Beneath Your Beautiful // Michael Clifford

11

Ali

I didn't want to do anything besides lay in my bed and forget about life. I mean I've practically been doing this for a week but it was nice, watching shows, eating, sleeping, listening to music and repeat.

"Okay, lazy ass!" Ashton bursts into my room. "We are going out to lunch because you are not laying in bed all day, again!" Ashton exclaim pulling the covers off of me and dragging me out of bed.

"I want to stay in bed though." I complain.

"We are going to lunch right now. Brush your teeth, hair and put on some deodorant fast." Ashton demands. I scurry into my bathroom doing as he says, I throw my hair in a ponytail and look at myself quickly. I had on Michael's 'Misfits' sweatshirt that I still had and some of my sweatpants, I looked like a mess but didn't bother to fix my appearance as I meet Ashton back in my room. I grab my phone and we head downstairs getting our shoes and heading to the car.

We sit in silence for a few minutes. "Hey, Ali? Is there something you want to talk about because over these past few days, I've heard you crying in your room. I'm just a little worried." Ashton questions.

"I've been watching a ton of sad movies." I lie, laughing a little.

He just shakes his head laughing, thankfully believing me as we pull up to a diner.

We sit at a booth ordering food and getting it shortly after. Ashton's eyes light up once the door of the diner opens. I couldn't see who it was since my back was to the door.

"Why are you so excited all of a sudden?" I chuckle a little bit.

"Michael!" Ashton calls as I tense up.

"Ashton!" I look over to see him walking over.

"Woah, dude, you look terrible." Ashton comments as Michael sits down next to him.

Ashton wasn't kidding. The red in his hair was faded, his cheeks were puffy and his eyes were glossy, making it clear that he had been crying. He was wearing the same attire as me and he looked like he hasn't slept all week.

"Tell me about it. I pretty much feel how I look."

"You and Ali both, I guess. I literally had to drag her out of bed because she hasn't been out of her room all week. Pretty sure this is the first thing she has ate all week." Ashton laughs completely oblivious of the situation.

Michael looks over at me smiling slightly as he sees my sweatshirt.

"But seriously dude, are you alright? I haven't seen you look this bad since..." Ashton dragging on clearly not wanting to talk about what happened.

"Just peachy." Michael sighs. "I guess I'm getting somewhat bad again but nothing else really."

"How about we talk later?" Ashton suggest to Michael as he begins to notice I was a little suspicious and really confused.

"Yeah." Michael taps his fingers on the table.

"Oh! Michael, I know you aren't keen on performing in front of others but Calum and Luke both don't want to. During the first dance at the wedding there's this duet that is going to be sung and we need a guy to sing, so would you?" Ashton rambles trying to find the words to say.

"Sure." Michael shrugs not being hesitant at all.

"Woah! Really?! Just a few months ago you were claiming you were "too afraid"." Ashton says trying to sound like Michael.

"Well things changed." He smiles ever so slightly his eyes glancing at me.

But then it clicked, I was the other person singing in the duet.

"Who is the other person singing, since it is a duet?" Michael questions.

"Ali."

"Oh, that's cool." Michael says obviously not knowing what else to say.

"Yeah, so rehearsal starts in like two weeks since in two weeks it'll be just over a month till the wedding. All of us have some fitting the next day." Ashton explains to both of us.

"Man, you are on top of things." I mumble rolling my eyes a little bit. So much for avoiding the red head.