Monster Among Men ➵ Michael Clifford a.u.

Chapter 5

I wake up to the sound of a knock at the door and the constant buzzing of my phone. I wipe the sleep from my eyes and pull my phone out of my pocket.

"Shit!" I groan, it was my Mom. I had accidentally fallen asleep on Ainsley's couch while trying to finish the movie after bringing her to bed. I checked the time on my phone, and realized it was only 5:30am.

"Ainsley! Rosa! I'm here!" I hear someone shout from outside, followed by the door opening, revealing a tall, blond boy, wearing prescription glasses.

"Mrs. Roberts called and-" The boy began to speak but stopped once he saw me.

"Oh. Who are you?" He asks. I furrow my eyebrows in confusion.

"Who are you?" I ask, ignoring the fact that he obviously had asked me first.

"I'm Luke. I'm Ainsley's ...tutor." he states, setting his backpack on the floor and walking across the living room towards the staircase.

"Ainsley?" Luke shouted from the bottom of the stairs.

"She's sleepi-" I began to say, but was cut off by the sound of footsteps racing down the stairs.

"Luke!" Ainsley yelled as she ran down the stairs into his arms, embracing him in a tight hug.

"How've you been, darling?" Luke asked, letting go of her gently.

"good, i've been good" She smiled. It took her a moment to realize that I was standing there, but when she did, her eyes widened with excitement.

"Mikey! You're here!" her eyes lit up as she comes running into the living room and jumping on me.

"Good morning, you." I chuckled, kind of taken aback by the sudden closeness.

"Ainsley." Luke says suddenly, catching her attention.

"Huh?" she furrows her eyebrows. "Where's Rosa?" he asks curiously. "Oh..I-" Ainsley thinks for a moment.

"I actually don't know" she says after a minute.

"Who's Rosa?" I ask, a confused expression evident on my face.

"Rosa is her nurse." Luke says as if it's something I should've already known.

"Nurse?" I mumble to myself. Must be weird rich people things.

"So, who are you, anyway?" Luke asks, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Oh! He's Michael" Ainsley says sweetly.

"Yeah, I'm Michael" I flash a fake smile. "Well, what do you do, Michael?" Luke asks with a raised brow.

"Excuse me?" I ask as I cross my arms over my chest.

"Oh, I apologize, let me rephrase my question and make it easier for your brain to process." Luke says sarcastically.

"What is your occupation here? As in, Job." He adds, rolling his eyes.

"First of all, I don't work for this family." I scoff

"Second of all-" I stop myself and look over at Ainsley, before leaning in whispering just loud enough for Luke to hear.

"Don't you ever talk to me like i'm some kind of fucking idiot. you understand?." I glare at Luke, who's eyes go wide.

"Ainsley, why don't you go call your Mom?" Luke says to Ainsley in a calm tone. "I know she's been wanting to hear from you since they landed."

"Oh, Okay" Ainsley shrugs her shoulders before hesitantly running up the stairs.

"Listen, if you don't work here, then you have no business here." Luke says as he turns to face me.

"Look, I don't know who you think you are but-" I begin to speak but Luke cuts me off.

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave." Luke demands.

"I don't think you know who I am or what I-" I begin to speak, before Luke cuts me off once again.

"I am telling you to leave, before I am forced to call the proper authorities" He snaps.

"That's bullshit. I'm not breaking any laws." I roll my eyes in frustration.

"Alright. Well, I guess you won't have any issues explaining to the police what you were doing this early in the morning in this house uninvited?" Luke smirks.

"The fact that you would accuse me of something like that just proves the type of person you are." I glare at Luke before shoulder-checking him and heading towards the front door.

"I'm not the one in the wrong here, Michael." Luke calls out, causing me to turn around to look at him.

"oh fuck you." I hiss before slamming the front door. I shake my head and release a deep breath as I quickly walk to my house.
—
"Michael Gordon Clifford, where have you been?" My mom says as I open the front door, shocking me.

"Jesus Karren, you ever heard of personal space?" I scoff.

"You are my son and you will not take that tone with me." she snaps.

"Now, where have you been? You didn't come home last night." she adds.

"I was just next door, stop worrying, fuck." I groan, not in the mood for my Mother's attitude.

"Next door? At the Roberts' house? For what, exactly?" she questioned, making me roll my eyes in annoyance.

"I was hanging out with a friend, satisfied now?" I say as I cross my arms over my chest.

"the Roberts' daughter? Michael.." she warned, "you know what happens when-" she begins to say but I cut her off.

"Stop. Just stop." I shake my head. "But, Michael, you-" she starts to speak again but I cut her off.

"I don't want to hear it! Just stop! Stop fucking talking!" I shout, I can feel my face heating up in anger.

"You are my son and you will listen to me!" my mom yells, catching me off guard.

"You will hurt that girl! Don't you understand?" She continues to yell.

"You have to stay away from her, she's just an innocent girl, Michael." she says in a calmer tone.

"I know." I say quietly, getting a little light headed. She was right. As much as I hate to admit it, Ainsley isn't safe when she's with me. No matter how much I try to deny it. I'm a monster.

"But, I can't. I won't." I say, shaking my head. There was no way in hell that I would be able to stay away from her, she's too attached to me already, it would break her heart.

"I can't just leave her, Mom. Not now." my voice cracks. "I won't hurt her. I won't. I won't" I sob as my mom wraps her arms around me comfortingly.

"I really hope so, Baby." She sighs. "I really hope so." she repeats.
—
Author's Note:
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