Damn, You're Cute (Michael Clifford)

Chapter 21

I had gotten home from the movie a few hours ago and finished my homework. I rolled over on my bed to check my clock. 11:36. I groaned, knowing that I had several days until the weekend so tomorrow would be miserable. The beginning of the week always is... Seeing as I should probably go to bed, I shut my eyes, drifting slowly off to sleep.

A loud ring made me jump, my heart pounding in my chest. It took me a moment to realize that it was just my phone. I reached for it in the dark, my eyes catching the clock to my left. 2:04.

I huffed, my fingers wrapping around my phone on my bedside table. The brightness of the lock screen burned my eyes, making me squint as I swiped right to answer the call.

"Hello?" I asked groggily. My eyes shuttered closed before opening slowly. Whoever this was, it better be pretty damn important.

"Leah? It's Michael." 

My heart fluttered and I sat up in bed. The sheets and duvet fell to my hips, my tank top slightly out of place on my torso.

"Michael? Are you okay?" My voice was tired and slow in a hushed whisper, but my stomach churned nervously. The thought of Michael having a problem made me more scared than it should have.

"Yeah, I'm fine," His voice was soft like mine, but there was an odd tone to it.

"Um, okay," I contained a stray piece of hair sticking out from my messy bun on top of my head. My heartbeat calmed knowing he was alright. If anyone calls me this early in the morning, I'm bound to think the worst. "Well, good night then?"

"No, wait!" Michael's voice ripped through the phone loudly. I winced. "Sorry," he mumbled.

"Michael, what do you want?" I was getting slightly annoyed now, the feeling of 2 am hitting me.

"I can't sleep," he whined. I imagined the pout on his lips and the creases in his forehead when he said it. 

"Well, I can and I was!" I whispered, but guilt flooded through me. "I...want do you want me to do?" My words were slightly muffled as I placed my head in one hand and wrapped an arm around my waist. The cold air of my room and the fan above me made me shiver in my running shorts (which I literally only wear to bed because they're too short for anything else) and tank top.

"I don't know. Let's talk," he offered, oblivious to my irritation. I just wanted to sleep. I was dreading school already. 

"Michael-"

"You, like, never shut up so I figured you'd be good at talking-"

"Michael!" I hissed, my eyes flicking to my bedroom door. I knew my parents couldn't hear but I was still worried about them barging in like they did when I was twelve and stayed up too late. He stopped whispering into the phone, a silence coming over us. "Why did you call me?"

"I already told you," he spoke with a low voice, so low it was raspy. "I can't sleep."

"No, why did you call me?" 

"Oh," he sighed, as if he knew to pause as I laid back against my pillows. I closed my eyes as I listened to him. "Ashton's pissed because I said something about his relationship with Caroline that was considered rude, I don't even know but he won't pick up. He's too sensitive with a girlfriend now.... I swear, he needs to grow a pair." he babbled. " Oh, and Calum's just a dick. After a few calls he just stops answering too."

"Okay," I exhaled, pursing my lips. "Look, Michael, I'd love to stay and talk but-"

"I know you would, Princess." The same smirk as always on his lips was evident as he spoke. I rolled my eyes, ignoring him.