Clarity ~ m.c.

•Chapter 23•

***Michael's POV***

The next morning I woke up warm under blankets with Lauren sleeping next to me in her room. She was still asleep, with light snores coming from her nose; she was facing me and my arms were wrapped around her, she looked so peaceful. Her hair had fully dried by now and she was wearing one of my shirts I let her borrow from a long time ago; I didn't know she still had it. While for myself I was just wearing an extra pair of sweatpants Lauren let me borrow after our . . . activity last night.

I still remember the feeling of her lips on mine, having her pushed up against the house with the rain pouring around us, hearing her say I love you back, to seeing the bruises on her stomach and ribs. The one thing I can't forget is how she owned them. She didn't try to hide them, she didn't deny the fact they excited, and she didn't get upset at all. And when I got angry at the thought of someone doing this to her, she calmed me down. I keep hearing her say the same things over and over again in my head.

"He's gone. He can't hurt me again. I was broken and missing pieces of myself I had lost a long time ago and you helped me find them, and put me back together again."

Continuing to think about what happened last night, she started to move, and slowly her eyes started to open. As soon as she saw me a soft smile grew across her face, causing one to grow across mine.

"Hello" She said.

"Hi" I replied.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked, I guess she could see that I was thinking about something while she was waking up.

"How beautiful you are." I told her and her face became red. I pulled her closer so our bodies were touching and kissed her, while she wrapped her arms around me.

"Lauren" I said pulling away.

"Yes?"

"Will you please be my girlfriend?" I asked, almost begging. "I love you and-" I started to say but she cut me off with a kiss.

"Yes" she said when she pulled away. Becoming overwhelmed with happiness I ended up pulling her on top of me and kissed her harder. We were in a full on make out when suddenly there was a knock on her door.

"Shit!" Lauren whispered, jumping out of the bed and frantically stated to pick up the cloths on the floor. The knocks on the door continued.

"Lauren open up." The voice said.

"Hide in here." She said pulling me out of the bed and pushing me towards the closet and handed me my clothes that she picked up.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because it's probably my aunt and she doesn't know you're here!" she whispered and shut the door so I was now in a dark room. The door quickly opened again,

"And put your clothes back on." She added.

"Oh so now you want them back on, because last night-" I began.

"Don't finish that sentence." She warned me and I just laughed at my little tease towards her and she shut the door again.

As I started to put my shirt back on, I cold here her open the bedroom door and then sigh with relief.

"I thought you were my aunt." I heard Lauren say.

"No, but they're on their way home. My dad called me; he said that the storm was so bad last night that they stayed with my family." The voice said it must have been Dominique, based on the context of the conversation.

"And why aren't you wearing pants?" Dominique asked. I couldn't help it but a light smirk grew across my face at the thought that I was the reason why she wasn't wearing them.

"Where did you go last night?" Lauren asked changing the topic.

"I stayed at Ashton's because his mom wasn't going to be home for the night so I helped him babysit Harry and because Michael told me to go to one of their houses while he went to find you; which leads us back to why you're home and not wearing pants."

"Wait how did you even get back into the house?" Lauren asked.

"You left the front door unlocked now stop avoiding the question!" Dominique said in protest. There was a pause for a minute.

"Oh my god, you didn't!" Dominique said. I could only imagine Lauren's reaction to Dominique figuring out what we did.

"With Michael?" Dominique questioned.

"Who else?" Lauren said quietly.

"You need to tell me everything!" Dominique demanded.

"I can't do that."

"Why not?" Dominique asked and next thing you know I was blinded with light as Lauren opened the door for me to come out.

"That's why." Lauren said as her cheeks became bright red as I walked out of the closet.

"Sup" I said nonchalantly and Dominique's jaw dropped at the sight of me.

"Oh your aunt is going to kill you." Dominique laughed.

"No she's not because they're never going to know he was here." She said as she made us walk out of her room and down the stairs.

As we reached the front door we heard cart doors slam shut, Lauren ran to the widow.

"Back upstairs now!" she said and the three of us bolted up the staircase, back into her room so we wouldn't get caught.

"Busted." Dominique said sarcastically and we could hear the front door open.

"And you're not helping." Lauren said back.

"Lauren? Dominique? " Mrs. Court called for them.

"Dominique please go stall for me?" Lauren asked.

"Nah I think I'll let this play out and watch what happens." Dominique said, laughing.

"Lauren?" her aunt called again.

"Just a minute!" Lauren yelled. "Please!" she begged turning back the Dome.

"Fine." Dominique gave in, walking out of the door.

"Oh Dominique, where's Lauren?" Mrs. Court asked.

"She's getting dress; she'll be out in a minute." Dominique said.

"Why are you making a big deal out of this?" I asked. "You're acting like you regret last night." I added.

"I don't regret it Michael." Lauren started. "But you really want my aunt to know what we did last night. She would have a conniption and would never let me hang out with you again." Lauren explained as she opened the window that was on the side of the house.

"True." I agreed thinking about it.

"Here climb down the lattice."

"You know this is very sneaky of you." I said walking over to her. "I like it, we should do this more often." I added grinning, kissing her. Lauren just chuckled rolling her eyes. I started to climb out of the window onto the lattice.

"Wait." she said before I was out of reach of the window. She leanded out and pecked my lips.

"I love you Michael Clifford."

"And I love you Lauren Jacobs."