Don't Stop | Michael Clifford

Chapter 42

"You ready to go?" Michael asks me as he leans against the wall, his phone in his hand. I nod, placing down my suitcase. We were going to Australia for a week to spend Christmas, and I would lie if I said I wasn't nervous about meeting Michael's parents. Michael smiles at me as he sees me fumbling with the hem of my shirt. "It's going to be fine, my parents will love you, El."

"I just can't help but to be scared that I'll screw up." Michael stops leaning against the wall as he makes his way over to me, wrapping his arms around my waist, pulling me closer. His chest is pressed against mine and my hands feel the fabric of his shirt as I look at it. I don't want to look in his eyes so he can see how freaked out I am. He takes his fingers under my chin, lifting it so my eyes meet his.

"You'll do great babe. I promise. And if something happens, we'll go to a hotel or something, okay?"

"If something happens, your parents will hate me." He sighs, shaking his head.

"Not necessarily. If they dislike you, which is highly doubtful if not impossible, they'll warm up eventually." He smiles, kissing my nose. "El, my life right now is 5 Seconds of Summer, and you. My future is 5 Seconds of Summer, and you. So don't worry."

"I don't want you to choose between me and your parents," I say, and I can't help but to take a step back as he pulls me closer again.

"You won't, because they'll love you. Let's just go and we'll take it as it comes." I sigh, nodding as we make our way outside. A cap was waiting for us, so we got our suitcases in. I was biting my lip nervously and I'm pretty sure that it was starting to get weird. Michael kisses my hand, giving it an assuring squeeze. We don't say anything though. Michael knows that I'm nervous, so he only just tries to silently calm me down.

"Promise me you will keep holding my hand," I say, turning my head to look at him as we near the airport. He smiles, nodding, giving my hand another squeeze.

"I promise. I won't let go of your hand." He smiles, kissing my cheek. My hand is sweaty in his, but he doesn't let it go, he keeps having his fingers intertwined with mine. I wonder if he knows that I meant once we met his parents, but I don't say anything. His hand in mine calms me.

.

.

"El, I know I said I'd keep holding your hand, but I will soon not have a hand you can hold if you keep squeezing so hard," Michael laughs at me as we wait for our luggage. His parents had texted him that they were here and now we were just waiting for the luggage so we could go out there.

"Sorry," I say, letting go of his hands to dry them off in my jeans. "I'm just... my mind is just racing with negative thoughts, I'm sorry," I say, sighing. I sit down on the floor, they hadn't even started with the suitcases yet. Michael sits on his knees right in front of me, before tipping my head up.

"Don't let them get to you, okay? It's going to be okay. Trust me when I say there is no reason for you to have negative thoughts about this. I've been saying so many things about you and my mum already loves you." I sigh, him wiping a tear that I hadn't even realized had fallen from my chin. He then helps me up as they start sending out the luggage. He kisses my nose. "I love you El, okay? Focus on that instead."

"Okay," I slightly laugh, him just nodding as he pulls me in for a hug. We finally get our suitcases, Michael holding out his hand for me to take before me make our way towards the exit. There was noise of people constantly talking around us, the suitcases rolling on the floor, but the only thing I could hear was the sound of my heart beating. I wouldn't be surprised if Michael could hear it. The doors slide open and we get greeted by scream. My grip tightens on Michael's hand, but that was mostly because I got surprised of the screams. Michael then drags me to the right and we make our way through the people and I smile as the security is already there to hold them away.