Descending || m.c.

Chapter 8

I drape the last of the blankets I found over the couch cushions we'd pulled from the couches and tucked them around the edges, ensuring they would stay put. Once we had gotten back to the house, Michael and I had started pulling the cushions out like crazy and the rest of the boys looked at us as if we were stupid, but just walked away. Calum and Luke were outside in the pool, while Ashton and Emma were off doing whatever; I didn't wish to think about it, honestly. 

I look up momentarily, just in time to see Michael's tall frame crawling beneath the fort we had built inside the small living room; just his feet are left sticking out. I crouch down, climbing inside and lying on my stomach next to him. This seems much easier when you're both thirteen and small; then we could have sat up inside a fort like this.

"So what made you wanna do this?" I ask.

"Remember the last time we did this?" he asks in return. "We were at your mum's house in Sydney and we literally stayed up all night talking about all the dumb shit we used to do. We used to do this a lot actually before 5 Seconds of Summer happened." He smiles and in that moment I swear all of the butterflies filling my stomach made their way to my throat. "Like, we talked about that time when we were walking home from school and it started pouring down rain--"

"--and we both were soaking wet because we started running and we dripped water all over my mum's kitchen floor! OH MY GOD," I laugh, finishing his sentence for him.

"God, she was so pissed, I thought she was gonna rip my head off," he says.

"Mikey, my mum loves you, stop that."

"I swear to you Hadley, if your mum could have killed me that day and gotten away with murder she would have fucking did it," he nudges my shoulder with his. "Uh, hmm, let me think.."

"Remember that time I snuck out of the house to come to yours and Luke's party at the beginning of the summer that one year?" I ask; Michael lets out a full blown, cackling laugh and his face is covered with his hands as his head leans against my shoulder. My stomach explodes in knots. 

"Oh, shit," he breathes. "She literally followed you to my house and made a big scene in front of everyone just because you were grounded and you were sneaking out past curfew."

"It wasn't funny!" I push on his shoulder with my own.

"Dammit, you know it was," he coughs, clearing his throat.

"Why are we talking about all the dumb shit I've done, what about you Mikey?" I glare at him and he just smiles.

"I'm innocent."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night," I smile at him.

"But what about the good memories?" he asks, his eyes meeting mine. "What's your favorite?"

I think for a moment, my mouth was dry and I was unable to speak because of just how close his face was to mine. "What if I don't have just one?"

"Tell me everything," he whispers.

"I remember back when we were fifteen and that first boyfriend I had broke up with me right before that dance we were supposed to have at school, and even though you absolutely hated the idea, you came over to my house and took me just because you knew how upset I was and how badly I wanted to go," I smile, biting my lip. "You literally complained the whole damn night about how bad you wanted to go home but you stayed with me and hung out with my friends and let Cal and Luke laugh at you just for me."

"You remember that?"

"I remember a lot of the little things like that," I say. "They're important to me, Mikey."

"Next favorite, go," he ushers me.

"The day you came over to my house and told me that you boys were offered the chance to tour with One Direction," I say without thinking; he looks at me with a confused expression across his face. "You came over, and knocked on my door and I don't know how to explain it but I just knew something good had happened before I even saw your face. You came inside and before you could get a word out of your mouth, Calum ran from behind you and blurted out the news himself. I could tell how bad you wanted to tell me and that you were mad at Calum but the second I said I was happy for you, your face lit up so big and so bright and I had never seen you that happy ever, Mikey. It was just the most surreal moment for me because you're so important to me and it was all you've ever wanted. If I could thank those boys for giving you all a chance to tour for them I would; if I could go back and just record how happy you were that day, I would. It made me so excited and happy just to see you smiling from ear to ear because you were gonna get to go off and do something you love so much." I stop myself, looking down at the heart I had been tracing in the carpet with my finger. I feel a gentle touch push a strand of hair from the front of my face and tuck it behind my ear; before his hand backs away I look up and catch his gaze staring downwards towards my own lips. Maybe I'm imagining things, there was no way. Get it together, Hadley. "And that's one of my favorite memories that includes you; out of everything else, that is close to the top."

"I never knew you picked up on things like that," he whispers as the space between us gradually lessens. "All the important little things.."

"I notice everything, Mikey," I manage; I try to force myself to look at anywhere but his lips, but they're so close, and look so kissable that I find myself having trouble breathing. 

"And I'm important to you, huh?" he chuckles.

"You know you are," I say.

"Are you two making out or something?" Luke's voice rings out; Michael shoots up from the floor so fast that he now stands above me with a blanket over himself like a child's ghost costume. I cover my mouth, stifling a laugh but with Luke doubled over and Calum pointing a finger at Michael it's hard not to join in.

"Fuck you guys," Michael groans, pulling the blanket from his head. The dark mass of hair atop his head sticks out everywhere and I motion for him to sit back down next to me as I myself sit up. Luke and Calum are whispering in the kitchen, but I just don't care anymore. I run my fingers through his hair, fixing it back to the way he so typcially wore it and watch as his eyelids droop. "You're amazing, Hadley."

"Oh, why's that?" I giggle.

"This feels so good," he almost moans and I let out a laugh.

"All I was doing was fixing your hair," I shrug once his eyes open again and my hands are in my lap.

"I like my hair to be played with," he blurts out, his cheeks turning red immediately. "I mean--"

"It's okay, Mikey, I do too," I laugh, nudging his knee with mine. 

"You two are so gross," Luke says as he walks past the couch, pulling one of the cushions from the floor to put it back so he could sit down.

"What do you mean?" we both say in unison.

"You're just gross; your flirting's too cute and it's gross," he replies, taking a bite of the apple in his hand. I see Michael messing with his many bracelets from the corner of my eye, something he only did when he was nervous and I glare at Luke for a moment. He throws his hands up, "I didn't harshly accuse you two of flirting, I was just saying you do and it's sickeningly cute, that's it! Damn." He stood up and left us alone, following Calum back outside to the pool. 

"Well, I uh, I think I'm gonna head on to bed," I say, standing up slowly and as I turn away, Michael grabs my wrist.

"So soon?" His eyes are pleading with me to stay and I almost give in, forcing a lump away from my throat. "Stay with me please, Hadley.."

"I'm kinda tired, Mikey," I lie. "I'll see you in the morning?" He stands up and buries me in his arms before I say anything else; he smells faintly of sweat and of the cologne he had taken to wearing lately. I wrap my arms around his waist and hug him tightly, hoping he couldn't feel my heart pounding away in my chest.

"G'night, Hadley," he whispers, rubbing my back slowly before he lets go and then disappears out the back doors to sit beside the pool with Luke and Calum. This boy was making my life more of a struggle with each and every passing hour.