Outta My Limit | Michael Clifford

Chapter Eight - Michael

It was four in the morning and Michael Clifford found himself lying awake, for some reason he couldn't sleep which was weird for him because there was nothing he loved more in the world than sleeping. He tried everything to fall asleep; counting sheep, imagining a feather falling slowly and even reading but the light on his phone was so bright it only caused him to stay awake.

Eventually he grew sick of just lying there, he would have been fine with it only Ashton made sure to plug out the wifi box before bed so he couldn't even go on Twitter.

"Fuck." He grumbled as he sat up too quickly and hit his head off the the ceiling of his bunk.

He stretched as he stood up, sleeping in a bunk when you're over six foot managed to stiffen his muscles in indescribable ways.

Michael made his way out to the main area of the bus, he figured if he couldn't sleep he could just watch a rerun of a terrible 90's sitcom on the TV. But when he got to his destination he saw Felicity sitting on the couch, eating Ben & Jerry's ice cream. She didn't seem to notice him as she was too infatuated with whatever was on the TV.

"Is that my jacket?" Michael asked, noticing she was wearing the leather jacket Calum had bought him earlier that day.

"Christ, you scared me." She whispered, jumping and clutching her chest. "Yeah sorry, I was cold and it was the closest source of warmth."

"It's fine, I guess... what are you watching?"

"Law & Order." She replied, not taking her eyes off the screen until the end credits began.

"Special Victims Unit?" Michael asked, sitting down at the opposite end of the couch.

"Obviously, it's the best one."

Michael nodded in agreement, but didn't say anything in response. They sat in awkward silence at the ad break began. After a few seconds Michael stood up to get a drink, returning with two and handed one to Felicity, who was shocked by the gesture to say the least.

"Uh thanks... hey, have you seen this episode before?" She asked the boy as the new episode started.

"No, I don't think so..." He replied, setting his glass down on the coffee table.

"How about we make a bet then?"

"Go on..." Michael encouraged, he was genuinely surprised at how he and Felicity had managed to stay in the same vicinity for more than 5 minutes without saying something insulting to each other. Maybe it's true what they say, 4am changes people.

"If I can guess the correct perp before you do then you have to go on stage tomorrow night wearing one of my dresses." She smirked, pausing the TV so they didn't miss any of the episode.

"Sounds interesting?" Michael laughed, imagining himself in a dress. "Okay deal, but if I guess the perp before you then you have to go on stage with no shirt on."

She rolled her eyes at Michael's stereotypical boy answer, but nodded her head in agreement. She was up for a challenge and was pretty confident she would win anyway.

"I bet it's him." Felicity said, pointing to a minor character who had just one line within the first 5 minutes of the episode.

"Are you sure? Is that your final answer? Are you going to lock in those lyrics?" Michael asked, trying to think of more gameshow related questions.

"Shut the fuck up... and yes that's my final answer." Felicity rolled her eyes at him yet again. Michael Clifford seemed to have a pattern of making her roll her eyes, she was surprised the muscles in her eyes didn't ache yet.

"It's him." Michael said, pointing to a character being interviewed by the detectives.

"I told you it was him!" Michael almost shouted when the character he chose was arrested.

"Simmer down, Clifford." Felicity smirked at him, pretty proud of herself for her play on Michael's lyrics. "There's still 15 minutes left in the episode, a lot can happen in 15 minutes."

Michael sat back in his seat, over the course of the 40 minutes episode he'd gradually and unintentionally inched closer and closer to Felicity. He hadn't noticed it and it still felt strange that he was getting along with Felicity.

"Ha, I win!" Felicity laughed as Michael's character was cleared of the crime and her's was arrested. "You're gonna look great in a dress."

Michael held his face in hands, he wasn't looking forward to wearing a dress but he was never one to go back on a bet so he was going to do it regardless. Although he thought that it would either be so tight he would be left with marking on his skin for weeks or it would rip.

***

"What the fuck are you wearing man?" Calum laughed as Michael walked into the dressing room with Felicity a few minutes before Nice one, Newton were due to go onstage.

"I lost a bet." He stated simply, squirming around the tight pink material.

Felicity had picked a flowy dress but Michael was almost a foot taller than her and had a very different body shape so it was still tight. He insisted on wearing a pair of leggings too, to protect his modesty (then realising that he enjoying the comfort of the soft but fitting fabric, much better than the tight jeans the four of them were used to).

"Oh my god..." Ashton gasped as he spotted Michael. "You look ridiculous."

"I think he looks amazing, America's Next Top Model standard." Luke said, clutching his sides as tears streamed down his cheeks from laughter. His comment earned a giggle from Felicity.

"Wait, so explain what bet you lost that had you end up in this?" Calum asked, gasping for breath as he chuckled.

"Felicity and I were watching Law and Or-" Michael began explaining but was cut off by Calum.

"Hold on, you and Felix managed to get along for long enough to watch TV together and make a bet? Jesus, I thought I'd see Luke shave his head before that happened." He said, which earned him a glare from Michael.

"Yes, we did. Now if you'll let me continue?" He asked, and Calum gestured for him to go on. "We were watching Law & Order and she said that if she could guess the right criminal before me then I had to go on stage in one of her dresses... and well, I guess it's self-explanatory now."

"Oh man, this is gold." Ashton said, taking pictures of Michael with his phone. "So are you two friends now?"

"God no." The pair said in unison, stepping away from each other slightly.

"Fe come on, we're on!" Jeremy called as he passed by the dressing room. "Fucking hell Michael."

"I know you want this Jeremy." Michael winked to the boy and sauntered toward him seductively, Jeremy escaped before Michael could get any closer and ran off toward the stage. Michael shrugged and turned toward his bandmates who were still in fits of laughter.

***

The second 5 Seconds Of Summer stepped on stage the entire crowd erupted into laughter. Michael bowed to his audience and twirled around showing off his ridiculous outfit.

He completely forgot about how he looked as he became entrance in his music, and everyone else did too. The dress even began to feel comfortable the more he ran around in it.

"Vote for Michael Clifford for 'Hottest Female' in this year's Kerrang! Awards!" Calum told the crowd as they exited the stage that night.

The two bands piled onto the bus at the end of the night, Michael still in Felicity's dress.

"So when do you want this back?" He asked her as he zipped it down.

"I'll let you keep it if I can have your leather jacket?"

"In your dreams babe."