when a smug smirk appeared on her lips. I didn't understand why she was talking me through my problems when all I wanted to do was the same for her. But her stubbornness to allow anyone inside seemed to be impenetrable. She still wanted me off this rooftop. Her words were obviously pointed not only at me, but herself as well, and it just added to my need to know what had made her so bitter.

"Why are you up here?" I asked bluntly.

"To kill myself," She said it so effortlessly that it made my stomach turn over.

"But why?" I strained my words as the concrete edge ripped at my palms the tighter I squeezed my hands around the edge of the building.

It was hard not to feel instantly comfortable around this girl. We would forever be linked together just from the fact that we were both up here tonight and even though she was so stand-offish, I could see she was completely shattered on the inside. We were one in the same and it hurt to know that there was someone else out there willing to give up on living.