Damn, You're Cute (Michael Clifford)

Chapter 44

"Abbie, wait up!" I called after her as math class ended. My teacher gave me a glare for being so loud, but I ignored him, pushing out the door. She patiently waited outside for me in her cute tank top and shorts with math books piled up in her arms. "Do you have class now?"

"Nope!" Abbie smiled, both of us making our way down the hallway which was littered with paper every few feet. Abbie used her knee to balance her books when we stopped at her locker so she could release the weight in her hands from our awful math class. We were practically repeating yesterday, trying to learn as much about each other during math and this short time after. I learned that her mother didn't want her to transfer here but her father didn't mind, she actually wears contacts, and she doesn't have a boyfriend. I was just beginning to gather new information like I did with Caroline when we first met. Except today, I hoped Abbie would come sit with my friends and I at lunch.

"Thank god, I don't have a class right now either," I laughed under my breath before I leaned my shoulder against the metal locker beside hers. Abbie shut the door, now hands free. "I'm literally starving."

"Me too," she groaned, throwing her head back. Abbie's straightened hair fell over the back of her shoulders with an elegant flip.

"Do you want to get lunch with me and a few friends? We just sit in the cafeteria," I offered and began walking in the general direction of it. Abbie followed, tucking her silky hair behind one ear.

"Why not?" she agreed, both of us walking in a comfortable silence to the cafeteria. Since we weren't very close as friends yet, it was hard to find fluent conversations but I knew that would come in time.

Once I opened the door to the cafeteria, I immediately saw all of my friends sitting at our signature table. I pointed them out to Abbie, leading her toward them. As soon as her eyes fell on them, she stopped in her tracks.

"Y-you're friends with them?" she asked in horror, looking at Ashton, Calum, and Michael. I gave her a look of sympathy, touching her shoulder for a brief moment but Abbie's fear seemed greater than necessary. Her eyes floated around the room, worriedly searching.

"Yes, I know they're popular but I promise that they're actually really sweet guys once you get past their constant teasing," I told her honestly because I really did like them. They were a good group of guys caught up in a bad situation a few years ago. "And I'm sure being new you've heard a lot of shit about them and this one girl," I explained because that's exactly what happened to me. It was the first story I learned at this school. "But trust me, you don't want to know. It was just really fucked up,"

"Yeah," she mumbled under her breath, straightening out her clothes and hair in order to impress them. I understood why. They were popular and attractive. Who wouldn't want them to like you? "I've more than just heard about it."

I knit my eyebrows together in confusion but I decided not to push her. She was probably already feeling enough pressure with her first few days here so I led her to our table, sitting across from Michael and next to Luke. Abbie sat beside me on the end. No one looked up at first because they were in the middle of a conversation.

"Hey guys," I caught their attention, gesturing to Abbie. "This is-"

Michael looked up at my new before looking away as if he hoped she didn't notice. Instantly, Michael's whole body tensed and his face went completely white, doing a double take. His eyes drifted up to Abbie again and his whole body was stiff. I noticed his breathing completely stopped and Ashton and Calum froze as well.

"Holy shit," Calum breathed, staring wide eyed at Abbie. Ashton's jaw almost fell open, making me incredibly puzzled.

An awkward silence fell over us as Abbie glanced at me sheepishly. I looked to her for help before Michael's fingers grabbed Ashton's wrist beside him for support. He then looked at me with utter shock and a sense of disbelief.