new beginnings // michael clifford

Chapter 31: Friends or More?

Michael's POV

I felt like I was I dreaming when I saw Summer standing before me. She looked perfect in a pair of denim shorts, tank top, and cardigan that was hanging off of one shoulder. I had come down to tell the front desk we needed more towels because Luke used them all. I had planned on staying in the room all day since we had the day off. What if I hadn't come down at all? I chose not to dwell on it as it felt good to have her in my arms again. As we walked up to my room to drop off her suitcase, I offered to show her around the city but she declined.

"I'm pretty jetlagged. Another day?"

"Definitely," I smiled. I pulled her closer as I unlocked the door. Luke was sleeping when I left so my guess was that he still would be.

At the noise of us entering, Luke stirred in his bed and sat up. "Where'd you go man?" he rubbed his eyes and then noticed who was with me. "Summer?"

"Hey," she said nervously, taking a seat on the edge of my bed.

"Did you know she was coming?" he asked like Summer wasn't in the room.

"Nope, found her in the lobby."

"Well, I'll give you some privacy." Luke stood up and pulled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt that were lying on the floor.

I nodded to him, "see you later."

"He didn't have to leave," Summer said once he was gone.

I stood in front of her in between her legs. I cupped her face with my hands. "I wanted him to leave and you'd be lying if you said you didn't want him to."

Summer shyly looked away, her face still in my hands. "Yeah, I guess."

"Now that we're alone..." I trailed off, not sure if she wanted me to kiss her or not.

Instead of saying anything she grabbed the front of my shirt and attacked my lips. I fell on top of onto the bed as things got heated.

"I missed that," her voice breathless as she collapsed beside me after we finished.

"I love you," I responded, knowing I was becoming unlike myself. But it was true. I loved Summer with everything I had and I didn't want to lose her.

She smiled at me, her blonde hair a mess and her eyes bright. "I love you too, Mikey." I pulled her to me wanting her to be as close as possible.

We spent the rest of the day like this, cuddling in bed. I think it was just what we needed since we'd been away from each other for so long. I could tell that something in her had changed. She seemed sad even when she smiled. I wanted to ask her about it, but I didn't want to ruin this moment. I wanted this moment because I knew it wasn't going to last.

She fell asleep in my arms as we watched reruns of Friends. I kissed her forehead and decided to get some sleep myself. We had a big day in the studio tomorrow. I couldn't wait for Summer to come and see the studio. She was going to love it.

Summer's POV

I woke up in the middle of the night to find Michael sleeping. The TV was still on and I noticed Luke was back in his bed. I wasn't that tired so I carefully crawled out of Michael's arms and went into the hallway. I remembered him telling me that Calum and Ashton were staying in the room across the hall. I missed Calum and I really wanted to see him. I knocked on their door not really expecting an answer considering it was 2 am but a minute the door opened slowly.

"Summer? Are you ok?" Calum asked as he wiped his eyes. He was dressed in only a pair of boxers.

"I...uh...couldn't sleep," I got flustered by his lack of clothing even though I've seen him like this before. I thought he would've hugged me or said it was good to see me but he just stood there silent. It was actually really awkward. "Um, I thought we could go talk somewhere or something," I shrugged.

He nodded and led me into his room. Ashton was sound asleep with his mouth wide open, drooling. I laughed at the sight. I sat down on the couch and Calum came over a second later with two bottles of water, handing one to me. When he sat down he left more room between us than normal. He now had a pair of athletic shorts on, but was still shirtless.

"Calum, are you ok?" He took a long drink from his water bottle, probably to avoid my question. "Why are you being so weird?" He wasn't acting anything like himself. He wasn't making jokes, wasn't being interested in my life, and he was all fidgety. I was really uncomfortable how I was sitting on the couch, so I moved and rested my feet on his lap. He stiffened and I gave him a look. We sat like this all time, I thought. What had changed while they were gone?

Calum's POV

I was surprised to see Summer at my door at 2 in the morning. I never admitted it to myself before because she was Michael's girlfriend, but she was gorgeous. Even now wearing one of Michael's shirts that almost covered a pair of shorts and her hair in tangles. Ever since I figured out that she had feelings for me, I couldn't get her off of my mind. I don't know how I didn't see it coming. It's like that best friends falling for each other thing. Summer telling me about her feelings made me realize that I had pushed away my feelings for her for the past year. I wanted to kiss her, but I just didn't know if I could do this to Michael and I thought they were still together. They spent the whole day together, that's why Luke was in our room.

"Why are you being so weird?" she asked as she spread her legs on my lap. God, I felt like she was teasing me and I couldn't take it. She just looked so perfect sitting there that I couldn't control my actions and I leaned forward to kiss her. "Whoa," she pushed me away right as our lips met. "Cal, what are you doing?"

"I...shit," I muttered. I touched my lips and went into the bathroom, locking the door. Maybe she didn't have feelings for me and I was an idiot. I heard footsteps outside the door a moment later and a soft knock on the door.

"Calum? Please let me in?" her voice was quiet, I'm sure to not wake up Ashton.

I looked at myself in the mirror and wondered what Michael had that I didn't. Why she liked him and not me. She kept knocking so I finally gave in and unlocked it.

"Why did you kiss me?" she whispered behind me.

Instead of answering her, I asked another question. "Why did you come to LA?" I watched her hug her arms around herself in the mirror and tears fall down her cheeks. I wanted to pull her into my arms but after the rejection I just got, I stayed where I was.

"I couldn't take it anymore. I'm not me anymore, Calum. I know it's wrong and this shouldn't be how it is but the only time I'm happy is when I'm with Michael. I need him more than anything. I flunked out of school and there was no fixing my grades. I doubt my dad has even noticed I'm gone," she was sobbing now and I knew she needed a hug. She accepted and held on tight. "What am I going to do? My life is falling apart."

"Shhhh," I whispered in her ear. "We'll figure it out. You can always start the year over. You're so smart, Summer. The smartest I know."

"But I'm really not," she sobbed. "Why did you kiss me?"

I shook my head. "Don't worry about it." I hoped we could just forget that happened and didn't have to speak of it. "Let's get you back to Michael," I ushered her out of the bathroom and to Michael and Luke's room. "Do you have the key?" I asked. She handed it to me and I opened the door, but she didn't walk inside. "What is it?"

"You figured it out," she said through her tears. "I'm sorry Calum. I love him too much." She hugged me before walking into the room.

I know, I thought.

Heyy(: do you think Calum should've kissed Summer? and was she right to push him away because of her love for Michael? please vote/comment/follow and thanks for all the reads xx zoe