Cliché (A 5SOS Fan Fiction)

epilogue.

December (Michael's POV)

"Mikey I already told you that I want to put the angel on top of the tree, not that star!" Sadie screeched from across the apartment, running at full speed towards me. I grinned wickedly at her.

"Aw, Sadie, come on. The angel isn't as punk rock." I threw in. In most cases, that would work with her. Sadie just wants to be punk rock. But instead, I received an angry glare. She put her hands on her hips and I almost laughed at how much she looked like her sister. That stance was one Veronica takes whenever I pissed her off.

"I don't care. Christmas isn't a punk rock holiday. I want to put the angel on the tree." She held the angel up so I could see it better. "This was my mommy's angel. She put it on the tree every year." I softened immediately; now I had to put the angel on the tree. Christmas was a hard holiday for Veronica and I'm assuming for Sadie as well. Christmas without your family was rough.

I would know.

I smiled at Sadie, softer this time, and picked her up to place her on my shoulders. She giggled and wrapped one arm around my neck for balance while she strained to set the angel on the top of the tree. When she finally had it poised properly, she cheered and clapped her hands.

"It looks awesome, Sadie." I told her, giving her a quick hug before putting her back on the ground. She nodded her head and skipped over to the box of ornaments.

"When will Ronnie be home to help me decorate the tree?" She questioned, carefully picking up a glass ballerina out of the box. Veronica had told me that her parents had bought that for Sadie the last christmas before they died. I watched her carefully as she hung it on the tree, as high up as she could reach.

"She had to go pick my parents up from the airport, kiddo. She should be back right away." She accepted my answer and smiled up at the tree before heading into her room to play. I made my way into Veronica's room and relaxed on the bed while I waited for her to get back.

The tree was pretty big and had been a bitch to carry into Veronica's apartment. But she insisted on her first Christmas as Sadie's guardian being absolutely perfect.

I had told her that we couldn't guarantee perfection if my parents were invited. She'd just rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Michael, they're your parents. You have to include them in your life. Let them see how well you're doing." I'd just shrugged my shoulders. She knew that my parents were a sensitive topic for me. Not long after we'd gotten together officially, I'd explained everything to her.

My parents had already been fed up with me for ditching school and generally caring about nothing but the band. When I had dropped out of school it had been the last straw. They'd kicked me out and disowned me. I hadn't seen them since I was sixteen years old.

So when she suggested inviting them to spend Christmas with us, I said no almost instantly. But she'd pouted and reminded me how important family was and how she and Sadie didn't have the opportunity to be with their family anymore, and how I had to do something before something happened to my parents as well. And I couldn't say no to her, I just couldn't. So reluctantly, I called my parents and invited them to spend Christmas in San Diego with us. I even offered to pay for their hotel since neither of us had the room for them. And to my surprise, they'd agreed. They'd told me they missed me and couldn't wait to catch up.

I heard the front door open and panic swelled up in me. They were here. Finally, after so long, I was seeing my parents.

I felt like the air in the room was getting thinner, like breathing was becoming harder and harder as each second passed. But then I heard Veronica laugh and it felt like all the air had been returned to my lungs.