thunder -- michael clifford

chapter twelve

>> twelve.

"LIA!" a voice shouted, waking me. Michael's arm moved from its spot around my waist to his eyes where he wiped sleep away. I reached for my glasses on the side table and slipped them on.

"Hm?"

"Guess what today is!" Beau yelled again.

I thought for a moment. "Uh... Thursday?"

"Think harder."

"Friday the 28th?"

He chuckled. "The 28th. Of June. Come on, Lia. You know this."

"Oh, shit, it's our birthday!" I cried as I sat up.

"Finally!" My brother laughed. "Happy birthday, baby sis."

"Again, I'm only younger by, like, a few minutes. Shut up."

Beau came over and pulled me into a hug. "Get up, get clothes on. We're going out for breakfast." He said as he retreated back into the hallway.

I rolled over to face my boyfriend, who was looking at me with a smile.

"What?" I giggled.

"You didn't tell me it was your birthday."

"I didn't want you to worry about getting me anything."

He pulled me into his arms and kissed my temple. "Then you're gonna be pissed at me."

"What'd you do?" I questioned with confusion.

"You'll find out later."

I groaned. "Michaaaeeeeel."

"Liiiiaaaaaa."

I stuck my bottom lip out and looked up at him. "Please?"

"Nope." He leaned in and kissed me before getting out of bed. "Now, get up and get ready. You heard your brother. We're going to breakfast."

 ***

"Hey bitch." 

My attention directed toward the oh-so-familiar voice. "There's no way." I thought aloud. 

"There is. Come hug me, I've missed you!"

I dropped Michael's hand and ran to the table where my bestfriend, brother's girlfriend, mom and the boys were sitting.

"Sophie! I can't believe you're here!" I cried, squeezing her into a hug. 

"You thought I'd miss your birthday? Hell no." We both giggled.

"Well, I guess you don't care about me then. Not like I birthed you or anything." My mom spoke up.

I let go of Sophie and pulled my mother close, kissing her cheek. "Hi Mommy. I've missed you tons!" 

"I've missed you, too, babygirl. Where's your brother?"

I turned around and looked toward the door. "He and Anna are coming in. Go meet him at the door."

Mom and Karly got up from the table and headed over to Anna and Beau, attacking them in hugs. I sat down in the seat beside Sophie, and Michael took the seat next to me.

"So, Lia," Sophie began, "you wanna introduce me to these four attractive boys that are sitting at the table?"

I chuckled. "Yeah, uh, that's Luke, that's Ashton, that's Calum, and this is Michael."

She raised an eyebrow as I said Michael's name and smiled.

"Yes, Sophie, Michael is my boyfriend. I know you were wondering."

"You know me so well." She put a hand on my shoulder as she gigged. 

"And, guys, this is my bestfriend Sophie."

"Hi Sophie!" Ash was the first to reply. Always so happy.

"Oh, hi. You guys wanna tell me how this bitch met four hot guys in one month and I haven''t even met one back home and I've lived there for fourteen years?"

Luke blushed, and Calum and Ash giggled. Michael wrapped an arm around my shoulder protectively and pulled me close.

 "Is that Sophie? Shit, dude, I haven't seen you since you were, like, three feet tall." Anna exclaimed as she, Karly, Beau, and Mom came back to the table.

"Anna!" Sophie grinned and jumped out of her seat. "It's been forever!"

"I know! I've missed having to deal with you and Lia yelling at me for putting enough jelly on your peanut butter and jelly sandwiches."

"We always gave you hell, didn't we?"

Anna laughed and nodded. "Yeah, but I missed it. You'll have to come out here on breaks and visit us!"

"Definitely. I can't be separated from Lia for too long of a time, anyway."

Sophie sat back down next to me, and Anna pulled up a chair beside her. The boys made small talk with my family, trying to get to know them, until the waitress arrived at the table.

"Um, are you waiting on anyone else?" She asked softly.

Ashton shook his head. "No, ma'am. This is all, I think."

"Oh, okay. I'm Savannah, and I'll be your waitress this morning. Can I start you all off with drinks?"

Everyone around the table ordered drinks, and Savannah turned on her heel in the other direction. 

"So, Lia," my mom began, "is there someone you'd like to introduce me to?"

I smiled. "I'm sorry. Of course. Mommy, this is Michael, my oh-so-lovely boyfriend. Michael, this is my mom."

Michael smiled and reached over Sophie and I to shake my mother's hand. "Hello, Ms. McAllister."

"Oh, just call me Hallie. It's lovely to meet you."

"It's great to meet you, also. I've heard only good things about you from Lia."

Mom smiled. "She's quite the girl."

"She really is. She's the greatest girl I've ever met. I'm so lucky to have her."

I felt myself blushing. "Michael, hush. I'm blushing."

He pulled me into his shoulder and squeezed me lightly. "It's true, though."

"Okay, come on now, guys," Sophie began, "we're gonna lose our appetites."

I flicked up my middle finger to my bestfriend and giggled before resting my head on Michael's shoulder. Savannah came back to the table with everyone's drinks and passed them around, then took our orders for food. We all engaged in simple small talk through the meal, full of reminiscing of Beau and I's childhood, and before too long, we'd all finished our breakfast and headed out the door.

"Mom, are you and Soph staying for awhile?" I asked before we each went to separate cars.

She smiled. "We'll be in for the week, and we're staying with Anna. So, if you and Michael want to go out for awhile, we'll still be here."

"Good. I'll see you guys later, then, okay?" I pulled Sophie and my mother in for another hug before heading over and getting into Michael's car.

He took my hand into his own and looked at me for a moment, grinning. 

"What?" I giggled, blushing.

"You're so goddamn beautiful, you know that? I couldn't stop staring at you the whole meal. That sounds creepy, but honestly. The way your lips move and the words roll off your tongue. You're perfect."

I tried to cover my huge smile with my hands, but Michael grabbed them before I could. He smiled and pulled me into him, our lips meeting. I ran my fingers through his hair, and he kept a hand placed on the back of my neck.

"Do you wanna change or anything before I take you out?" He said as he pulled away, much to my disappointment

I nodded.

"Okay, then we need to go. I have a big day planned."