Internet Friends || Michael Clifford ✓

Chapter 20

Sophie

☼☼☼

Things had felt awkward between Michael and I. After he picked me up from Calum's house it was as if the whole scenario had never happened. We were acting like best friends again, nothing more, nothing less.

I didn't like that Michael had just tried to forget all of it but I wasn't about to complain because I had my best friend back.

It was the day of Michael's planned "Thanksgiving" and he was really excited but also nervous that I'd hate it. He was so cute.

We were currently on our way to Luke's house, where everyone would be meeting. Michael was humming a random Aerosmith song and I was casually playing with his fingers that were resting on my lap. It felt normal again, except that we wouldn't talk to each other.

Michael eventually took a turn into a driveway and I was assuming it was the house where the party was being held. It was nice to see a new place that wasn't Michael or Calum's house. Of course we had been to a few places since then but after being mobbed my first day here Michael had been nervous about taking me to anywhere else.

Michael ran and opened my door for me and it led going to the front door. I took in a deep breath and my grip on Michael's hand tightened.

"Soph, you're okay. I'll make sure you're safe," Michael whispered into my ear and squeezed my hand reassuringly.

I took in another shaky breath and I felt most of the nerve leave my body. I felt at safe with him.

***

I had managed to survive through all of the awkward first family encounters and currently all of the "kids" were in the pool. Really, the only kids were Harry and Lauren and Luke's younger cousin.

"So, wait, are you and Michael still not talking?" Calum asked.

We were sitting in one of the corner edges of the pool while Michael was sitting on a lounge chair on the complete other side of the pool.

"I don't think we are. Things are still kind of awkward and I think he's annoyed with me. Or something like that," I said shrugging my shoulders.

"You two are best friends, you shouldn't be arguing," Calum whispered, we looked over and Michael was staring at us. Well, glaring at Calum.

"I try to talk to him but when I do, it ends up being incredibly awkward and he doesn't even try to respond most of the time," I said rolling my eyes.

We watched as Michael looked away and that he went back to playing some game that was on his DS. My only assumption was that it was the new Pokemon game he had gotten for his birthday the week before.

"I promise he likes you, he just doesn't know how to vocalize it," Calum said shrugging his shoulders.

"And ignoring me is so much better," I said sarcastically and Calum held back a laugh.

"I didn't say all of his methods were great," he said through his laugh and I laughed as well.

"C'mon love birds, go get a room," we heard Ashton call out from where he was playing with Harry and Lauren and Luke. They were trying to play a game of Marco Polo but it seemed to fail as Luke was constantly cheating by opening his eyes underwater.

Calum and I joined the game after talking for a bit more until Liz called us in for dinner. I had to say that I was in love with Liz. She was the coolest person ever and I understood why all of the boys loved her.

Once the meal was over and the whole "saying thanks" aspect had faded, the families slowly started leaving, leaving me with the guys around a bonfire.