Too Late | m.c [completed]

Chapter 18-The Apology

"Michael Clifford and Ashton Irwin to the main office. Michael Clifford and Ashton Irwin" the announcements called.

"May I go?" I ask my teacher. He nodded and went back to grading more papers. Before leaving, I looked back at Hanna and for some reason, she looked guilty. Like she had done something.

I ignored it and went on to the main office.

Three knocks later, the principal told me to come in. There I saw Ashton sitting with his arms crossed and the principal sitting down at her desk with a concerned look. "What's this about?" I decide to ask. "Just please sit down, Mr. Clifford" she motioned towards the chair besides Ashton. I obeyed her request but moved the chair away from Ashton as far as I could.

"Boys, we need to talk about this matter" she started off, but Ashton soon interrupted. "Who told" he raised his chin and his jaw clenched and I could see the fear in his eyes. "Hanna Monteiro. She said she doesn't care if she stays anonymous. She said she wants to help you two" Ashton scoffed and so did I.

 "Why did your girlfriend have to open up her big mouth" he snapped, without looking at me. "Ashton" she said in a warning tone. "What do we have to do to get out of here" he ignored her. "Talk. I'm going to leave to do some other things while you two talk this out. I'll check on you later on to see if there was any progress" she stood up and left.

When the sound of the door clicking, Ashton spoke. "Here's the plan. When she comes back whenever, we act like we don't want to kill each other and we can leave and never talk to each other again, okay?"

"I think we should talk it out, like she said" I say sternly. "What? Are you crazy?" he stammered. "No I'm not" he sat back in his seat and huffed out a sigh.

We sat in silence for a while until I formed a coherent question. "Do you still love Hanna?"

He laughed like it was the funniest thing ever but it wasn't that funny. "Do you?" I ask again, and he stopped laughing. "No"

"If you didn't love her then you would've stopped fighting with me and left it alone" I scoffed. He didn't answer and I knew he still loved her. "That day at the mall, the day she told me about her dating you...were you really dating her then?" he swallowed.

"No. She only said that because she wanted you to leave" I shrug and look ahead towards the white wall. "D-Do you know why she hates me so much?" he was looking down when I turned to him and he looked so sad. "I don't know. But...there are other girls, Ashton"

He sighed loudly and stood up. "None of them are her" he started to pace around the room until he got dizzy and then sat on top of the desk.

"I don't think you can do that" I protest but was shot with a death glare. So I backed down and he continued on talking. "Why are we even talking about her? Why are we even talking at all?" he threw his arms up in the air. "Because we have to 'work this out'" I air quote.

"Well, can  we just agree to be friends and go our separate ways?" he asked, jumped down from the desk and held his hand out for me to shake. After thinking about it, I took his hand in mine and shook it. "Yeah, I guess we can" on time, the principal came in and smiled at the sight of Ashton and I shaking hands. "Hope you two didn't make a drug deal. We're trying to cut down on that here" she joked and sat down at her desk chair. Neither of us laughed. "You two make up?"

We both nodded and were excused so we made our deal and went our separate ways.

***

"Michael, are you mad at me?" Hanna asked but I ignored her and stared at the tv. "You told the principal about him and Ashton. Not exactly a smart move, Hanna" Luke shook his head and continued to watch the television with me.

"Ah, come on. You can't stay mad at me for that. I thought I was helping" she plopped down next to me and snuggled up to my side but I moved to get my point across. "Well we were fine before you said that. I'm a little mad at you for doing that. But...Ashton and I are okay now" I looked down at my fidgeting hands in my lap. "See! I did help!" she exclaimed.

"It sucked to be in there" I glared at her. "Come on, babe. You can not stay mad at me for long. I know how you work. I know where your ticklish spots are. I also know what breaks you" she smirked and scooched closer to me. "You wouldn't dare"

"Oh, but I would"

"I'm going to throw up" Luke gagged.

The doorbell was rung so Hanna shot up from her spot to answer it. I don't know why but she just loves to answer the door when someone comes. "Calum's here!" she announces.

"Hey Calum" Luke and I greet in unison. "Hey" he says back.

"So, Calum what have you been up to?" and that was the start of Calum and Hanna's hour long conversation about who knows what. But there was a lot of laughs and playful punches. I cringed every time she laughed at a joke of his.

"Luke, can you please help me get my charger from upstairs?" I nudge his shoulder and he scowls at me. "Get it yourself"

"Luke" I nudge him again and he finally got up and followed.

I shut the door so they couldn't hear from downstairs. "How can we get Calum to leave? I was thinking about calling his mom to tell him he failed a test or something so she can call him and make him go home but I'm thinking that's a little intense"

"You think?" Luke raised an eyebrow. "Don't judge me. I hate how Hanna and Calum are flirting right in front of me!" I exclaim and sit down on his bed.

Three light familiar knocks came from the door. "Crap" I whisper to myself. "Come in" Luke says. "Talk to him"

Hanna looks over to me with a frown. "I heard that" she sat beside me. "Sorry" I bury my head in my hands. "Don't be sorry for your opinion. Why do you feel that way, though?"

"Because he was flirting with you? I was jealous"

"You have nothing to be jealous about. I love you and only you" I smile down at her and I leaned down, pressing my lips against hers.

"Ew. Save that for her house. Not Luke's" my eyes shot open. Hanna laughed next to me but I wasn't pleased. "Just when you think you can have some alone time with your girlfriend, this clown had to come in"

"Michael-" Hanna put a hand on my arm. "Just leave, Calum" I sighed loudly, rubbing my hands on my face. "Why do you have to be such a jerk?" he asks with a sniffle and walks out.

I stood up quickly and yelled an 'I'm sorry!' but he probably didn't hear.

I turned back to the bed where Hanna was still sitting on. She looked sad and slightly angry. Then I heard footsteps coming to the door and Luke swung open the door. "Calum just left with Ashton" he sounded out of breath and stressed but I didn't see the point of caring. I didn't trust Ashton, but I was getting there. "Oh my god" Hanna said under her breath.