Disconnected

Chapter Thirty- Six

Daniella

I wipe a tear away from my eye and face the wall opposite from the studio.

"Daniella," Michael's voice is soft. He feels bad. I can tell by his tone. He feels like he has hurt me with what he said in there. But I couldn't be anything further from sad. His words are incredibly uplifting. I now know exactly how he feels about me.

I turn around and grab him, holding him tighter than I could ever think imaginable.

"I'm so sorry you had to hear all that." He rubs my back in small, comforting circles.

I pull away and smile. "You are my hero." I open my arms for him to hug me.

I lift my feet around his waist as he lifts me up in to the hug. I move my face towards his until I am finally able to connect my lips to his. "What is this?" He asks, pulling away.

"Just shut up and kiss me." I pull his face back in to mine as a smile forces it's way on to my lips. Words can not describe how much I needed to hear him say what he did in there. His words gave me hope for everything that is to come. This pushes us forwards towards improvement, not backwards like I originally thought.

Michael walks towards the wall. I can feel the ice cold cement blocks on my bare back where his hand is holding my shirt up. I can feel his fingers grab at the small of my back, sending chills up my spine as he moves.

At first, the kiss was small and soft. But not long after, it grew bigger and more intense. There is an incredible amount of heat between us, radiating, making us glow.

For a brief moment, my brain shuts down, and the pure ecstasy of our shape-shifting mouths swirling and puckering with each delicious smack of escaping air, overcoming my entire body.

Michael smiles, a small trickle of laughter escaping his lips as he presses me harder in to the wall. He has been waiting for this. Waiting for me to give in to him.

He lifts his hand under my shirt, testing how far my boundaries are going to go. Is he really going to do this in public? With his friends in the room, threatening at any moment to open the door and discover us?

Is it bad that I do not really care?

Coming back to reality, my gaze shifts to see four sets of wide eyes staring back at me over Michael's shoulder.

Suddenly, the reality of what we are doing hits me like a bus. I tap on Michael's chest to put me down. This is incredibly inappropriate for this place. Especially in front of his band mates. Blood rushes to my face as a wave of embarrassment hits me. What was I thinking? I am so foolish to be acting the way I am right now. My emotions too over. I no longer had any control.

"Woah." Ashton runs his fingers through his hair.

"PDA much?" Calum asks.

"I haven't seen this side of you yet, Daniella." Luke. "I kinda like it. It's fierce."

Though I should be upset that I have done something so inappropriate because I let my emotions take over, I ignore all of their jokes and comments, my eyes locked on their manager as Michael slowly lowers me back down to the ground.

"Daniella, it's so nice to meet you-" he opens his mouth to speak.

"Save it." I hold my hand up to stop him. "I don't want your money. Donate my check to charity." I grab Michael's hand and pull him down the hall. "I quit."

                                 ***

Tugging politely on Michael's right hand and pulling it in to my lap, I quietly play with the tips of his fingers as we ride in silence in the back seats of the van.

"Was that rude? What I did back there?" I ask, my actions eating away at me. I feel rotten for what I said to that man.

Michael laughs at me. "Hardly. It was kind of badass."

"I feel like I owe him an apology now." I sigh. "I feel like I'm going to be sick." I hold on to my stomach. I have never been so rude in my entire life before. I feel like a disgusting person for my actions back at the studio. "Maybe I will write him a letter to explain myself."

"You stood up for yourself, Daniella." Michael grabs my hand and squeezes it softly. "That is not something you have to be sorry for. Ever. I am proud of you." His finger traces the outline of my palm.

I smile softly.

"Yeah Daniella, that was kind of badass what you said back there." Luke laughs, looking in to the mirror to see my face.

"I'm not talking to you guys." I glare at him in the mirror.

"What do you mean?" What did we do?" Luke asks, shocked.

"How did he know all of those things if none of you told him? Obviously you guys are feeding him information about me." I sigh.

"Um-" Calum searches for what to say.

"See. You guys don't even want to admit what you did. It's okay. I'll forgive you though."

I suppose I can't be mad at them. They were just making sure I was what is best for Michael and them. They have an image to upkeep. Their actions are understandable.

"No. Look!" Ashton points towards the window to reveal half a dozen police cars surrounding the house.

"What happened?" I ask, not expecting them to know the answer. They weren't home all day how would they know?

Luke parks at the end of the driveway, avoiding the police as best as possible. The officers all move off the driveway and in to the grass.

"What is going on?" I whisper to Michael, whose hand is placed protectively over my lap.

"Not sure. Stay in the van." He whispers as everyone begins to pile out.

"What is going on here, officer?" Calum asks.

"We are looking for Michael Clifford." He replies, looking around at the bunch.

"That's me." Michael says, leaning on the side of the van.

"Michael Clifford, you are under arrest." He stands up straight and drops his hands to his sides.

"What?!"