Be Mine Tonight - Michael Clifford

Chapter 27 - Wrapped around your finger

A/N: Wrapped around your finger is my favorite song by 5sos. It is also the reason why I began writing this story. This has actually been a lot longer than I was planning. aha Enjoyyyyyyy

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I sighed at the boy on the ground below, tossing rocks at my window. There he was, much like my dream. In my back yard waiting for me to come down. I held up my pointer finger to signal I would be down in a second.

After making myself look somewhat better I softly made my way down my stairs and into my back yard. "You shouldn't be here, Michael"

He looked me dead in the eye, with an unreadable expression. "Yes I should"

The look he was giving me sent chills up and down my spine. I had never seen him look so serious before. "Please just go"

He stepped towards me. I stood my ground. My heart was beating so fast it was possible anyone could hear it. "I love you, Riley"

And just like that my heart shattered into a billion tiny peaces. "Y-you. No. Michael no you don't" I stuttered

"Do you have any idea of how crazy you make me?" He went on, ignoring my denial. I wanted him to stop. I wanted it to stop. This, him being here was making what I had to do so much harder. He went on "I feel an ache in my chest when you aren't around. I don't care how stupid that sounds. I don't care if I sound like some stupid lovestruck teenager. I can't just leave her and go back to L.A or Australia or wherever without you knowing how I truly feel."

"Stop" I said so softly. It was likely he didn't even hear.

He didn't respond to me, he just continued saying his speech. Like he had sat up for hours trying to decide the perfect way to say what he was telling me. "I know you feel something for me. Those things you said back in my room earlier. You didn't mean it. I know you didn't."

I shook my head "You don't. You don't know me."

He took a few more steps and took my face into his hands. He was shaking, i resisted the urge to lay one of my hands on his cheek. "I do. I know you want to go to Europe one day. I know you love pizza and most of the time you would rather just have cheese but you eat pepperoni because it's easier for everyone else. I know you love your family. You love your cousin and the way she has always been there for you. Riley, I know you love your step dad and the way he has changed your mom's life. You're a great person with a kind heart who just wants a love to consume her and along with that you're aware of the fact that you don't need a guy to be happy"

The last sentence was the only flaw in his words. I needed him. I needed his love to consume me, to take over my entire life. Hell, it already was.

He wiped the tears from my cheek, his voice no louder than a whisper. "I know thunderstorms scare you." he leaned closer to me. His eyes were lit in the moonlight, there was not a more beautiful shade of green in the world. "I know that when you're scared if I kiss your cheek, right here" he lightly touched the spot on my face. "it helps to calm you down."

I was speechless. If there was anything I could think to say in that moment, i know it would have been wrong. I closed my eyes and the next thing I knew his lips were on mine. I kissed him back. Partly because i had no control over what my body was doing and partly because I needed to. I knew this would be the last time and I had to make it count. Then I pulled away, breathless.

He brushed a hair out of my face. "Look me in the eyes and tell me you feel nothing. Look me in the eyes and tell me you don't want me. I will turn around and walk away. I'll do it because it's what you want and I love you enough to do that. I'll disappear and you wont have to see me again. But I want to hear it."

I looked at the ground then back up at his eyes. They were pleading for me to tell him what he wanted to hear. Which was everything I felt, everything I wanted. I couldn't. So I lied. "I don't feel anything for you" My voice said, it didn't even sound like me. "I don't want to be with you. I want you to go, please"

Michael stared at me. I could tell he was fighting the urge to cry or scream. Maybe both, I'll never know. He nodded and kissed my forehead. "Then I'll go. It will be like I was never here. I love you, Riley. Don't forget that"

He turned and began towards the gate, then stopped. "Thank you for everything you did for me. I might not be here if I never met you. I will always be grateful to you."

And he was gone. I was left alone in my backyard. It was dark and I didn't care. I sank to my knees and cried. I didn't walk back in my house until dawn.