new beginnings // michael clifford

Chapter 29: What Are We Doing?

Summer's POV

I haven't talked to Michael in two weeks. Not one text or call. Nothing. It goes both ways, but if he wasn't going to put in the effort, neither was I. I hadn't checked his twitter in a few days so when I did that, I was surprised to see he posted pictures from a house party. I thought he was supposed to be writing and working on the album? I looked at the pictures and they consisted of him and guys with random girls. I sighed and closed twitter, throwing my phone on my bed. Maybe it was better if I just stayed off of twitter.

I was running late for school, which was a normal thing nowadays. Adam didn't even wait for me anymore. I pulled up my skirt and tucked in my wrinkled button up shirt. It used to be perfectly ironed once upon a time. I didn't care so much now. I was yanking my hair together into a knot on the top of my head when I noticed my phone light up. I thought maybe it was Michael, but instead it was Calum. I had texted him almost everyday and we had talked a couple of times.

"Hey," I held the phone between my shoulder and ear as I pulled on my socks.

"Bad time?" he asked.

"Just getting ready for school. Running late like always."

"Summer," he chastised.

"Stop it, Calum. You're not here so you can't punish me for being late to school. So. How was that party?" I got right to it.

"What party?" he asked. Now that I thought about it, I couldn't remember Calum in the pictures. "Oh, you mean the party that the guys went to? I wasn't feeling too great so I didn't go. We got invited by some people so they decided to go. I don't know, they had a good time I guess. Why?"

I shrugged and slumped on my bed, knowing I was making myself even later for school. "Why do you make the time for me Calum?"

Calum was silent on the other end and I could tell he was taken aback. "Summer, what's going on? I can tell something's wrong."

"That's exactly my point Calum!" my voice louder than I had planned.

"What's your point?" he kept his voice calm and it was comforting. I wished that he was with me. He always made me feel better when he wrapped his arms around me and told me everything would be alright in the end. Tears were falling down my cheeks now and I wasn't sure how to get the words out. "Summer, it's only a couple more months. You can do this. I know it's hard to not be with him, but focus on something else. Focus on school. You used to love school. Where did your love for school go?"

I shook my head. "That's the thing. I don't think I ever loved school. I worked hard in school because my dad wanted me to do well. I'm so close to failing that I don't think I can even fix my grades anyway."

"There's always a way to fix things, Summer. Please tell me you'll try."

His voice was so warm and touched me somewhere deep inside. "I'll think about it," I said only because I wasn't sure I had the strength to do it. I didn't want to let him down.

"You never said what your point was," he said softly.

"My point is that I haven't spoken to my boyfriend in two weeks and you've made the effort to call me. Not just text me, but call me."

"He really hasn't texted you?" Calum sounded surprised.

"No, but at least I'll still have you if things don't work out right?" I half joked.

"He's just busy, Summer."

"And so are you!" I threw back at him. They were equally as busy, they were doing the same exact thing. I was tired of him ignoring me. I was tired of seeing pictures of him with girls. I was tired of everything. I just wanted him back in Australia with me, but I knew that wasn't going to happen.