tattoos || luke af

FIFTH CHAPTER

"michael," aubree sighed, sliding into her seat next to his. It was Monday morning -first period - and he hasn't spoken to her all weekend.

Michael ignored her, despite knowing that all she wanted to do was make sure he was okay - the whole school was buzzing about how his dad had been hospitalized. He'd found a lump in his left thigh.

"Michael, please, you're my best friend," Aubree pleaded with him. "Please don't ignore me."

"If I was your best friend you'd listen to me," Michael raised his eyebrows at her. "He says he loves you Aub, but it's all an act."

"Michael, what are you saying?" Aubree frowned at Michael, which only made his frustrations grow.

"Audrey, stop being so fucking naive," Michael cussed loudly, gaining the attention of some students around them. "He's seeing someone else behind your back."

"Bullshit, you're just jealous," Audrey ignored the pain in her chest when he used her real name.

"Of what?" Michael let out a loud laugh, gaining even the attention of their English Literature teacher. "A lying, cheating, manipulative dickhead?"

"Of me!" Aubree shouted, smacking her hand down on the desk. "You're jealous, because I'm finally happy, and everything in your life is shit!"

"Aubree Jones, Michael Clifford!" Their teacher screamed at them both, but neither of them took notice.

"He's going to break you Aubree," Michael hissed, putting his bag on his shoulder. "And when he does, I'll be waiting. But until then, we're nothing."

"We weren't anything anyway!" Aubree screamed at Michael as he headed towards the door.

"You mean that?" Michael questioned quietly, barely audible over the sound of their teachers shouting.

"Wholeheartedly."

"Well then," Michael let out a pained laugh, the fight leaving him. He opened the classroom door, half stepping out of it. "Fuck you too, best friend."

And then he was running down the halls, ignoring the shouts of various teachers and students. He ran and ran, until he felt his legs would collapse underneath him.

Michael backed himself against the closest wall to him and sighed, feeling his chest get heavy. He looked around, making sure he was alone, and then he allowed himself to cry.

And that's what he did, for the rest of first period. He let out everything he'd been holding in.

Once he felt as if he couldn't cry anymore, Michael shifted so he was supporting his own weight and reached into his pocket for his phone. Both Calum and Ashton had found Michael on Facebook, and had given him their numbers.

He texted Ashton first, asking if he could come pick Michael up from the front gate and go with him to get pizza, and then Calum asking if he wanted to come play Fifa later.

His phone buzzed in his hand, and he looked at it expectedly.

From: Calum
Sure thing bro, I'll get my old man to drop me off at yours after school

From: Ashton
On my way man, but you're paying for pizza

For the first time that day, Michael smiled.