Damn, You're Cute (Michael Clifford)

Chapter 26

As soon as the music ended I was steered away from Garrett by my elbow. Michael's fingers firmly held my arm as he led me out of the gym at a quick pace. I stumbled over my heels several times but Michael was able to hold me up.

"Where are we going?" I sighed, not bothering to pull my elbow away. His fingers were slightly comforting although I could tell he was in one of his moods.

"I figured we could go for a drive," Michael grunted and refused to make eye contact. He stared angrily ahead, still leading me by my elbow. We got a few glances from people but he didn't care.

"But it's Ashton's car-"

"He'll figure something out," he said shortly while pushing open the main building doors. The courtyard seemed different at this time of night. The darkness swallowed up the feeling of hatred of classes that I normally have during the day. I was just glad it was Friday.

"Michael, just tell me what's going on. I feel like we can't hang out without one of us getting angry." I told him refusing to move forward. I was not getting in that car until he gave me a good reason to.

We stared at each other in the dark courtyard by the bench we sat at once. The same bench that Luke sat at when we were first becoming friends.

Michael opened his mouth to speak before deciding against it. My eyes pierced his, demanding an answer. I felt my feet ache under me so I reached down and held my heels in one hand. I felt so much shorter than him now.

"Why didn't you kiss me?" he said quietly, almost too low for me to hear and it made me forget about my shortness. My eyebrows turned down and I struggled to form words.

This was it. I've been thinking about it and I knew it would happen-that it had been happening.

We were stuck in some zone that I didn't understand. Michael and I were friends originally but now we both had something more for each other. He wanted to act on it, but I was too afraid. It was safer to not. We were stuck on the goddamn middle step. The step between friendship and more. Michael wanted more and I...well I didn't know.

The middle step is difficult. It was when we had to decide if we wanted the relationship enough or if we should let it go. We had to stop leaving it for the future to decide. We needed to decide if all the labels and shit was worth it.

"We've been over this," I bit my bottom lip. "We can't...I can't let this happen."

"Why not?" Michael tugged at his hair with wide eyes. My heart beat quickly and I wanted to comfort him- to tell him it would be okay.

"I just can't, okay?" My bottom lip quivered. He wouldn't understand. No one would.

Michael put his hands in mine. He squeezed my fingers gently, leaning forward as his eyes encouraged me to explain.

"This is...it's crazy! We barely know each other and I don't," I paused at a loss for words, squeezing my eyes shut. "I don't understand how this is supposed to work. Love doesn't exist so why would I put myself willingly into a hopeless situation?"

Michael shook his head, pulling his hands out of mine and instead, cupping my face with them.

"Leah, you keep saying love doesn't exist and all the fucked up stuff but you don't know! It does exist, I promise! I can prove it to you." he pleaded and I felt his breath on my face. The hairs on my neck stood up and I felt the need to lean it and put my lips on his.

"I know," I whispered and he froze.

"You know?" he asked, excitement running through his veins.