Disconnected

Chapter Thirteen

Michael

"Oh," Daniella pauses. "Oh!" She drops her hands at her sides in shock, realizing what I just said. "Michael, oh!" And shakes her head slightly.

"No, I get it. I'm-" I shake my head. I do not even know why I said that. I regretted it immediately after I said it. I knew I should not have said that but my mouth didn't listen.

"No Michael, I," she continues shaking her head, her entire face covered in a shocked expression. She was not expecting that to come out of my mouth.

To be honest, neither was I.

"Never mind. I should not have said that." I step away from her, allowing her to run and hide wherever she would like. I turn and walk up the stairs.

"Michael! Wait!" She calls out for me, grabbing my wrist to stop me from leaving.

"What?" I ask, hoping maybe she is up for it. I would hate to have embarrassed myself just for her to say no and laugh in my face or something. She is going to tell the others and they are going to know I am soft inside. I do not want that.

She opens her mouth to speak but nothing comes out. I made her speechless. I get it. I really do. I understand the whole 'if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all' thing. I get it. I understand. I don't play by those rules too often but I do know they are there.

She doesn't want to hurt my feelings. Well, the joke is on her. I don't care one bit. It was just a joke. I don't actually want to go on a date with her.

Pssh. Why would I want to go on a date with her?! Pssh.

I nod in disappointment and walk upstairs.

I lock myself in my room and smack my head against the wall, creating another forehead-sized hole in the sheet rock. I should not have done that. That was so stupid of me!

"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" I smack myself repeatedly in the forehead with my palm, hoping to erase the memory entirely if I can just hit myself hard enough.

A beautifully soft and delicate tap at my door forces me to stop smacking myself.

"What?!" I shout defensively. I don't want to talk to anyone right now. I am not in the mood.

"Yes." Daniella states softy.

"What?" I lower my defenses and stand myself up, standing on the other side of the closed door, I wait for her answer.

"Yes, I will go on a real date with you." She explains further.

I pull the door open and find her smiling on the other side.

"Really?" I ask, wondering if she is going to call the paps while we are on our date or something to make sure we are seen. "No cameras?"

"No cameras." She nods. "Well, I will try my hardest. The cameras are just attracted to me like a magnet!" She laughs and shakes her head. "But yes, no cameras." Daniella laughs at her joke and tries to calm herself down.

A small smile forms on my face

"It is nice seeing you smile, Michael. You should really do it more often." She pulls a piece of hair out of her face.

"We should go now." I walk to the closet to find a nice outfit to wear.

"Michael." Daniella states simply.

"What?" I ask, dropping my shoulders to take the bad news. She must have changed her mind. She doesn't want to go out if there are no cameras around.

"It is, like, noon. We can't go to dinner right now. We just woke up. It is way too early." She laughs and covers her mouth.

I nod. "Right. Right. Too early. So what am I supposed to do to pass the time." I think about the possible things I could do.

I could read? Boring. I could text? No one to message. I could try writing a song? Ha! I crack myself up.

"I don't know. Talk to your band mates maybe?" She suggests, smirking. She knows what she has just done. And she does not regret it at all.

"Not going to happen, princess. Nice try." I reply. I am not going down there to make small talk with them.

"Why not?" She asks, growing obviously frustrated with me. "I think are writing for a new album. You should really be a part of this process." She tries to get me to go.

"It's not my thing." I state. "It's just not. None of this is." I turn back to look at her, hoping what I just said does not tip her off to an idea I have in my head.

Leaving.

I should tell her. No. No, I should not. She will just be mad at me. I will tell her another time; when it feels right. But by then it might be too late. She will not be able to talk me out of it. Maybe that is for the best. I want to be able to make my own decision on this.

"I understand. But at least try to go down there and be their friends. Just be in the room while they write. It will make a big difference. You will see." She smiles, trying to get me to go down stairs by looking into my tainted soul with her beautiful, pure, blue eyes.

Rats. She is so compelling. Now I know why they sent her. She is very hard to say no to. I get it now.

She's perfect for this.

Perfect for me- Michael! No. Calm yourself!

"I can try. But no promises." I shake my head, not believing that I am actually walking down the stairs to sit on the couch with three boys who I do not fancy getting to know in the slightest.

I really do not want to do this.

Hanging out with them will be just as much, if not more, torture than waiting to take Daniella on a date tonight.

Torture.