A Leap Into Life || m.clifford || book #1

Chapter 8: Jealousy

After telling Michael everything. I thought he was going to cry. Halfway through the grip he had on my hand was cutting off my blood circulation. I realized how much Michael actually cared when he cupped my face and repeated 'I love you' over and over again while kissing my forehead multiply times. There was no hiding - as if there ever was - my feelings for Michael or for myself. I have never told anyone anything I told Michael. Not Rachel. Not Luke. No one. I lay in his arms at 2 in the morning, and I'm glad he's the only one who knows.

"You know what I love about you most?" he asks. I shake my head. "How strong you are."

"Michael -"

"Don't try and argue. You are strong. No one weak would have been able to tell me all the stuff you just did and not cry."

"Crying is a weakness." I mumble.

"No, crying proves to the world that even beautiful things have to take a break from being so strong." he corrects. "No one is weak, Kasey. You just need a break from being strong."

"You sure do know how to make a girl feel better." I tell him cuddling up to him.

"It's my specialty." he says. I yawn rubbing my eyes.

"You tired?" he questions playing with my hair.

"Little bit." I mumble.

"Go to sleep. I won't let anyone hurt you." he whispers. "Not again."

I was not ready to go to school today and Michael senses it as we walk through the doors. He pulls me aside holding my hand. "Kasey? You are okay." he reminds me. "I'm with you all day. No one is going to do anything to you."

"Okay," I whisper. He presses a light kiss on my cheek before pulling away. When he does I catch a glimpse of Luke watching us down the hall. He looks right at me but his expression was unreadable.

"What about Luke?" I whisper learning into him. "I don't feel so good."

"Stop worrying Kasey. I'm here." he tells me.

"Thank you." I whisper. He pulls me into him.

"My pleasure." he says walking down the hall. We stop at his locker first. I stop suddenly when I see Calum standing there.

"Kasey." Michael mumbles pulling me to him again. "Come on," I do as he says standing next to him.

"Calum." Michael says putting in his combination. I stand there like a statue looking at the ground.

"Michael." he says before looking at me. "Kasey."

Hold up..

I look over at Michael and he meets my gaze. I give him a questioning look before looking at Calum,

"What do you need Calum?" Michael asks. Calum looks over at him before looking at me.

"Luke told me you guys broke up. He - uh - called me that night." Calum says. "He came over to my house and we decided to go to this party.. Luke got drunk off his ass. He said a few things that straight out surprised me.

"He told me he loved you Kasey. And that every since you broke up with him, he didn't know what to do. My point being.. Kasey have you ever made a mistake?"

"Yes." I reply looking up at him.

"Was Luke one of them?"

"Calum." Michael warns slamming his locker.

"I don't have feelings for Luke. I have those feelings with.." I stop looking over at Michael. He looks down at me. To admit I had feeling Michael was like having someones foot on your chest and they just decided to stop stepping on your chest. i had just met him and he had made such an impression on my life it was crazy.  "Michael." I mumble before pushing my way between them. I had no idea where I was going. I just know I was going somewhere.