Damn, You're Cute (Michael Clifford)

Chapter 34

"I need to pee!" Calum screeched as he exited the car, shoving everyone out of the way. He hurried off to find a bathroom as we all looked out over the beach. Michael had just parked the car and Ashton was unloading our stuff from the trunk.

I felt my stomach drop as I thought of back home and the beach there. Ocean City was far more beautiful than here in my mind. Some people saw the green water as something disgusting but it was my childhood and the hot sand was what I would always remember. I vaguely recalled almost leaving for the airport when I was drunk at that party but thankfully I must've had the right mind and stopped myself. I've been wishing recently that I could go back home but I'd never tell Michael. The thing is going back would mean I'd have to give him up so Sydney would have to do for right now.

"Are you just gonna stand there or do you want to help?" Luke teased me, handing over towels. I scowled at him as he placed the last one on my head playfully, messing up my hair.

"You're annoying," I laughed, balancing the towels in my hand as I retrieved the one on my head.

"And you're short," Luke shrugged, his lip twitching up slightly. I didn't see how my height had anything to do with his annoying self but I rolled my eyes with a small smile.

"You can't use that as your only comeback," I tucked the towels in my arms as I turned to look at the beach again. "It's pretty, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Luke agreed, forgetting our banter, and began walking toward the beach. "Meet you out there," he grinned.

Luke and I always had the best short conversations that put me in a good mood. I didn't know what I'd do after I graduated and he'd still be in high school. It probably seemed weird to think that far ahead when I've only been here a little over a month, but I knew who my friends were and that's all that mattered.

"Flirting, are we?" Caroline nudged my shoulder with her own, nodding toward Luke. I frowned. Luke and I don't flirt. We just mess around. We're strictly just friends because I thought it was blatantly obvious who I had feelings for. Luke had to know.

"I was not flirting," I defended myself. Caroline was my best friend but sometimes she was just flat out wrong. Luke and I had nothing special like that between us.

"Tell that to Luke," she arched an eyebrow at me.

She couldn't be serious. Luke had been one of my only friends since I got here. We'd always had this teasing relationship and he knew we were just friends. Caroline was just blowing this out of proportion. Sure, Luke was attractive and beyond compatible with his easy going ways but I didn't see him like I did Michael. Michael was literally a rollercoaster with his odd moods and inappropriate ways. They were two different people and only one of them made my heart melt.

"He knows," I replied, trying to convince myself more than Caroline.

"We'll see about that," she told me before her and Ashton headed off after Luke.

I huffed, shoving my hair behind my ears and followed.

I didn't like other people getting into my business. I know Caroline was just trying to warn me but there's nothing to worry about.

My thoughts slowly disappeared when my toes touched the sand, my shoes looped in my fingers. Memories flooded through and I remembered my mother with her huge camera placing me perfectly in a pose on the beach back at home. She had made sure the camera settings were just right, snapping multiple pictures as I forced a smile in the bright sun.

I could only think of how I wished I had a camera with me now. I wanted to be a photographer just like my mother when I got older and unfortunately my favorite camera was tucked away in a moving box in my closet. I made a mental note to get it out later.