Descending || m.c.

Chapter 6

Michael's POV

"And then here's Michael, he's just laying on the couch and ignoring all of us," Ashton laughs, his phone a dead giveaway that he was either making a Keek or a video for Instagram. "He's been doing this since we finished rehearsals, he won't get off that couch." I flipped him off, earning a scoff and a few more laughs. Calum was covering his mouth across the room. "That's not very nice, Michael." I just shook my head, hiding my own laughter before covering my face with a pillow that had been lying on the couch as well.

"Leave me alone, Ash," I mumbled against the fabric.

"Aw, c'mon, Mike," he laughed again. "There's like 10 seconds left of the keek, don't be like that! Don't fall asleep! Michael it's almost 3 in the afternoon, DON'T GO TO SLEEP!" I don't uncover my face and try to stifle my laughs; listening to Ashton's giggles only made it worse, it was so damn contagious. "You guys always do this to me!" 

I hear the door click shut, but I remain where I am. Footsteps fall across the floor, coming towards the couch; I lie still in hopes that whichever one of the boys it is, they'll leave me be. "Did you guys kill, Mikey? You know I'd never forgive you if you did," her laugh bounces off the walls and fills my ears like soft, sweet music. The pillow is roughly ripped away from my face as she smiles down at me. "Oh thank god you're alive."

"Of course I am," I laugh as she takes a seat in the floor beside the couch. Her cheeks look flushed, but then I notice the redness of her tiny nose as well, surely sunburned.

"Ashton, you better watch out for him, if he had been dead there would have been some serious explaining to do," she says, looking over at the boy on the couch opposite me. A chorus of giggles escape him and he replies with something, but I'm too distracted to hear. My eyes scan her face and wander down her jawline; I simply can't help myself as my eyes dart lower. An incredibly low, black scoop neck tee adorns her torso, showing off a vast amount of cleavage. Had she always worn shirts like this? 

I clear my throat bringing my eyes back up to her face before she notices; I couldn't get caught staring at my best friend's boobs even if they were nice and I wouldn't mind to--

"Michael?"

"Hm?" I cough, running a hand through my hair.

"Did you hear a word of what I just said to Ashton?" she asks but my eyes dart back down to the shirt I notice she's now wearing over the one causing me so much pain.

"Is that my shirt?" I question, throwing her off in hopes she wouldn't notice how flustered she had me. Over the black tee she wore a blue, plaid button down just opened, not buttoned.

"I--I, um," she stammered, both her hands flying to her cheeks. My lower lip catches between my teeth at the sight of her in my clothes. "I didn't have any clean shirts to wear over this tank top, I'm sorry.." Her cheeks were even more red if that was even possible. "I just grabbed a shirt, I didn't notice it was yours."

"Hey, hey, hey," the words fall out in a rush as her head drops and I have to force myself to keep my eyes upwards again. She looks up, those deep brown eyes staring back at me. "It's okay, I--" I stop, having to keep my voice from cracking. God, did she look beautiful in my shirt. "Keep it, actually, Hadley. It looks really good on you." My eyes widen and my hand covers my mouth.

"Mikey!" she squeals, covering her own mouth to muffle her giggles. "Did you just... was that.. what was that?"

"What was what?" I ask, feeling my cheeks heat up.

"You're blushing!" she half whispers, half shouts. I cover my cheeks up almost immediately, grasping for the pillow she holds in her lap but she pulls it away from me. Through her giggles she pulls away at my hands holding onto them tightly. It feels like an electric shock goes through my entire body at her touch; her hands are cold and tiny and I like the way they feel against mine.

"Don't cover up your face, it's cute," she smiles, and her eyes widen as her own go up to cover her face. The butterflies from this morning return with a vengeance, flipping around and stirring in my stomach. 

"Hadley Martin, did you just call me cute?" I lean over the edge of the couch, smiling at her. I could see the wheels turning in her head, her eyes darting to the pillow in her lap as she contemplated covering her own face with it. "Do you think I'm cute?"

"Mikey," she groans against her hands.

"Do you think I'm cute?" I ask again.

"You're always cute," she whispers, still covering her face. Something inside of me explodes and I'm suddenly warm all over. I couldn't explain it if I had wanted to, but this right here had pushed enough adrenaline through my veins to last me the whole damn night. The smile on my face felt like it was permanently plastered there. How the fuck was she not mine?

"Even when I stick my tongue out and be childish in fan pictures?" I press further to see how far she would let me take this. 

"Mikey, stop," she giggles, peeking through her fingers with one eye. "I said always."

"I know," I whisper, surprised I could even talk. My heart was beating ridiculously fast and her smile wasn't helping the least little bit. "What were you asking Ashton, though?"

"Huh?"

"What were you asking Ashton earlier?" I ask again.

"Oh, that," she sits up straight, uncovering her face. "Um, well I asked him hoping you'd hear and just say what you thought but I wanted to know if I could stand out in the crowd tonight..? I don't want to be backstage, I wanna see you from the crowd. It's so much better, Mikey, please?"

"Hadley, you know what I think about that, what if fans recognize you and try to--"

"Mikey, I'm a big girl I can take care of myself," she protests and I'm filled with anger yet with those puppy dog eyes and my head still swimming from just moments ago it's hard to look away. 

"I just don't want you getting hurt," I admit.

"And I won't, Mikey," she pleads. "Let me? Please?"

"I told her you wouldn't be up for it, Mike," Ashton says.

"I--" I start, but Ashton's remark churns something inside me. "You know what, Hadley? Yeah, you can. Just promise me that it can be on my side of the stage close to the guards."

Joy floods her face and simply seeing that makes me wish I hadn't even considered arguing in the first place. She jumps up on her knees, her arms circling my neck before I can protest. "I promise, Mikey, thank you." My arms wrap around her back and my only prayer is she can't feel the beat of my heart hammering away as her chest presses against mine. "Thank you so much."

"You don't have to thank me, Hadley," I say, running my fingers over her hair. 

Calum coughs and I look over to see the rest of the boys looking around awkwardly; I'm sure this long display of affections only had their minds full of further teases, but they didn't utter a word. I was grateful, however, I was just as confused about it myself. She let go of me; I had to fight myself to not pull her back into the embrace. It had felt so natural, so right. 

A knock on the door startles us all and one of the stage hands peaks his head inside, "Ten minutes to showtime guys." That's my cue to get up, and Hadley follows closely behind waiting on my instructions on where to go as usual. Deep down I knew I couldn't wait to see her actually in the crowd, smiling at me and singing along like she usually did from backstage; it was different seeing someone in the crowd as opposed to where she usually stood. I pointed out the guards, pointing from her to them and signaling for them to watch her during the concert before showing her how to get down there without walking out onto the stage. She started walking away only to turn back momentarily, a smile taking up almost her entire face. 

"Break a leg, Mikey," she says and I give her a thumbs up. 

I feel a hand on my shoulder and turn to see Luke standing beside me, his guitar already slung over his shoulder. "What the hell was all that, mate?"