Chapter 23 :
Michael placed his lips on mine, and I felt my entire body freeze up. What was I supposed to do? I mean, my body had just told me a couple minutes ago that I had a crush on Michael, but what if I was moving things too quickly? I had just broken up with my boyfriend, what if Michael would do the same thing Calum did because he went too quickly with the relationship?
I didn't want to take that risk, so I pulled my lips away from Michael's, and a dissapointed look was on his face.
"I'm sorry Michael, I-"
He cut me off, "No. I'm the one who should be sorry. You just broke up with you boyfriend, and here I am, kissing you! I know I seem like an idiot, but I can't hide my feelings for you anymore Stephanie. I think I've had a crush on you the first day you hung out at the LA house with me and the guys. You're different from any other girl I've liked," Michael said, tilting his head slightly as he spoke the last sentence.
I blushed, feeling happy that Michael had just said that about me.
"I mean, it's okay. I... I think I like you too Michael, but I'm not sure that I'm completely in love yet. I don't want to make the same mistakes I did with Calum, so if we do end up dating, I'd want to take it a bit slower," I explained, biting my lip slightly.
"Yeah! That's completely fine if we take it slow, being anything with you is worth nothing with you. I'd rather be like a middle school couple than just being friends!"
"Thanks for understanding, Michael." We stood up, and I reached up to kiss him on the cheek, just to tease him a little. Michael's face instantly went red, and he broke out into a huge grin.
"I think that I want to go home." I said as we started walking down the stone path.
"You don't wanna come back to the LA house?" Michael asked, throwing his hands in his pockets.
"No. I don't feel like hearing Calum's apologies and- Ow, fuck!" I yelled, something sharp hitting my foot. I looked down at my feet, I'm barefoot. I totally forgot that I don't have any shoes on. I guess I had stepped on a rock.
"Here, take my thongs." Michael said, and I gasped in horror.
"Thongs?! Why the fuck would you offer me thongs?!"
Michael took off his flip-flops, then tossed them on the ground next to me, "You must be thinking of the underwear term of thongs. Well where I live, flippy-floppies or whatever the fuck they're called here, are known as thongs."
"Ooh, stupid me." I said, slipping on the huge shoes, "Thank you, by the way."
"No problem. You want me to walk you home?"
"That would be much appreciated, as I don't feel like getting stolen and raped tonight."
"Psh, I'm not that strong or athletic. I'm not going to be very good at protecting you if someone tried to take you away!" Michael laughed.
"True!" I laughed along with Michael.
We got to my driveway, and I turned to say bye to Michael, but he spoke before I could,
"Could I sleepover your house?" He asked.
"I wish you could, but I'm grounded." I mumbled, remembering all the restrictions I had on my life at the moment.
"I promise I won't make noises, and I'll be out early in the morning. I just really don't feel like walking all the way back, I'm too tired."
I weighed the outcomes of this, having Michael over and it being totally safe and no one finding out, or making one false movement and someone finding this boy in our house and me getting my phone taken away for awhile.
