Human Sized Hurricane | Michael Clifford

Chapter 13 - Coming Clean

Michael pulled drove to the end of the empty main road leading out of the town, then turned around and pulled over on the side of the black tarmac road so half of the car was on the grass. He got out of the car and slammed shut the door, screaming with anger in front of the car. Emma watched him, then climbed out herself and moved around the car to stand in front of him. "Now will you tell me?" She asked, following the boy as he began to walk in the middle of the road with long frustrated steps. 

"You're just some little rich kid, how would you know?" Michael replied, not looking at her. 

"Hey, I can help you, maybe not your brother, but I-" She began, but was cut off. 

"Why don't we just admit it?" Michael suggested, his eyes on the ground as he marched. 

"Admit what?" Emma questioned, still following him. 

"I'm an asshole being forced to do stuff just to save my own damn life" He said, frowning. 

"No, no, Michael. You're just stressed" Emma said, her voice soft as her heels clicked along the road. 

Michael stopped suddenly along the empty road and turned to stand in her face, narrowing his eyes down at her. "It doesn't matter who you are. What matters is what my brother wants and you're just to stupid to see it" He said through gritted teeth, then brushed past her and walked in the direction of the car. 

Emma stayed put in the middle of the road. "Okay, now you're an asshole" She said, with a sigh, then she began to walk back towards Michael, following him back in the direction of the car. "I know I'm probably nobody important in the world, but we're never going to work this out if you don't stop feeling so damned sorry for yourself all the time!" She yelled, using her hands to talk as she walked. Michael screamed with the anger inside him and gripped at his blond hair, throwing off his SnapBack onto the ground. "Just tell me what is happening. Everyone has to deal with shit in their lives, Michael" 

Michael reached the car and turned around, leaning back on it. "What are you yelling at me for?" He asked, pools of tears in his eyes. 

"I am sorry you are caught up in whatever the hell this is, and I would be able to help you with whatever it is that you need, but you won't tell me, and instead you're acting like a spoilt brat! And I yelled at you because I care about you, but you're too busy feeling like shit to notice that" Emma said, now standing by Michael's side with one hand on the car and the other on her hips. 

Michael wiped a tear away from his eye and moved away from her, crossing the road slowly to the other side where the town sign was standing. It read 'Morcombe Bridge' and Michael hit it in frustration, with his back to Emma as she watched him. Then, she wiped away her own tears that threatened to fall and crossed the road after him, picking up his SnapBack in the process as he turned so that his back was facing the sign and he stood with his hands on his hips, composing himself as Emma came to stand in front of him. They stood a few few inches apart from one another while Michael glanced away from her eyes, then connected them with his. "I'm sorry" He said, his voice a little louder than a whisper. "My brother is after your father's money so he can pay debts to some bad people and when he doesn't get his own way... he takes it out on me" Michael said, in the mood finally for a confession. "I don't know what to do, because he told me that I have to get close to you so you'll trust me enough that he can kidnap you and get your dad to pay up in exchange for your safe return" He said, lowering his head ashamed of himself and unable to look Emma in the eyes. "You've got to get away from me, so he can't hurt you" 

"You don't get it, do you?" Emma said, folding her arms as a gust of cold air hit her hands. "I don't care what he does to me as long as you are with me every step of the way" 

Michael reconnected his eyes to Emma's as he began to well up again. "I'm scared I'm going to hurt you though" He said.

"It's a risk for anybody" Emma took a small step towards him, still with her arms cross across her chest. 

"I mean 'kill you', hurt you" Michael replied, keeping his hands on his hips. 

"Go ahead. Kill me" She said and reached out to touch his cheek as he kept his eyes on her. "You're beautiful" She said softly, admiring his big green eyes. 

"Don't do this" Michael replied with a desperate frown as Emma inched her face closer to his and cupped her hand over his black eye, gently wiping away the tears. "If I touch you..." Michael tried to say, while choking on his breath. "...Bobby will take you away from your dad" He said with a frown, struggling to keep his hands on his hips. 

"Then let me help you" She whispered close to his ear, then gently pecked his cheek and placed his black hat back onto his head, backwards like he always wore it. 

His eyes burned a deep earthy green that showed signs of redness from the tears and beatings with a burning flame at the back of his throat as he craved to press his lips against hers and feel her body up against him. "Can you do it without making me want you?" Michael finally mustered in a low, hungry voice. 

Emma smiled, showing her teeth, then pulled her phone out of her pocket and quickly dialled a number. "Uncle Tommy, I need a favour" She said and listened to her uncle's voice at the end of the phone. "There is a gang group threatening to kidnap me and take all dad's money" She glanced up to Michael as he listened to what she was saying to her uncle, giving him a remeasuring smile. "No...but I know who the leader is though....Robert or Bobby Clifford... Okay. Bye" She said and hung up, then looked up at Michael square in the face and noticed the expression of expectation written across her features.