End Up Here~ Michael Clifford

Chapter 2

 The next day was Saturday which was good because I had post-concert depression and was supposed to go back home and visit my brother and dad back home in the suburbs. Right before grabbing my train pass I got a text from Mikey asking if I wanted to go and get breakfast. I figured I could go home another day and asked Mikey where to meet him. He quickly replied saying Starbucks on Monroe and Madison. With confidence coming from nowhere I sent him back a text saying “sounds more like coffee Clifford.” I immediately regretted sending it and was hoping that it was okay that I called him “Clifford”

            I finished getting redressed I decided on black skinny jeans, matte black doc martens, red crop top and a grey oversized sweater. I quickly applied my everyday makeup and texted my dad telling him I wouldn’t be coming home today because something came up. Locking my studio apartment I set out for a latte and Michael. The whole time there I wondered if this was a date or not. My final verdict was no, who would asked me on a date.

             When I got there I ordered a caramel latte and sat down at a table across from Michael after we both sat down and said hi and awkward silence fell between us, but Michael broke it by asking “so what’s your story?” I thought for a moment about how much I wanted to share with someone I barely knew but once I started explaining I couldn’t stop and his assuring Australian accent gave me a trusting feeling. I explained to him that I was (am) 17 and play in the Chicago symphony orchestra and that’s why I live in Chicago without my family as a minor. I told him I’m from a small town west of Chicago. He asked about my family and I told him about how my dad left when I was 3 but reentered my life when my momdied when I was 11 and without realizing it I told him about something that no one else knew about. I had told him about my struggle with depression, anorexia and anxiety, not wanting to keep the conversation about me I quickly changed the subject to him. Michael told me about his band and how they started he told me about home and family back home in Australia. 

            After talking for a while Michael asked if I could give him a tour of the city. I agreed because I wasn’t in the mood for school work or practicing, truthfully music wasn’t my passion and I saw myself doing something else, Mikey and I walked for a while talking about everything; family, cats, music, video games , hair dye. He convinced me that my long brown hair would look amazing with lilac tips, so we set up a day to dye my hair together. We set out for “the bean” and once we got there we took pictures and walked around the park. We decided to walk around Lake Michigan, and after a while of walking and talking it started to rain. We ran into a nearby store on Michigan Avenue.

“So what do we do now?” Michael asked

            “My apartment is just a few blocks away, we could go and get warmed up” I suggested.

He agreed and we left the store for my apartment.           

~

We walked the six blocks and entered my apartment which was a small studio because I lived alone.

“Here we are, do you want anything to drink?”

“Do you have any tea?” Michael politely asked.

I told him yes and started the water leaving him to pick out whcich flavor he wanted.

            When I finished changing into dry clothes I quickly braided my hair and walked back into my living room. I passed my kitchen and didn’t see Mikey so I figured he was in the living room. When I walked into the room I saw Mikey fiddling with my cello among other instruments.

“Wow, how many do you play?” he questioned me.

            “Piano, flute, cello, saxophone, ukulele and I sing a little”

He then asked me to play him something on cello and I agreed. I picked up my cello, the bow and the new piece I was working on. Beethoven’s symphony number 3.

After I finished the song Mikey asked for a lesson. “Sure” I obliged.

            I taught him how to hold the cello properly and where to put his fingers and what note each string played. He picked it up pretty fast, but once I gave him the easiest sheet music I had, he became frustrated. So I suggested we watch a movie since it was still raining. I let Mikey pick the movie and we ended up watching “The Avengers”.

            Half way through the movie Mikey asked I had a dryer so he could dry his still wet shirt. I felt horrible because I hadn’t offered to dry it earlier. I gave him the directions to my laundry room and he re-entered my living room shirtless.

“I hope this is okay, since I don’t have any other clothes with me.”

“Sure. Anytime Clifford.” I replied in a flirty way

He sat back down on the couch closer than before and I began to wondering if I truly did like this guy, Michael. It only took like 5 minutes before I realized that yes I do really like this guy and I want to date him.

            By the start of our third movie we were full on cuddling. (Mikey still shirtless). Once that movie ended Michael went to go get his shirt and I got up to put away our mugs. After he appeared back in the living room, h stood up right in front of me. Our hands finding each other’s and our fingers intertwining. He kissed me, a long passion filled kiss that I fully returned. It felt so nice to feel loved or even liked after feeling alone for so long.

“So this was a date?” I asked breaking the kiss.

            “Yes, yes it is” he quickly replied replacing his lips on mine. We kissed for a while until it was interrupted by the ringing of Michael’s phone. He pulled out his phone to see that Calum was calling him. Mikey declined the call and we continued right where we left off until his the rest of his band members broke the kiss by texting Michael repeatedly. He turned off his phone and we sat back down to wait out the rain.