End Up Here (Michael Clifford a.u.)

Chapter 4

I would like to say I'm a pretty good person, but we all know I'm probably the least innocent out of all my friends. Not gonna lie, I am pretty inappropriate to the point it's hilarious. But that's okay. We all laugh in the end.

I've tried to restrain my dirty minded remarks around Michael, and I think he's trying as well. I know how guys are. They'll say whatever they're thinking. Especially Michael.

But not the point.

Michael has somehow become a really close friend. My best friend. And it's happened so quickly. We talk and hang out pretty much everyday. And some of our friends have been talking separately. So I decide to just get everyone together tonight and spend the night. What better way to know your friends?

The girls are already here, lying around my living room on their phones. Fortunately, my parents are both gone for the weekend, somewhat trusting us to be responsible. They always tell Grace she's in charge instead of me as a joke. But really she does attempt to keep us under some kind of control.

"So is this technically an actual party or what?" Grace asks. "Because if it is, this sucks."

"No," I tell her. "We're all just hanging out."

"I'm actually excited," Kaitlyn chimes in. "I want to meet all the guys we've been hearing so much about."

"You and me both," I reply. "I've never really met Michael's friends."

"Hopefully they're all just as cool as Michael and Luke," Claire says. "And attractive," she adds quickly. We all laugh.

"I can assure you they're all attractive," Grace says.

I get a text from Michael as I hear a knock on the front door. I walk through the house to answer it. As I open the door, the boys stand there awkwardly.

"Makenna!" Michael says, hugging me.

"Nice to see you too," I mumble with a laugh. He pulls away. "Well I guess I should let you guys in my house."

"Yeah. I don't want to sit out here all night."

For some reason I find his sarcasm funny so I laugh. I move aside and allow the boys in. They follow me into the living room where the girls are watching some show now, and they're staring intently at the TV.

"Just chill wherever," I tell them. Michael takes immediate comfort on my couch. His friends eventually follow.

"How late are we staying up?" Claire asks, lying on the floor and looking at her phone. "Because I'm staying up all night with or without you guys."

"Last time we pulled an all nighter, we were practically dead for two whole days," Grace says.

I sit down beside Michael, and he looks at me and smiles. Someone knocks on the door, and Grace gets out of the floor.

"I'll get it," she says, leaving the room.

Everyone is either on their phone or watching whatever is on the TV. In another moment, Grace brings back two pizzas in which we ordered earlier.

"Ninety percent of our diet is pizza," Grace mumbles.

"And you're complaining?" Claire asks.

"I could live off of pizza," Luke says.

Everyone grabs a piece, and the previous tension is fading.

"So this is Calum, Ashton, and Luke," Michael says, pointing out the boys. "Just in case not everyone knew."

"This is Claire, Kaitlyn, and Grace," I say, pointing out the girls.

"We wouldn't know who everyone was because all we hear about is Michael," Kaitlyn says, exaggerating his name. I feel my cheeks begin to get hot.

"She talks nonstop about you," Claire adds.

"We know," Calum says. "We hear almost everything about Makenna."

"Shut up!" Michael yells defensively, a slight blush on his pale face. A smile forms on his dark red lips as he looks at me.

Grace makes a disgusted look though we all know she's kidding. We all laugh while everyone takes a turn mentioning something about me and Michael.

Eventually things loosen up, and by some crazy idea I decide everyone should have a bit of the beer my parents "hid" in the house. But only a few of us decide to drink some.

I take a small sip, remembering accidentally trying it when I was little. I cringe at the memory but continue sipping on it.

"What the hell does he want?" Grace asks angrily, looking at her phone.

"Who is it?" Luke asks her.

"My dad. I'll be back in a minute." She leaves and goes into the kitchen away from our conversation.

"What's up with her dad?" Ashton asks.

"He's really strict on her," Claire explains. "She can't do anything at all."

"If he knew there were boys at my house, he'd personally set fire to it and put her on house arrest," I explain.

"He doesn't even like us in the first place," Kaitlyn says a bit sadly. "But that's okay. I mean, we don't like him either."

"He doesn't sound nice anyway," Calum says.

"He's not."

"I feel bad for her," Michael comments thoughtfully, looking into the kitchen. "Grace is really cool."

I notice Grace pacing in the kitchen, biting her nails and nervously tapping everything while she's on the phone. Eventually she hangs up, sits down, and just buries her face in her hands. I decide it's best to leave her there to calm down.

I catch Ashton staring at me with a worried look. I nod at him, implying for him to go talk to her. He gets up and leaves.

We're all quiet for a minute, exchanging glances before bursting out laughing over nothing. I'm not sure intoxicated me or anyone else is, but it's enough.

Ashton and Grace return, and she seems in a better mood. It's enough to bring her back to our own little world.

I don't remember much after that. I know we play truth or dare at some point, and I let my feelings run wild, admitting things I never usually would. And somehow I end up falling asleep on Michael's shoulder, him drunkenly mumbling lyrics before falling asleep himself.