"You Jerk..." Michael Afton x Reader

Chapter 42. Golden

The cool crisp morning was against Y/N's face as she stepped out the front door. Backpack slung over her shoulder, she gave her mom and dad a hug and kiss goodbye and began walking to the end of her street. This is where the bus would be picking her, Michael, and the other neighborhood kids up to take them to school.

Step after step, Y/N heard her new shoes against the sidewalk. Her mom forbade her to wear them before school because "They were new shoes that need to last all school year. You don't want to wear them out already, do you?"

The morning was so young the atmosphere had a blue tint to it, it was beautiful, but Y/N loathed getting up this early for school. Beautiful, sure, but not worth waking up at 6 AM for.

Waiting for her at the end of the street, was Michael. He was wearing a grey sweatshirt and basketball shorts. As Y/N approached closer, he had bags under his eyes. He must not have gotten much sleep. His hands were shoved in his pockets.
"Morning sunshine," Michael says enthusiastically, to which Y/N groans and stands next to him. "Can I go back to bed?" she sighs. Michael half-heartedly chuckles, "No, unfortunately."

"No fair," Y/N mumbles and looks at the ground, kicking her feet at the concrete below. Michael looks up at the sky as a short breeze blows against his face. "You ever think about the future?" Michael asks randomly, making Y/N tilt her head.
"The future?" she asks quizzically.

"Yeah," he says flatly, "what's going to happen at later points in life."
"I know what the term future means, Michael," Y/N shifts her weight on her other leg.
"I never said you didn't," he looks over at her and smiles. "I think about the future a lot, maybe more than I should."

Y/N tilts her head listening to him talk, silently urging him to continue.
"Sometimes I wonder what will become of me...before I met you the path was narrow and I knew what I was destined to become..."
"A bully..?" Y/N tried finishing his sentence for him.
"Worse, my father," Michael let a dry laugh escape his lips.

"Michael, you aren't your father, you'll never become him," Y/N reassured,
"Yeah, only thanks to you, but that brings up my next point," he grabs her hand, "who even am I anymore? It was comforting knowing I was going to become my father because even as horrible as that fate was, I knew what my future held."
Y/N tried taking this all in, wondering what he was talking about, or why he was this philosophical at 6:45 AM.

"I'm a better person, but what's going to happen in the future now that I have you..." Michael looks down at his feet. Y/N, trying to lighten the mood, gets an idea.
"Well we all want questions answered in our lives, that's how humans are. Like how I still want to know what you wished for on your birthday," she says in a matter-of-fact tone.

"You know what they say bubby if you blow out all the candles your wish will come true!" Elizabeth tugs on his arm and beams up at him.
"That's true," Vera pats Elizabeth on the head and looks over at Michael, "What did you wish for, dear?" Michael tried holding back a small smirk, "I think I'll keep it to myself for now," he gives Y/N's hand a gentle squeeze.

"Oh yeah..." Michael gets a big grin on his face, he starts to laugh under his breath. "God it's almost like you knew..." he mutters, making Y/N furrow her eyebrows. "Almost knew what?"
Michael takes a deep breath, "You know, I didn't want to say my wish, because I didn't want it to not come true. It already has come true, though."

"Michael just tell me! I've been dying to know!" Y/N whines. Michael laughs again, "Okay, okay, relax doll," he clears his throat.
"My wish was simple, it's the one thing in life I want, and could ever ask for. I wished that I could be with you forever, which sounds cheesy but let me finish."

Michael fidgets his hand around in his pocket and retrieves something, finally taking his hand out he pulls out a simple gold ring. Y/N widens her eyes, "A ring..? Michael I-..."
"I needed to make sure that my wish came true, so I took matters into my own hands. I got you a promise ring...since we're too young to get engaged," he laughs quietly, "it was the next best thing."

Michael slips the ring on her finger, Y/N's jaw was basically on the ground beneath them.
"Michael...It's beautiful," she sputtered out, shock still apparent on her face.
"Yeah, I saved up my birthday money to buy it," he shrugs, "I've been keeping it a secret since then, I hid it under my bed."

"Michael!" Y/N shoves him playfully, "Why didn't you give it to me then?! Why hide it from me?" She looks at him with a fake accusing look.
"Eh, why not," he teases her, "besides, I wanted to surprise you."

Y/N smacks his arm playfully, trying to contain a huge smile.
"Michael, you jerk!"

Quick authors note, this isn't the end of the book yet. Just clarifying so nobody stops reading lmao.
Much love,
Author <3