Finding The Universe // Michael Clifford

Three.

We spent hours sat there in the clearing with his arms around me and my head rested over on his shoulder as we both stared ahead of us, no words filled the silence that we found comforting.

      Eventually I felt his arm being lifted and removed from my shoulders which caused me to immediately glance over to him only to find that his eyes were already locked on me.

"So, since we are supposed to present tomorrow should we not get the basics down?" He asks with a wide smile stretching onto his face.

     "I would prefer to share basics now and the juicy details a bit later on," I reply which earns a nod from him before he leans back onto his arms.

     "Alright, then spill your basic beans to me," He says with a small laugh which results in a giggle from myself.

     I allowed my eyes to watch him for a moment before I lay back against the grass, my eyes scanning the cloud figures that were making gentle love to the open blue sky.

"Well as basic as it is, I am seventeen years young. I live with my parents in our shît house that they have basically ruined. Fighting is a constant thing inside of the walls. Dad goes out drinking late at night and then returns in the early morning only to have mom awaiting his arrival behind the door. Then, the arguing starts and sometimes progresses into throwing objects," I whisper.

     "Oh.. Uh. You do not have to tell me things you do not feel comfortable telling me about," He mumbles causing my eyes to look away from the clouds to meet the brown of his eyes.

     "I don't mind it, but keep in mind that you are the only one who knows this much about me. Don't ruin it," I manage to say quietly with a sad smile taking over my features.

     I could not help but stare at the boy who sat next to me with a smile on my face as he nodded slightly and then he began to tell his own story, "I'm seventeen as well, but I'm not your average Joe. I live with my mother and I have no siblings, but I am in a band called 5 Seconds Of Summer with a few people from school. Um.. that's basically it." He whispers before laughing awkwardly.

     I nodded slightly and watched him before I slowly stood up from my previous sitting position and I gave him a small smile, "Well, perhaps you should let me watch your band one day." I mumble and I watch as his height slowly rises to tower above me.

     "Sure! I mean.. uh, that would be fine. You could give me your number and I can text you the next time we have rehearsals?" He says, a nervous state taking over his body causing a small giggle to pass from my lips.

     "If that was just an excuse to get a girls' phone number, then you might have to try something a little more outgoing than that. But yeah, give me your phone." I whisper and he widens his eyes slightly at the unexpected answer before he quickly nods, fumbling in his pocket for a moment before he slowly tugs his phone out and places it down into my hand.

     I take his phone and then I let out a small hum as I slowly type my number into the device, saving my name as Broken Home Girl before I slowly hand his phone back to him.

     "Thank you. I'll text you as soon as I find out when we are rehearsing next and I'll give you all of the information you will need!" He says happily before running off towards the exit of the field.

     I roll my eyes slightly at the sight of him running off and then I slowly begin to walk towards the same exit with my phone in hand, sliding into my car once I reach it.

     I heard multiple dings come from my phone and I furrow my eyebrows in confusion at the group chat I had been placed in over my IMessage to see message after message.

     michaelgclifford@icloud.com : Hi! I hope you don't mind being in this group chat with the other members of my totally punk rock band.

     lukeyhemmoboi@icloud.com : We are as punk rock as it gets :-)

     calpalhoodling@icloud.com : Don't lie to the poor girl. We are no where near that title.

    ashtonirweenie@icloud.com : why did we allow a woman to join us?

    I slowly placed my phone down into the passenger side of my car before I drive myself home, walking inside with my phone and immediately to my room with my parents already starting the arguing from the kitchen.

    I laid down in my bed before I glanced to my phone to see no new messages and then I let out a small hum before I reply to the group of boys with my message saying,

    imjusthereforfood@icloud.com : I can already tell you guys that you will be disappointed in my womaninliness. Michael is more of a woman than I am, and he doesn't even have the correct parts to serve that duty.