Michael Clifford One Shot

m.c oneshot

I was goody too-shoes of the year. Everyone knows me and my best friend, Luke, as the nerds of all nerds. I've never gotten detention, or even a warning from a teacher.

That is, until Clifford happened.

Michael Gordon Clifford. He was in the year above me but anyone who breathed oxygen in the town knew who he was. He was usually found with Calum and Ashton, behind school, behind a wall, behind a fence, behind a tree. They liked being behind things.

Michael was the notorious 'bad-boy'. He knew it, too, and held the label with pride. He wasn't the average 'I'll shout at a teacher and live in detention' bad boy. Clifford was the 'Imma do really sketchy drug deals on the corner of some random street before going to sit under a tree and drink, smoke and smoke weed until my problems disappear' kinda guy.

Yet, anyone with eyes knew he was beautiful. Nobody could doubt he harboured true beauty so effortlessly, not even I could. My eyes, just like every other person's in the hall, followed him down. I would look him up and down, his enormous hight staggering me momentarily as he walked so close to me, I could feel the air from his swinging arms graze against my skin.

Luke would always elbow me, unsure why I (or any person who likes guys), would want to spend my day, wasted upon Clifford's appearance.

_

I was walking home, alone in December. It was 4:15pm and already looked like it could easily pass for midnight.

The dark sometimes comforted me, as long as I was safe. Sitting at my window, looking into the black abyss of the clear night sky, occasionally dotted with gleaming stars, with the cool night's breeze hitting me softly... it would drag all of the day's negativity out with the next soft gush.

Only, tonight, I wasn't safe. I was walking without headphones, unusual for me, to minimise the risk of being kidnapped or murdered, or both. I had my coat collar tugged tight around my neck, shielding myself from the biting winds.

I heard a snap, a crunch, from behind me. I froze.

This is it, I thought. This is how I'm going to die. It's because I don't go to church any-

"Yo, asshole!", I heard a familiar voice shout from over the road to me. Clifford? "I said, Yo, Asshole!", he shouted yet again. I looked around, questioning whether the stranger was calling me an asshole.

Then I turned around.

I saw a guy, around 25, 6ft tall and strongly built. "Leave her alone, you prick. Come with me, Ellie", Michael finished.

I quickly scarpered towards Michael. "Wh-Tha-How-Um", I stumbled over my words infront of him.

"Are you okay, babe?", Michael asked, looking down on my small form.

"I th-think s-so", I shivered. He then proceeded to take off his jacket and drape it around me.

"Were you walking anywhere special?", Michael asked me.

"Just home", I tell him.

"Do you want to come over to mine? I want to check you're properly okay first", he said sincerely.

"I shou- Actually, yeh, I'll get Luke to cover for me", I said, making the first remotely rebellious decision of my life.

"Great", I followed this exquisite human being who'd just saved my life. I pulled out my phone, sending a text to my best friend.

Can you cover for me? If my parents ask I'm at yours, please x

Sure, but why? x