Drunken DMs

Chapter 52

Leah

Two months had been and gone, since Michael had asked me to be his girlfriend. Two months since I last spoke to Georgia. Two months since my accident. I've yet to return to work, since then.

Ambur and I were invited by the guys to go and spend Christmas with them in Sydney. I was extremely nervous about meeting Michael's parents; but not as nervous as Ambur was about meeting Liz Hemmings. She was spending Christmas with Luke and his family.
It turned out, neither of us had anything to worry about. Karen and Daryll loved me, and from what I heard, Liz and Ambur got on like a house on fire.

We were currently at a bar in central Sydney having a few drinks. The conversation turned from talking about random things, to the guys going back to LA in a few short weeks. I knew this was going to happen, but I had pushed it to the back of my mind; only wanting to deal with it when the time for closer, "how much longer are you here for Ambur?" Luke asked her
"I'm not sure," she said, "I don't really want to go back," her face fell and I knew exactly why that happened, and why she didn't want to return to California. I didn't want to think about my best friend leaving me as well as my boyfriend
"Why?" Calum asked
"I don't wanna talk about it," she said, and then she left out table and walked to the bar
"What's that about?" Michael asked
"It's not my place to say, but I really don't want her going back,"
"Why don't you move over there?" He suggested
"What?"
"Why don't you move to LA? It'll be easier for us to be together too,"
"I don't know Mike," I sighed, "I just can't uproot my life, I have family and work and stuff,"
"Come on Leah. You said it yourself, you don't even want anything to do with your family after what your step mum did at the hospital," he was right. I didn't want anything to do with my family. I refused point blank to spend Christmas with them after what happened at the hospital. Kaye then decided to basically excommunicate me from them. "This isn't the time or place for this conversation Michael," I said and turned to walk over to where Ambur was.

A few hours later, Michael and I arrived back at his place. Ambur was staying with Luke, and Ashton and Calum went off to do their own thing.
"Are we gonna talk about what I asked before?" Michael asked
"What about it?" I questioned, "it's not a decision I can just make at the drop of a hat; you sprung that on me, we hadn't even spoken about what's going to happen when you guys go back to LA and now here you are asking me to fucking move there?"
"I know, but I just thought about it when you said you didn't want Ambur going back," he said, "and like I said earlier it'll be easier for us to be together if you move there, we're not back in Australia until September,"
"Remember I'm going to visit Ambur over there next year anyway Michael!"
"But that's not til June still,"
"This is ridiculous," I scoffed, "like what the fuck am I supposed to do when I get there? Where the fuck will I live? I can't go and live with Ambur's family!"
"We can rent you a place; means I won't have to stay in hotels and shit when we're here for extended periods of time,"
"And how the fuck am I meant to afford it?" He was getting on my nerves
"You can get a job?"
"But what if I can't find a fucking job?" I asked, I was getting so angry. He just didn't understand, that I don't have the same luxury he does
"Well I can pay," he shrugged
"I'm not that girl Michael, I'm refusing to let you pay for it," I got off the bed, and stormed out of his room, grabbing my pack of cigarettes on the way out. I still hadn't quit; but I'd cut down significantly in the last few months.

I walked in to the back yard, shocked to see Karen, getting the barbecue ready for tonight's dinner, "everything okay?" She asked, as I lit up my cigarette, "I heard the door slam,"
"Mike wants me to move to LA," I sighed, taking a drag, "and I get where he's coming from, it'll be easier for us to be together, but I don't think I can just uproot my life like that, Melbourne's everything I've ever known,"
"I understand," she said, "he can be pretty stubborn,"
"Yeah, I just don't think he realises that if I do go, I'm literally going to need to start from scratch, I'm going to need to find a job, and a place to live, and Ambur lives in Chino, which is like an hour away," I explained, "I'm not gonna know anyone,"
"Starting over is hard," she agreed, "but I know you have a job back in Melbourne, couldn't you find something similar over there?"
"I work in retail, a pretty crappy dead end job," I told her, "I can't exactly do that now," she just nodded
"Did you go to uni or anything?" She asked
"Yeah. I studied, journalism, graduated last year,"
"You could always apply for something at a news paper or magazine,"
"I haven't got any experience though, I doubt they'd hire me,"
"I don't want to make it sound like you'd be using Michael, but considering who he is, he might be able to pull a few strings,"
"I doubt People or something like that would hire a celebrities girlfriend," I laughed
"I'm not talking about People or a crappy gossip magazine," she laughed as well, "I was thinking more like Cosmopolitan or something,"
"I guess you have a point," I sighed, lighting up another smoke, "it's just a really big decision,"
"It is, and I know that it might not seem like it now, but I know that whether or not you go to LA, it won't change anything between you and Michael,"
"I'm not so sure," I said.
I knew then that I had a huge decision to make. One that could possibly ruin my relationship with Michael. Stay in Melbourne or move to LA. Karen brought up some very valid points, and they definitely helped my decision making.

I sat outside for another hour or so, just thinking and weighing up my options. Michael hadn't come out to see if I was okay or not. I guess we both just needed space; yet it hurt all the same. If this is what it felt like after a fight, I didn't want to imagine what it would be like if we broke up. I didn't want to know. Karen was right, if I wanted to be a journalist, that I spent those four years studying to be. I would have a better luck finding a job in America. That's what helped me come to my decision.

I walked back inside and found Michael sitting in front of the TV, playing some video game or another. I sat down beside him; and he paused the game, "you okay?" He asked, I just nodded, "I'm sorry for putting all that on you, I just know that I'll miss you way too much," he sighed, leaning his head on my shoulder
"I know," I said, "I'll miss you too,"
"Take your time to think about it okay, I shouldn't rush you, you're right, it's a huge fucking decision,"
"I know," I sighed, "but I've made up my mind," he moved his head from my shoulder and looked at me, worry was evident on his pale face, "you're mum kind of spoke to me, and made me realise some things,"
"And?"
"I'll go," I told him, "I'll move to LA,"

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! It's so fucking long compared to all my others in this book!
I'm sorry to say, that there's only one more chapter and then the epilogue left of this! I want to thank you all so much for reading this! It's been so enjoyable writing it for you!
Thank you so much for the 4.2k reads (I think that's what it's at!) I never expected this to get so many! It's the most ive ever had!
I've posted the preview for the sequel, it's called Mixed Signals, and it's Luke and Ambur's story. I know I mentioned it in the previous update!
A little shameless self promo!
Please go and read my other fics, it would mean the world!
I recommend, Catch Fire. It's another Michael one. And Home Wrecker, my Ashton one!

Thank you all so much again, and I'll be back soon with the next update! Please vote and comment and as always, much love xxx