Troublemaker (5SOS)

Chapter Three

"Look, Mike, I haven't gotten a response in about 10 minutes.  I need to run to the bathroom.  Can you just put this bandana on?  She's already looking for me."

Michael's jaw dropped and he opened his mouth to say something before Ashton cut him off.  "Come on, please?  Calum and Luke are off getting something to drink, you're the only one here."

Michael rolled his eyes, knowing that he's about to get wrapped up in this no matter what.  He held out his hand and took the cloth from his friend, tying it around his head.  "If she just assumes I'm you, I'm not going to tell her she's got the wrong dude." 

Just as Ashton stepped away, Calum and Luke reclaimed their spots on the lush grass, throwing a pack of twizzlers into his lap.  "Nice look" Calum grinned.

"Shut up," Michael ripped one of the licorice ropes from the package and whipped him with it.  They burst into laughter, garnering dirty looks from the people around them, eagerly awaiting the movie to begin.  About 10 rows ahead of them, a girl with bright turquoise hair stood alone, turned away from the screen and scanning the crowd.  There was just enough light left in the horizon to illuminate her.  Michael's heart skipped a beat.  She's all he could focus on, and without taking his eyes off of her, he elbowed Luke in the ribs.

"Do you see her?"

Luke followed his friend's gaze and found the girl he was talking about.  "Yeah, you think that's the girl?"

Michael gestured toward her, noting the lack of yellow converse.  "Ashton said that she would have yellow chucks, right?  She doesn't, so it's not the girl.  Fair game."  

Every time he tried to focus on something else, though, he just kept getting drawn back to her.  The movie was about to start any second and Ashton still wasn't back.  Michael just assumed that he found the girl and forgot to tell them that he would be joining her.  The girl had a friend who joined her on the wolf printed blanket, laying out a spread of snacks.  She rummaged around in her backpack for a moment and Michael brought his knees to his chest and watched, hoping that she'd look back and notice him, just once.

"Look, just go talk to her," Calum nudged.  What's the worst that could happen?

Michael nodded, psyching himself up.  As he stood, the previews started rolling.  It was too late. The mysterious ocean-haired girl looked back at that very moment and lit up.  Michael sat back down as she stood, waving in his direction.  Luke and Calum glanced from her to Michael as Michael turned to look behind him.  The girl weaved back and forth between the moviegoers.  Her smile was infectious.  As she gracefully stepped over a picnic basket, he noticed tattoos peaking out between the holes in her jeans.  She stopped right next to Luke, apologizing before leaning in front of him to speak to Michael.

Michael raised his eyebrows and smiled.  

"Hi, you're Ashton, right?"  

His smile faded and his eyed dropped to her feet.  She traded her flats for yellow converse when he wasn't looking.

"Shit".