FRIENDS

1

"Come on," Michael begged. "you'll have fun. We'll have fun. I haven't seen you in over a year and I miss you. We're working on the album and hanging out in LA and it would be way more fun if you were here." I played with a string on my shirt with my left hand, my right hand holding my phone to my ear.

I sighed; realistically, I knew I couldn't say no to Michael, not when he wanted to see me this badly. I hadn't been able to say no to him since we were little kids. But I had to show some sort of resistance, didn't I? I couldn't just give myself away. I shouldn't immediately just be able to drop everything and go right to him.

"I'd have to book time off of work, and flights are so expensive, Mikey." I reasoned. He groaned dramatically on the other end.

"Come on Ivy, don't play games with me. You work for your parents, who happen to love me. As if they'd say no to you coming to see me when it's been over a year. And I'll play for the fucking ticket if I have to. I just want to see my best friend." I smiled to myself, continuing to tug at the fray on my shirt.

"How long would I come for?" I asked slowly. I could almost see the smile spread across Michael's face, the way it did when he got really excited. He'd had that trait since we were small.

"We have another two and a half, three weeks left here. So, you can come for a few days or you could stay the three weeks." He paused for a moment, listening to something one of the other boys was saying. "Calum says we'd all prefer if you stayed for the three weeks." I sighed, pretending to think about it. There was no doubt in my mind that I'd be there for the full three weeks. These boys were my best friends. Michael was the boy I'd adored since I was six years old and had started to understand what a crush was.

"I should probably get off the phone." I stated, smirking.

"What? Why?" There was a tinge of panic in Michael's voice. I couldn't wait to see him. I couldn't wait to hug him and be around him and listen to him laugh in person instead of over Skype.

"I have to call my parents, you idiot. And I'm going to have to book my plane tickets, which you're paying for." Michael laughed. After letting me know he'd book the tickets and have them sent to my email, I hung up the phone and laid back in my bed. Excitement flowed through me; within the next few days, I'd be with my best friend again.

 

When I landed at LAX four days later, my stomach was in knots. I hadn't slept on the plane because I'd been full of anxiety and excitement. Half of me was absolutely exhausted and half of me was wired. The knowledge that I'd be seeing Michael within the next hour gave me more energy that the seven cups of coffee I'd drank on the plane.

After claiming my luggage and making my way through customs, my heart was pounding so fast in my chest that it surprised me you couldn't see it through my t-shirt.

Michael and the others were here somewhere, I could feel it. I could sense their presence, even if they weren't in the room. They were somewhere close, waiting for me.

And then I heard my name, being yelled from across the lobby and I whipped my head to the left, and there he was, his hair redder than I'd ever imagined, a smile spread across his face. his eyebrow is pierced, which it wasn't the last time I'd seen him, and he'd gotten new tattoos; black bands wrapping around his right arm.

He walked quickly towards me, and I know that I should move towards him, that I should meet him halfway, but I couldn't move my feet from the ground. Before I knew what was happening, Michael was wrapping his arms around my waist and lifting my a few inches off of the ground. I dropped my backpack to the floor and laced my arms around his neck.