End Up Here (Michael Clifford a.u.)

Chapter 10

With every relationship comes some sort of obstacle. Ours is that we argue over stupid things. I'll want to go one place and Michael wants to go somewhere else. I want to do something and Michael wants to do the opposite. In the end we always make up because it's pretty obvious I can't get enough of him.

Out of boredom I decide to go to Ashton's house to just hang out with him and Grace for a while. Conveniently they're there since I didn't really ask them first. I walk inside and toss my jacket on a chair.

"Hey guys!" I call.

Ashton stumbles to the front door and stares at me.

"What are you doing here?" he asks in a quiet voice.

"Did I interrupt something?" I raise my eyebrows. He finally gets what I mean and laughs, shaking his head.

"No. We were just sleeping."

"I was bored so I decided to come over. Hope that's okay?"

"Sure."

I follow him through his house. Grace is huddled in a ball and sleeping on his couch, completely out of it. He sits next to her, and she moves closer to him.

"So why were you two sleeping?" I ask, sitting down in a chair.

"She said she only slept a couple hours last night. Her and her dad got in an argument so I picked her up early this morning."

"How early?"

"Like four in the morning."

"Well, I can't say I've never done it before. I stayed at Michael's the other night."

"Speaking of Michael," he says slowly. "Why aren't you with him today?"

I sigh and rub my temples. "He was being a baby over something stupid."

He chuckles. "What was it?"

"He was mad about a sarcastic comment I made."

"That's Michael. He's sensitive sometimes."

"You're telling me. I basically just wanted to talk it out with someone."

"I'm here for you," he says, smiling widely.

"Thanks. You're, like, the closest to me besides the girls."

"Really? I figured you'd talk to Luke or Calum more."

"Nope. I talk to you more. I don't know why though. You're like the older brother I've never had."

He smiles and looks down at his lap, playing with Grace's hair. He looks back at me and laughs quietly. I've learned that he literally laughs at nothing. I don't even know what's amusing him anyway.

I begin to wonder if Michael has texted me any today. I decided to let him mope around over a stupid comment and man up about it, and I would wait for him to come around. I'm not even sure how many times my phone has vibrated in my pocket. I know it's probably Michael, but I'm not sure what to say to him.

"I've been listening to your playlists and stuff that you made," I tell him, deciding to change the subject.

"Yeah? What do you think?"

"I love them. We practically like the same music."

"I can play some if you want?"

"No that's okay. The last thing I want to do is wake Grace up. Trust me, she can get vicious."

"I know," he replies with a laugh.

"I'm not that bad," Grace says sleepily, poking Ashton's arm. She sits up and leans against him. "Hi Makenna."

"Hi Grace," I reply.

"So you and Michael argued over something stupid?" she asks. I nod. "I'm sure he'll come around."

Ashton begins playing music. My mood begins to improve some as I hear my favorite songs. I still contemplate replying to Michael. He's probably really pissed at me, but I don't really want to deal with it right now.

Grace gets up and leaves as she answers her phone. I try to listen to her, but it's hard to hear.

"No. What are you talking about?" she asks. "Don't you dare," she says. She eventually comes back. I assume she dealt with whoever she was talking to.

I begin to feel a lot better after talking everything out and having time to cool off. The music helps, and hanging with Ashton and Grace helps.

The front door opens, and Michael comes storming through the house.

"Michael!" Grace raises her voice as she jumps to her feet. "I told you not to come over here!"

"What the hell are you doing?" I ask him.

"I could ask you the same thing," he replies.

I notice something in his eyes. Jealousy, anger, confusion. I stand up straighter to attempt to show I'm not weak compared to him.

"I've been trying to talk to you for hours, Makenna. Why won't you answer your phone?"

"Because you can't take a joke."

"So you ignore me?" he asks in disbelief.

"No! I'm just trying to cool off, but you come over here and mess that up. Why are you even here?"

He sighs in frustration and rubs his face, pushing his fingers through his hair.

"You thought I wasn't here," Grace says. "You thought it was just Makenna and Ashton."

"What else do you want me to think?" Michael asks her.

"Michael, I would never do that to you," Ashton says. "I've got my own interests, and Makenna is all yours."

"And I wouldn't cheat on you," I reassure him. "Why would you think that?"

"You're the first good thing that's happened to me in a while. I'd like to actually keep you in my life," he says quietly. "Sorry for making a big deal of it. I was scared."

"It's no problem," Ashton says, returning back to his happy go lucky mood. "Everything's good?"

Michael nods and smiles. Everyone agrees to hang out for a couple more hours since we're all here. I step outside before watching some movie. Michael follows and comes up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist.

"I'm sorry," he says as he gently places his lips to my shoulder. "I was scared. I don't want to lose you."

"You won't," I reply with a laugh.

I turn around to face him. I brush away a strand of his dark hair, cupping his stubbly cheeks in my hands. He smiles and blinks slowly.

"You know I didn't mean anything by what I said. That's just how I am," I tell him.

He sighs, and his breath fans across my face. "I know."

I pull his face closer to mine and kiss his full lips. His hands move down my waist. I push them away.

"Do you have to be such a guy and grab my ass?"

He chuckles. "You know you like it."