Troublemaker (5SOS)

Chapter Eleven

Once Tara and Kody got home, they dragged themselves up the stairs and parted ways, silently disappearing into their darkened bedrooms. Tara- without removing a single item of clothing- collapsed on the bed and slept heavily until 5:30 pm, when her phone chimed to alert her that the battery was dying. Upon plugging it in, she noticed several texts from Ashton and a notification from Snapchat.

michaelgcliffor added you!

As soon as she added him back, it said that he was typing. Nerves took over and she closed the app, feeling her heart beat rapidly. Instead, she clicked on her texts and read everything that Ashton sent while she was asleep. He was kind and considerate and everything she needed in her life. Tara typed up a quick response, letting him know that she'd fallen asleep as soon as she got home, but she was awake now and thinking of their night together. She decided to look him up on Instagram, now that she knew his last name. It was full of selfies and art, photos of friends, his instruments, and beautiful destinations. As attractive and photogenic as he was, his pictures didn't hold a candle to how handsome he was in person. Immediately upon following, she checked out his Instagram story to see him playing a guitar, singing the lyrics to Wicked Game by Chris Isaak. The way he smiled at the camera made her shiver, like he was looking right through the lens and into her eyes.

Just as she was finishing the video, Michael sent her a snap. It was a picture of him with his tongue out. She couldn't help but smile, but then a groan escaped her and she tossed the phone to the opposite side of her bed. Even when they're not around, she feels like they're about to tear her in half. Instead of responding to either of them, she took a long shower and changed into clothes that weren't covered in sand. Kody sat at her vanity, applying cherry red lipstick. Tara leaned against the doorframe, watching her sister until Kody's eyes met hers in the mirror.

"Calum asked me out", Kody grins, pulling her wild hair into a topknot.

Tara raised her eyebrows and feigned surprise. Of course he asked her out; Tara didn't know many boys who didn't want to date her sister. "Since you seem to have your love life figured out...help me with mine?"

Kody turned to face her. "You mean about wanting to fuck both Ashton and Michael?"

Tara's cheeks turned as red as Kody's lipstick and she stammered. "Well, that's not exactly what I meant, but yeah..."

"You've only had one date with Ashton, you're both free to see whoever you want. It's not official until you make it official."

While Kody had a point, Tara couldn't help but feel a little guilty about her thoughts of both guys. The fact was that she wanted both, and she knew that if she couldn't choose one, she shouldn't have either. As soon as Kody left for her date, Tara went back to her room and replied to Michael. She didn't want to make her decision just yet.

michaelgcliffor: I thought I scared you off

She sent him a selfie, mermaid hair sprawled across her pillow, with the caption "You couldn't scare me off even if you tried."

In the next picture he sent, he was biting his lip. He looked tired, and that was because he hadn't slept at all. He spent hours lost in his own head.

taradactyl: So I've been thinking of that moment we shared in the water...

It said that Michael was typing, and then it disappeared. The longer she waited for a response, the more embarrassed she began to feel. Finally, after a couple of minutes passed, he replied.

michaelgcliffor: I really wanted to kiss you.

taradactyl: Wanted to?

michaelgcliffor: Want to.

Tara could feel a knot in her stomach. She wanted to finish what they started when she wrapped her legs around his waist. She closed her eyes and thought of how she could possibly respond. Before she could think too much, she began typing.

taradactyl: What are you doing right now?