strike a pose ||| michael clifford

chapter 22

slow updates I'm so sorry anyway this isn't very good so sorry in advance and it's non edited but what did you expect BUT I will go through later and fix all the errors in all the chapters. There will probably only be 10 more chapters so ???? Hope you are all alright and groovy because you deserve it!! There are messages in this chapter eekk. Enjoy!

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Group therapy sessions were going great and I had been spending a lot of time with Leah. I'd finally began talking to Mr. Decker during our sessions togehter. As Leah had told me, he really was uderstanding and actually really sweet. He also gave great advice.

The day after my first group therapy sessions I realised that there is hope for everyone, and let me tell you, it felt great.

Leah and I sat down at our lunch table and began talking while slowly eating our food. She eyed me down after I took a few bites and pushed my plate away and pushed it back in front of me. "Nope, eat a little more."

I gave her a small smile in return and continued eating. Its nice having such a supportive friend. Today was visiting day and Miranda, Ashton and Michael would be coming later. Michael told me he would visit me "every god damn day I'm allowed to" and he kept that promise, coming once a week to see me and bringing someone along with him. This week was different for me, I felt like I could take on the world. Everything is becoming so much more clear and I'm actually trying to get better. While Leah and I ate, we talked about everything and nothing. We shared our opinions, our thoughts, stories and even some secrets; crazy thing was, nothing about being in a treatment center came up. Not once.

"So, your boyfriend, Michael, asked you out while you were an emotional wreck?'' Leah confirmed, biting her lip to keep herself from laughing. I nodded with a goofy smile on my face and subconsciously took a bite out of my meal. Leah grinned widely at me but didn't say a word. "Yeah, he did.''

I laughed along with Leah until the bells rang out through the lunchroom, sigannling it was time for visting hours to begin. I hadn't seen Miranda and Ashton since Ashton had popped the question so I was a little more than excited to see them. I sprang up from my seat and quickly threw my lunch away and began to jog up to my room. Leah followed close behind; her mom vistited her every week and they met in the lobby. When I reached my room, I saw a distressed looking Miranda and a very giggly Ashton. When I stumbled int the room, Miranda shot up from her seat on my bed and hugged me so with so much power I didn't even know she had in her. "Ella I've missed you so much.''

I laughed and hugged her back with just as much strength. After a few minutes Miranda pulled away and Ashton engulfed me in a hug also. I'd missed seeing my favorite couple, even if they've always made me want to puke because of the cutness of their realtionship. I stood back and admired them for a few seconds, then lunged at Miranda, asking her all about the proposel and the ring and how everything was going. "It's great, really. The ring looks so expensive but Ashton keeps saying "your're worth all the money in the world.'' Idiot. Planning is super stressful, if you can't tell,'' Miranda laughed, pointing to her tangled hair and slight bags under her eyes.

''You still look wonderful, I've always been jealous of you, and wheres Michael? I thought he said he'd be here?'' I smile at her. Miranda glances at Ashton, "He texted me that he got a little held up at work, he should be here soon though.'' Ashton responds, then begins typing on his phone. Sending a text to Michael I assume. I stand confused after I process what Ashton said. "When did Michael get a job?"

"Oh! He got a job at guitar center, for now at least. He's been talking about how he wants to go to college or something. He should be here soon, I beleive." Ashton smiled at me. His phone lights up again and he types another message, an angry scowl on his face.

This is the first I've heard of Michael getting a job, and I didn't know what to think. And college? Is this boy thinking straight? Of course I believed in him, in fact I'd encouraged him to find a stable job or go to college, but he'd always been so set on the whole band thing. I was surprised and excited and worried at the same time. I wanted to be there to help him, but it seemed like I couldn't help him if I'm stuck here and he's out there, in his world of normal teenage stuff.

Miranda began talking to me again. "I want you to be one of the bridesmaids. I believe Emily is the maid of honor because her name came out of the hat, you were in it too, but maybe I want just three maid of honors so I can have all of you?" I shook my head and smiled at Miranda's ranting. She was obviously so stressed about the wedding, I'd have to tell Ashton to take her out or treat her with a relaxing getaway because this girl was way too overworked. I smile and reassure her she can do whatever she pleases simply because it's her wedding. I changed the subject to how things were beside the planning to take her mind off of it.

Miranda filled me in about how everything is. Calum and Emily are holding their relationship strong and proud and Luke and Anna are just the same as they've always been, annoying little shits. She told me how there was anew Library being made and how when she found out she thought of me, and how she got accepted into another dance school only an hour away from our town. Anna had began an upper class beauty school and was enjoying it more than ever, even practicing on Luke multiple times a week, and how Emily started writing a new book, but was stumped on imagination and forced Calum to take her on an adventure to get her creative juices flowing.

As Miranda started telling me about one of the girls at her dance schools new daughter, Ashton interupted him with a sorry look on his face, yet still looked mad. "Michael said he can't make it today, he couldn't get out of work, sorry Ella."

Ashton looked out for people way more than he should. I always worried about him because he put everyone else's happiness before his own, I didn't want him to end up getting hurt, although Miranda was doing a good job at that.

After hearing Michael wouldn't make it, I nodded my head and forced myself that it's okay. It's just one week, right? It's not like I needed to see him every visiting day. Seeing Miranda and Ashton was enough.

"Oh, that's alright. I'll call him later I guess." I smiled. Neither of them believed it, but let it slide. I'm assuming they didn't want an argument and visiting hours were almost up.

"Well, we should probably leave. You're alright Ella?" Miranda asked skeptically. I nodded and sat back on my bed, grabbing a book and placing it on my lap. "Yeah, I'm good."

"Okay, call is if you need anything. We'll start visiting as much as we can, for sure." Ashton smiled. They both bent over and awkwardly hugged me as best as they could, since I was sitting and they were standing.

The last thing I heard from them as they shut the door to my room was "I don't know what Michaels up to but it's not gonna end well."