Negative Five // m.c.

one - trippin'

I hugged my fluffy black coat as I stepped through the front doors of the small school. When I couldn't feel the wind anymore, I immediately relaxed, but I still felt cold. It was the middle of January, and it was literally so cold outside I thought my eyebrows and eyelashes would have ice covering them. I can't wait for spring, the cold is annoying and winter clothes suffocate me.

I saw Michael while I was at my locker, he was leaned against the wall talking to one of his friends. I grabbed my Spanish book and closed the locker and I had to walk past him to get to class.

"Hey, Ava!" I heard him say as I walked past and I lifted my hand up in kind of a wave.

He half jogs up to walk beside me, "so if you want I can tell Calum to jump off your car for you, he'll do it for free."

"Oh, thanks, that would be great actually."

He had his hands in his pockets, which amazes me because his pants were so tight. Also, he was wearing a black hoodie with the hood up and a beanie under it.

"Yeah, we can come by your house after school," he paused for a second, "how did you get to school?"

"My mom brought me," I sighed.

He nodded slowly and glanced around as he walked, "so, do you need a ride? Calum can take us back home if you want."

I slowed down when I got to my class, "okay, Michael." Part of me wanted to just get to class, the. Another part of me wanted to just keep talking to him.

I can't lie, I did think about Michael during class. I had never really talked to him that much before today. Every once in a while we'd talk, because were neighbors so it's hard not to interact with him at some point. We mostly make small conversation, but now he talks to me a lot more than usual.

At lunch, I couldn't find the usual group of people I sit by because I was early. I sat in our usual spot anyway, so no one would steal it.

"Hey Ava," my friend Katelyn joined me across the table and stole a crouton from my tiny salad.

"Hi Kat," I sighed a messed with the lettuce, not a big fan of the cafeteria salads, to be honest.

"There was a fight outside the auditorium you should've seen it," she laughed.

"What, really? Who was it?" I straightened up in my chair, nothing really happens at our school so fights are always interesting.

"I'm not sure who the other guy was, but Logan Matthews got the crap beat out of him," she shook her head slightly, "but everyone knows he deserves it."

"That's true," I said and I ended up just handing her my salad because I wasn't going to eat it and she obviously wanted the croutons.

Soon our other friends joined us. Luke, Calum, and I'm sure Ashton was somewhere.

"Hey, you guys hear about that fight earlier, that was so funny," Calum mentioned as he sat in the seat beside me.

"Yeah, Kat was telling me." I nodded and me and Calum did a weird handshake he always wants to do with everyone he talks to.

"I heard it was his fault anyway, guy is such a dick," Luke added.

"Ay guys, Michael's going to sit with us today," I heard Ashton approach behind us. I knew Michael, Calum, Luke, and Ashton were friends but Michael usually didn't join us for lunch, he left campus most days. Me and Michael have been neighbors since middle school, but we never really became close. He was mostly friends with my friends. And like I said we were used to small conversation, but he's come around a lot more than normal.

Everyone greeted him and he took the empty seat next to mine.

"Nice of you to join us, Clifford," Katelyn said.

"Yeah," he shrugged, "don't have shenanigans to get involved with today," he chuckled quietly. "God, I'm confused on someone would actually eat this, what is this." Michael picked up something from Calum's plate with his fork and inspected it.

"I don't know, I dare you to eat it, Michael. I'll even video your reaction," Ashton jokingly offered.

"I'd puke, it's disgusting," Michael shook his head and set it back on Calum's plate and have him a look that said 'good luck with that.'

"Good, it's entertaining," Ashton replied.

Michael rolled his eyes and looked over at me, "hey Ava, long time no see."

I laughed, "yeah, it's been ages."

"Oh hey, Calum, I meant to ask you if you could jump start Ava's car, it wouldn't start this morning," Michael leaned forward to look at Calum on the other side of me.

"Oh yeah, sure. How do you know it wouldn't start?" Calum quirked an eyebrow at him.

"I walked past Ava's house this morning and she was kicking her tire," he playfully hit my arm as he talked, "Anyway, thought we might give her a ride home after school."

Calum nodded and continued his conversation with Ashton about the fight that apparently everyone was talking about.

After lunch I had to rush to class that was all the way at the other end of the building. I had several books I had to carry today for a project and it was becoming a struggle to carry them. I heard someone jog up beside me and caught a book that was falling from under my arm. I turned around and saw Michael, he grabbed a few more of my books from my grip.

"Uh, thanks," I said. He held them under his arm with ease.

"No problem," He gave me a cheesy grin and walked beside me to class, "What class are you going to?"

"English Lit," I sighed, it was one of my favorite classes but there was a lot of work.

"Oh yeah, I have that first period, pain in the a-," suddenly Michael tripped on a bag laying on the floor, but he didn't fall. He quickly recovered and turned and kept walking like nothing happened. Even though he was blushing really bad, and I could tell he was embarrassed. There wasn't a lot of people in the hallway so I don't think anyone really payed attention.

"Are you okay?" I stifled a laugh with my hand. He just nodded quickly.

"Ye- yeah, I'm fine, uh, here's you're class," he handed me the books of mine he was carrying, "see you after school."

"Okay," he was already turned around and walking off, "Thank you!"

-

okay so finally heres the first chapter I hope you like it and please give me feedback, i would really appreciate it. sorry, this is probably short, but hopefully the chapters will get longer idk sorry i suck. some of the stuff in this chapter is important but for the most part its a filler. basically, Michael is a awkward cutie pie who tries to be bad ass and fails but he's still cute. and we all love him. and i added a picture of him bc why not. (IF ANYONE CAN CATCH THE REFERENCE IN THIS CHAPTER YOU WIN AN AWARD OKAY BYE)

I want to dedicate this chapter to my friend lilly because i love her and she says she likes this story so that makes me happy. dis for you, heartbreakmichael. everyone go follow her she has cool stories.

- emily