fanboy ↦ michael clifford {au}

twenty-five: stupid

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE:

| michael’s pov |

She fiddled with her thumbs, her eyes set on the floor. 

“You two are?” I had to start it– else, she wouldn’t. I had a feeling I’d regret even having this conversation, but the curiosity inside me was too hard to ignore.

Belle continued to stay quiet. She wanted to say something, but she wasn’t telling. Her gaze fell on me for a few seconds; she looked embarrassed.

“We’re friends,” she started, moving a bit farther away from me. “But… but we dated before.”

My hands balled up into fists. Fuck.

I said nothing, and she seemed worried at how I was acting, but no– I’m not going to explain how furious I am at Ashton.

My patience was, bit by bit, running dry. The urge to wipe that damn grin on his face was becoming stronger.

“I loved him, Michael. I still do.” She gave a pained smile, shaking her head, at some point after she said that. “Don’t worry, though. He… he didn’t do anything wrong. I was being the stupid one. I mean, chasing after a guy who doesn’t even like you, how dumb can I get?”

If she was stupid, then what was I? Having your only friend date the only girl you love and have her still love him, even though he treats her like trash? I couldn’t– I can’t.

“But hey, there you have it. Belle’s cliché life,” she joked, placing a hand on my knee, her way of comforting me, though she had no idea why I was like this in the first place.

If I could just tell her how much I love her, and if only she’d tell me that she loved me, too. That would be the one of the greatest things that could have ever happened in my life.

She pat my clenched hand, which I slowly let loose– having her hand rest on mine. “How’d you date each other? Did he ask you?” 

“Nope! I asked him,” she replied, nonchalantly, the sad vibe in the room slowly disappearing. She was starting to become cheery once again. It amazed me on how she could get over these things quickly.

“Did you break up with him?” But I swear– if I find out that he broke up with her, I was going to lose it. I wasn’t as fast as Belle to forget things and fake happiness. 

Silence– that’s what I got.

I looked at her, and there was that smile on her face as she shook her head.

“Why?”

“He didn’t love me.”