My first- A Michael Clifford Fan Fiction

Chapter 16

After we escaped from my parents, my phone continued to ring and I had to eventually turn it off to block their calls. Michael's smirk remained plastered on his face as he drove.

"Where am I gonna go? I have no clothes and no place to stay. I can't go home after what just happened." Panic set in after the buzz from Michael's kiss wore off.

"Chill. You can stay at my place." He shrugged his shoulders.

"What about your parents?" I asked. Part of me hoped they would be home and the newly found part of me hoped they weren't.

"Every summer my parents take off to Florida to our beach house. It's never a good time for them and they can't handle being at home." Emotion flashed behind his eyes momentarily. I nodded my head, not taking the subject any further. He didn't bother keeping up conversation until we pulled into his driveway.

Before I could get out of the car, Michael was already opening the door for me. I aimed a smile towards him and took his hand. When he entered the house, he took my wrist and led me directly up the stairs. I expected him to take me into the room he found me in last time, but he didn't. He pushed into the room across the hall and closed the door behind me. This room was slightly messier than the other, and I was convinced this one was Michael's. His silence made me uneasy and I knew there was something wrong.

Michael turned around and slid his arms around me, breathing in the scent of my hair. He laid down with me still on his arms.

"I just need you right now." His voice was soft and quivering.

"What's wrong?" I looked up at him but he refused to lock his eyes with mine. He shook his head in response. Seeing him this way pained me, especially since I didn't know the cause of his sadness. His breathing steadied and pretty soon snores escaped from his open mouth. I closed my eyes and fell asleep against his chest.

The sound of glass breaking traveled through the house and I bolted awake. I turned to the clock that read 2:00 am and searched for Michael in the dark. I jumped from his bed and followed the light that aluminized the hall. When I arrived at to familiar room across the hall, I found Michael pacing. Shattered glass from a liquor bottle covered the floor.

"Michael,what are you doing?" I shouted. He turned towards me, his eyes filling with tears.

"It's all my fault." He fell to his knees and let the tears escape.I cautiously approached him and held him in my arms. Next to us was a broken picture frame. The picture was of Michael with brown hair and a boy who shared similar features as his own. I recognized him immediately as Tyler, the 15 year old who died in a car wreck a few summers backs. I shut my eyes and realized why Michael was so upset, why he was mad when he found me in this room, why this room was oddly neat and untouched, why he showed up unannounced at my house, and why his parents couldn't be here.

My heart broke, or should I say shattered for Michael. I slowly rocked back in forth with my arms firmly rapped around him and continued to whisper comforting things into his ear.

I pulled my phone from my pocket and scrolled through my contacts until I found Luke's number.

"Help. It's Michael." I sent the text and hoped that he would be awake.

"Be right there." I expected him to ask what was wrong, but it hit me that Michael probably breaks like this every year. I didn't pay attention to how much time passed, all I could focus on was the way sobs shook through Michael's body.

I heard the door creak open behind me and saw Calum and Luke approaching us.

"I'll get him. Just take her, she doesn't need to see him like this." Calum ordered. Luke lifted me to my feet and guided me downstairs.

"Ashton's on his way." Luke tried to comfort me, but he just ended up patting my back awkwardly.

"I know Michael should be the one to explain this to you, but you need to know." He took a deep breath and bit his lip anxiously.

"It was a couple years back. We were all at some party and Michael and his little brother, Tyler, were fighting. They were always arguing about something stupid. Me and the boys were in the other room when he heard Michael and Tyler yelling at each other. When we found them, people were staring and we knew their fight just escalated. Remember Kyle? Well him and Tyler were good friends, but Michael always hated him. Anyway, Kyle was really drunk and he drove Tyler away from the party. Michael felt bad not too long after, so we agreed to help him find Tyler." Luke clenched his jaw and took a breath.

"We were driving down the road and there was nobody on the street that night. Over the hill we saw Kyle's car crashed into some building. Michael started freaking out and by the time we made it to Tyler, it was too late." Luke's eyes fell to the floor and goosebumps erupted on my skin.

"What about Kyle?" I whispered.

"He fled right after the crash, but not before putting Tyler in the drivers seat and leaving him to die. Michael swears he saw Kyle drive from the party that night, and that Kyle was the one who put Tyler there." He had trouble finding a way to explain it all.

"If Michael saw Kyle drive away, then how'd he get away with it?" The whole situation was messed up, but it made sense why Michael was so angry the day we saw Kyle at the party.

"Kyle's family was rich, crazy rich, actually. His family paid off who ever they needed to and Kyle got to walk away from it all. Part of Michael died that day with his brother, and the only other time I've seen that part of him is when he's with you." By the time Luke finished tears were drying on my cheeks and I tried desperately to understand.

"He said something about his parents leaving every year around this time. Why doesn't he?" I couldn't wrap my head around why he would torture himself that way.

"He feels responsible. So, every year we spend the majority of the summer like this. I'm just glad you were here with him." I was glad too, so glad that he brought be back with him. For the longest time, I wondered why Michael was so blunt and emotionless. As long as I can remember, I had called him an asshole and I regretted those moments more than anything.