new beginnings // michael clifford

Chapter 18: Running Back To You

Michael's POV

"Mike? What are you doing here?"

I shrugged in response. I honestly had no idea, but something pulled me to her front door. Maybe it was the history, maybe it was just that I never changed. I just wanted to someone and I knew that Jordan wanted me.

"Come in," she pulled her door open further and I walked in. Her house looked exactly the same as the last time I was there. The same cream colored walls with pictures along them. I always liked looking at them. My house didn't have any family pictures on display. I'm not sure we even had any family pictures. Maybe a few, but definitely not as many as Jordan's family. We passed by her little sister, Jessie.

"Hi, Mike," she said in her little kid voice.

"Hey, girly. How've you been?" I asked.

"Good," she smiled.

I smiled back before Jordan pulled me upstairs. "I missed her," I said, flopping down on her bed.

"She misses you too. She always liked you, you know?" I nodded. When she sat down, she placed a hand on my thigh. "Why are you here?"

I shook my head and kissed her forcefully. It didn't feel like the kisses with Summer but it was something. I pressed her against the bed and pushed her shirt up. We separated so I could lift it all the way off. I kissed her hard again and she knotted her fingers in my hair. She unbuckled my jeans and I pushed myself away.

"I can't." I laid beside her, breathless. I felt like I was betraying Summer, even though she broke up with me.

Jordan pushed my hair away from my face. "What happened, baby? Why are you here?" Her voice was different than it normally is, softer.

"Summer broke up with me." I stare at the white ceiling and remember how different she seemed, yelling at me. She seemed broken, so unlike herself. I broke her and I didn't think I could fix her.

"So you came here? You're doing what you did before, you know that don't you? Am I really just second best? But honestly it doesn't matter to me. You know why? You always come running to me and I'll be waiting because I love you. I'm in love with you, Mike." The sound of tears were in her voice, but she wasn't crying. I'd never once seen Jordan cry, not even at Tabitha's funeral. "Can't you see that I'll always love you? No matter what?"

She kissed me along my jaw, moving so she was straddling me. Her kisses were soft and slow, turning me on. I couldn't take the slowness anymore. When we finished, she hugged me close. I thought I should've felt something, but all I felt was empty.

Summer's POV

"Summer! We're gonna be late. You need to come to school," Adam was at my door. He had been for the last fifteen minutes. I sat on the edge of my bed and clutched my backpack to my chest. How could I go to school? How could I face anyone? Couldn't I at least have one day? That's all I wanted. One day to stay at home and let everything sink in. "Come on, Sum! The bus is gonna be here any minute!"

I stood up slowly and slung my bag on my shoulder. I gave Adam a half smile as I passed him and walked downstairs. The bus ride was the same as it always was except that partway through it Adam grabbed my hand. "It'll be ok," he whispered.

He said that, but he had no idea how I felt. He said that, but he was happy that things were over between me and Michael. If he wanted to help me, he would invite me to sit with him at lunch so I didn't have to sit alone. He would offer to walk me to class. But no, he just says that "it'll be ok". But he doesn't know that. I nodded and squeezed his hand. "Thanks."

I walked slowly to English, like a zombie. Luke was sitting in his desk, but Michael's was empty. "What's up, Summer?" his words quiet, my hearing not working properly.

I ignored him as I took my seat. I folded my hands in my lap and stared at my desk. I wanted nothing more than to be at home and lying in my bed. I saw Michael's black shoes walk past me out of the corner of my eye. I willed myself not to look up.

"What's up with her, man?" I heard Luke ask.

"We broke up," he said simply. We broke up? No. I broke up with him.

"Ok, class. Let's get started," the teacher announced before Luke could respond.

I opened my notebook and took out a pencil even though I knew I wouldn't be taking any notes. Absentmindedly I drew random things like a hearts and flowers and suns. Happy things. I wasn't sure why. I was anything but happy.

"Summer? What do you think?"

"Huh?" I lifted my head and looked blankly at the teacher. "Think of what?"

"How does Atticus go about instilling conscience in his children?"

I tried thinking hard. I had already read To Kill A Mockingbird before coming here. This question shouldn't be that hard, but I didn't want to think right now. I couldn't think right now. "I'm not sure," I answered and went back to doodling.

"Does anyone else have an answer?" She sighed and I knew it was directed toward me. "Yes, Gabby?"

"He tells Scout to put herself in other people's shoes before she judges them and he offers kindness and comfort but also teaches them hard lessons like not letting Jem have unfair protection from the law."

"Well done," the teacher responded and class continued but I couldn't help but think about the first part of Gabby's response. Put herself in other people's shoes before she judges them. Why did I feel like it was directed at me? It couldn't be. Almost no one knew about me and Michael and how I found out about juvie. No one knew that he thought I would break up with him because of it. That's not why I broke up with him. Or deep down, was that the real reason?

Michael's POV

"But I was supposed to go with her! I got a nice shirt and everything."

"That's not my problem. She wants to go with me," I told Luke. Jordan asked me to go to the winter dance with her. She was royalty or some shit. I don't know why Luke was so pissed off. It's not like he even liked school dances or Jordan for that matter.

"What are we talking about?" Jordan asked, walking up.

"The dance and how you're ditching me," Luke said with a pout.

"I'm sorry, Luke. You could still go stag," she shrugged.

He rolled his eyes and went back to his sandwich. "FIFA at home sounds like a better plan."

"FIFA is always the right choice," Calum said giving him a fist bump. "I'll see you guys later." He got up and left. I expected he just needed to go get something in his locker or go to the bathroom or something. I didn't expect him to walk over to Summer and sit next to her. I didn't expect her to let him stay. What was he doing? He's one of my best friends. He's supposed to be on my side. Why is he talking to her? I wanted to know what they were talking about. She had looked so sad in English. She just kept drawing in her notebook. Didn't take a single note. It was so unlike her. Then when she got called on, she hadn't heard the question or know the answer. She was so out of it. It was all my fault.

Something Cal said made her laugh. Not just smile, but laugh. I wanted to be the one to make her laugh. Why did I have to go and screw everything up?

Hiii (: I hope everyone is having a lovely day. What do you think will happen at the dance?? Please vote and comment! I love you all lots <3 xx zoe