devotion // mgc au

three

Since last year Bethany Jones took every opportunity she could to torment me. Most of the time I could ignore it but this week I just didn't feel like myself and I couldn't figure out why.
After she had already shoved my against my locker, I collected myself and slung my bag back up on my shoulder.

"Come in Veronica, fight back." She taunted as I attempted walking away from her.
"That's not my name Bethany." I said as calmly as I could. She grabbed onto my bag strap and pulled me back. I had no energy to fight back. The bell rang and everybody headed into their classes and I just slid down against he lockers and sat on the floor. She laughed.
"You're so scared to fight back. You're just pathetic you know that?" I looked at her with disgust. I've never hated anybody more than her in my entire life.
"No wonder your da-"
"Hey!" A new voice shouted and I turned my head to the right to see Michael heading towards us. Bethany and her friends looks confused.

"Ronnie are you okay?" He bent down to ask me. I just stood up and nodded to him with a small smile.
"I'm fine." He obviously didn't believe me but he didn't say anything more.
"I'm late to class I've got to go." I said turning around to walk away.
"Fuck off Bethany." I heard Michael spit before he was jogging up beside me.

"What happened back there?" He asked as we completely passed up our class. It was the last class of the day and I had already had enough. He looked back at the door then to me.

"Ronnie we jus-"

"Did you drive today?" I interrupted.
"Yeah why?" He asked still walking with me as I walked right out of the school.
"Can I show you somethin- or somewhere?" I stopped and looked up at him. He looked really good at that moment. His plain black t-shirt stuck to him just right and his eyes looked as beautiful as always.

"You realize we could get in trouble for skipping class right?" He asked. I rolled my eyes at him.

"Are you, Michael Clifford, telling me you're too much of a wuss to skip one class?" I teased and he let out a defeated sigh.
"Fine. Let's go." He gave in and I smiled.
"Only if you promise to keep smiling like that." He added and my heart fluttered.
"I don't like it when you're upset."

"Thanks Michael." I replied as we got in his black jeep. We rushed out of the parking lot and started down the highway. We drove for about 10 minutes before Michael realized he had no idea where he was going.

"Uhm Ronnie?" He spoke and snapped me out of my gaze out the window.
"Yeah?" I looked over at him then realized.
"Oh yeah, make a left up here by the giant rock pile." He nodded and turned. He looked confused when he realized we were on sand instead of blacktop now.

"Park by those trees." I pointed and he did.
"Why are we in the woods?" He asked looking around as he hopped out of his car. I stepped out onto the sand and left my flip flops in the car.
"This way." I said and he followed me past a few more trees and around a giant rock. I climbed up the last small hill up onto a rock cliff and turned around to make sure Michael was still there. He got up beside me and looked at me really confused.

"Are you bringing me here to kill me or what?" He joked and I laughed lightly.

"I would never do that. Look." I told him and stepped up onto the ledge. There was a small opening that made it look like a cave. I sat down and crossed my legs. The lake was in front of us. It looked like you could see to the end of the earth. Michael sat down beside me, our legs touching slightly.

"Wow." He said as he looked out to the sky and water. I let out a breath.
"My dad found this place when I was little and we made it our spot. I'm the only one that comes here anymore though." I told him.
"I come here a lot to clear my head or just to get away. Sometimes I just like to be alone." I continued. I could feel Michaels green eyes on me but I didn't want to look, in fear that I would break down and scare him away.

"Why did you bring me here?" He asked quietly. I chewed the inside of my cheek.
"I don't know really. I guess I didn't want to be alone I just wanted somebody I care about to be here with me." I said and instantly wanted to take it back because of how desperate it sounded. I wanted jump over the edge but when I felt Michaels arm wrap around me, all that melted away. It took me a second before I scored closer and layed my head against his shoulder.

"Sorry." I mumbled after a few minutes of silence. He turned his head to look down at me.

"What for?" He asked.

"That was probably weird to say." He rubbed the side of my arm.

"It wasn't weird. It was nice. I care about you too you know." He said and I wanted to bad wrap my arms around his waist and hug him but I didn't. "Good." I said instead.
"More than you know." He whispered so quiet it seemed like he didn't mean to say it out loud.
"Huh?" I asked.

"Nothing." He replied and I left it alone.

We sat on that ledge for the next 4 hours. We talked and talked and talked so much that I completely forgot about feeling so off. We talked about him mostly. I didn't want to depress him so I changed the subject quite often. He didn't seem to notice. He told me about his mom and how she died in an awful car accident 4 years ago. He nearly cried but he collected himself. I told him how sorry I was and he asked me if I'd ever lost somebody. I told him yes but that I didn't want to talk about it. I was grateful that he didn't push the subject anymore. We talked about our favorite childhood memories and about the boys and I told him how me and June met. The last hour or so we were there, I had my head layed in his lap. He softly played with the ends of my hair.

"Michael?"
"Ronnie?" He replied.

"Thanks for being with me today. It meant a lot." I looked up at him and he was already looking at me.
"It's no problem. I'm always here for you Ronnie." He said and I smiled up at him. We didn't break eye contact and it took everything in me to not lean up and press my lips against his. I almost built the courage to do it when my phone rang beside us. I sat up quickly and answered it.

"Hey Mom."

"Where are you it's getting late?" She asked, not sounding worried at all, just curious.

"It's Friday. I don't have school tomorrow." I told her.

"Oh, yeah." she said.

"Ill be there soon Mom." I told her and hung up. Michael was looking out at the now dark sky.

"I have to get home. That was my mom." He nodded not saying anything and we headed back to his jeep. We drove the whole way to my house in a comfortable silence except for the few directions I gave him. When we pulled up outside my small gray house, he put the car in park and looked at me. I grabbed my bag and shoes from the floorboard and looked over at him.

"Thanks again." I said and he smiled and nodded. "Anytime." He said.
I stepped out of the car, pushed he door shut and started up the driveway.

"Wait, Ronnie!" He shouted and I turned to look at him. He had his mouth open to talk but shut it quickly as if changing his mind.

"Goodnight." He sighed.
"Goodnight Michael." I walked into my house to find my mom passed out on the couch, an empty glass bottle in the floor beside her. I picked it up and leaned down to her face.

"Night mom." I kissed her forehead and tossed the bottle into the trash before walking upstairs. I dropped all my stuff in the floor and plopped down on my bed throwing my phone on the bedside table beside me.

I'd hoped to get some sleep, but all I could think about it what Michael wanted to say instead of goodnight. But also what I wanted to say instead, too.