Heart Out [Michael Clifford]

18. Then

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN:

I had a run in with Mr O'Grady the next morning, after I was caught smoking on the school premises. I would have been suspended with immediate effect for a couple of days, but he couldn't do that because I had an important test to write that day. Besides, believe it or not, it was my first time being caught smoking on school grounds.

Mr O'Grady, having nothing better to do, decided to escort me back to class personally. I had English, and he walked me to Miss Smith's class, lecturing me about the dangers of smoking. I drowned out his yapping, focusing my thoughts on something else. Something else being Michael. I hadn't seen him yet, and I was still curious about how things would be with us today.

We finally reached my English class, and Mr O'Grady quickly explained the situation to Miss Smith, and I was told to take a seat. I took my usually seat in the back row right next to Brad, who was smirking at me.

"What did you do this time?" He asked.

"Got caught smoking." I said, putting my stuff down, but not bothering to take anything out of my bag. The bell signalling the end of period would go off soon.

"How did that happen?"

"I just wanted to have a quick smoke before heading to class, but Grady decided that he needed some exercise and was walking around the school. I saw him before he saw me, but I didn't have time to get rid of the cigarette." I explained.

I sat in English for only four minutes, and then we were dismissed. I had Math next. I was excited, not because I loved numbers and feeling confused for an hour, but because I got to see Michael. I walked to class, and was about two minutes late after stopping to have a quick look at myself in the mirror in the girls bathroom to make sure I didn't look like a sloth.

Michael and I didn't speak during class. He was different. I wasn't sure if I was being paranoid, but I didn't expect things to be this way after last night. He was acting like the old Michael. The Michael before we started hanging out. The Michael before we kissed.

After the bell rung, and Mr Barnard had dismissed us, Michael rushed out of class. I quickly grabbed my bag and went after him. I wasn't willing to run after him, and we were going to the same place anyway. But I didn't want to talk about this in front of our friends, so I called for him in the busy hallway. He wasn't very far, and I was certain that he would hear me.

"Michael!" I called, and he stopped walked, turning to me and waiting for me to catch up to him. "What the hell?" I asked, and he was silent. "Why are you acting like nothing happen last night?" I asked, getting straight to the point.

"I thought that's what you would want." He mumbled.

"Why would you think that?" I asked, not really expecting him to answer me. He shrugged.

"I thought you just kissed me because you felt bad for me, or something." He said.

"I don't feel bad with my mouth. I kissed you because I like you." I admitted.

"Really?" He asked, his eyes glittering with hope and excitement.

"Yeah." I said, smiling up at him.

"So ...now what?" He asked after we had just been standing there for a while. I thought that it was cute that he was so innocent and inexperienced. I didn't respond, but just simply grabbed his hand and we started walking.

* * *

We were not questioned much about our hand holding when we were at school. It was only when we had gone out for lunch that the questions started to come.

"So, this is why you guys ditched us yesterday? So that you could go and hold hands elsewhere?" Casey asked. Michael blushed.

"Are you guys like a thing now?" Maddison asked.

"Did you boink her?" Brad playfully asked Michael.

"When did this happen?" Blake questioned.

"Slow down, guys." I said, raising my hands.

"We want answers." Casey demanded.

"Fill us in." Maddison added.

"There is nothing to tell." I finally said, sitting back and slightly leaning into Michael.

"Are you guys like a secret couple?" Casey asked.

"Are you two hooking up?" Blake asked.

"No, we are not hooking up." I said, only responding to Blake's question and deliberately ignoring Casey's question. The four of them stared at the two of us, waiting for one of us to say something else.

"We just like each other." Michael said, surprising both me and the rest of the group. I didn't think that he would say anything about it, but I was glad he did. I nodded in agreement with Michael, and the topic of Michael and I was abandoned.

* * *

I had chosen to ignore my homework and read a book instead that night. I had been reading The Naked Lunch, when my cellphone started ringing. I ignored the call and continued to read, when my phone rang again. I huffed and put the book down, reaching for my cellphone. It was Michael.

"You're interrupting my reading of The Naked Lunch, so, this better be good." I said playfully, and he chuckled.

"Sorry for interrupting story time." He said.

"Why are you calling so late anyway?" I asked. It was almost midnight.

"I was drawing. Didn't notice the time." He explained.

"Artists." I commented. He laughed.

"So, uhm, what do we call this?" He asked.

"Call what?"

"Us."

"What would you like to call it?" I asked, and he was quiet for a while. It was either he was thinking about what to say, or he was plucking up the courage to say it.

"Are we, like, a couple?"

"I don't know. I mean, we both like each other, but you haven't formally asked me to be yours."

"Do you want me to?"

"Would you like to?"

"I mean, yeah."

"Then ask away." I said, leaning back on my bed and waiting for him to ask me the question that I knew he must have been wanting to ask me for the longest time.

"Will you, uh, will you ...be my ...girlfriend?" He asked, and I smiled at how cute it was that he was so nervous to ask me, even though he knew that I would say yes.

"Sure. Will you be my boyfriend?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Then it's official." I said. "And Michael?"

"Yeah?"

"Stop being so nervous when you need to ask me things. I swear I will not eat you." I joked, he laughed.

"I'll keep that in mind." He said. "So, do you wanna hang up now, or talk some more?" He asked.

"Can we talk some more?"

"Sure."

"Don't you want to go to sleep?" He asked.

"Not yet. I like just talking to you."

We spoke about anything and almost everything for hours. I ended up falling asleep on the phone to the sound of Michael's voice. I vaguely remember him whispering goodnight before hanging up, once he had realised that I was asleep. I slept better than ever that night.

☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

(picture is Alex)

Sorry if this is badly written. I was up all night doing art, and then I decided to write some more before going to sleep at like 6AM.

Please vote and comment. Constructive criticism is always welcome.

xxx McRee Black