End Up Here (Michael Clifford a.u.)

Chapter 3

Michael picks me up at my house earlier in the afternoon, saying he made plans for afterwards. Whatever it was, I'm almost nervous to know.

And I'm extremely nervous now though I shouldn't be. I just don't want to screw anything up. I mean, Michael is so adorable, and he's really nice, and he's everything I think a guy should be. I don't want to mess up any chance I have with him.

"So what songs do you want to listen to? I literally have everything," he says as soon as I shut my door.

"I don't care," I reply with a laugh. He smiles and leaves the radio on.

"So how's life?" he asks.

"Fine. You?"

"Fine."

"You know, we don't have to make awkward conversation."

"Well, if I were to talk like I usually do, you'd probably never want to talk to me again."

"Same here."

"I make the worst jokes."

"Me too."

"Would you like to hear a terrible pick-up line?" he asks with an eager smile on his face.

"Go for it."

"Let's play titanic. You be the iceberg, and I'll go down."

"Did you just come out of the microwave? Because you're hot."

"I like yours a lot more," he says.

"I thought of it myself. But yours is on a whole different level."

He laughs. "I told you it was terrible!"

We exchange more terrible pick-up lines until we get to the small little pizza place Michael went on and on about one night.

"I'm telling you," he says. "This place has the best pizza I've ever had. The boys and I hang out here a lot. They know us because we come here so often."

He holds the door open for me, and I thank him as I walk inside. It's a cozy little atmosphere. A lady walks up to us.

"Hi Michael," she says happily. "How are you?"

"I'm great. You?"

"Good as always. I see you brought a friend."

"This is my special friend, Makenna. Makenna, this is Janie."

We shake hands and exchange the nice to meet you's. She then leads us to a booth. We sit across from each other.

"The usual?" Janie asks. He nods. "Alrighty then." She walks into the kitchen.

"What's the usual?" I ask.

"Cokes and cheese pizza. I hope that's okay?"

"It's fine. Exactly what I was going to tell her."

"We are meant to be," he says with a laugh.

Janie brings back the drinks. I take a long sip of mine before talking again.

"Your special friend, huh?" I ask. He smiles and almost blushes.

"Well, we're a little more than friends, right?"

"I don't know."

"Neither do I. Besides, it's the first thing that came to mind."

He taps his finger on the table and looks around before looking at me. "You're not one of those girls who care how much they eat in front of a guy, are you?"