Clifford the Red Headed Big Shot

chapter ten

*Two Weeks Later*

"You may now kiss the bride!"

Michael looked at me and I smiled.

"Woo!! Get some!!" Calum yelled from behind Michael.

We both chuckled and turned our attention to the bride and groom, Ashton and Marina.

"I love you so much, baby," Ashton said to Marina in between kisses.

"I love you more," she replied.

"Not possible."

-

"You really want us to come on your honeymoon with you?" I asked, my eyebrows furrowed.

Marina nodded. "Yeah! I already set up a gig for them in Hawaii. It's gonna be a charity fundraiser! All the proceeds will go towards kids who have leukemia. Isn't that amazing?!"

I laughed a little. "Yeah. That is pretty amazing. Alright, I guess I'll go." I pulled Marina in for a hug.

"Jamie?" Luke interrupted, entering the room. "Can I talk to you?"

"What about, babe?" I grinned at him and watched him nervously play with his lip ring.

"I'd rather talk alone," he stated. "If-if that's okay."

"Yeah, totally!" Marina kissed my cheek goodbye and left.

"What do you need, Lukey?" I asked.

"I don't know. I just had this strong urge to tell you that I missed you a lot." He took my hand and intertwined our fingers, and started playing with my ring.

"I missed you too, Luke."

"You know what? I hope you and Michael get married. That way you can be like a sister to me even more." He giggled. "I love you, Jamie. But in a sisterly way. Not the way Michael loves you. I don't know. I just felt like you should know."

I smiled widely. "I love you too."

Michael walked in right then.

"What the hell is going on here?" He seemed so mad. "Jamie? Are you seriously cheating on me with Luke?"

I looked at Luke, then back at Michael. "No-no, Mikey. It-it's not what it looks like!"

He stared at me for a long time. My face got red and my eyes glossed over. I was so terrified I had just ruined everything again.

Finally, Michael's serious face broke into a huge smile and soon he was howling with laughter. He yelled, "April Fools!"

"April Fools day was like seven months ago, dipshit! I hate you!" I picked up a pillow and hit him with it over and over until he was on the floor, begging for mercy.

"Yeah, that's why it's fuckin' hilarious!" He managed to say in between hits and bursts of laughter.

"I hate all of you," I muttered as I ran out the door.

I passed Ashton in the hallway and could see him smirking. "Did Michael pull the April Fools thing?" I nodded. "He was planning on doing that actually on April first, but you were kind of all the way across the world smooching on that Christian guy."

My eyes widened. "You know about Christian?"

Ashton shook his head. "Hell yeah. He started harassing us on Twitter because he didn't like what Michael said about you in that one interview. Said you were "his girl." That's what really grinded Michael's gears." Ashton shrugged. "It's okay now, though. Michael cussed him out and then promised himself he'd win you back. And that's what he did."

-

I sat on the couch in my apartment in my comfy pajamas.

"I brought the popcorn." Michael handed me the bowl and cuddled up close to me. "Just like old times, huh, Junebug."

"Just like old times, dickweed."

Just then, a chorus of people broke out into song below my apartment.

"I know they'd find my hotel, but your apartment building? Really?"

"Who's "they"?"

"The fans. I love 'em, but I kinda need my privacy."

I got up and went to the window. Opening it, I yelled, "Are you looking for Michael Clifford?"

A bunch of the girls replied, "Yes!"

"He's in my apartment! We're watching a movie and eating popcorn! Do you guys want anything? Some snacks? Waters?"

Michael grabbed my waist. "What are you doing, Jamie?"

"I'm bonding with your fans. What does it look like?"

I went into the kitchen and grabbed all the bags of chips and water bottles I could find. "They're gonna have to like me if we plan to get married."

Michael grinned and began to kiss me passionately, but I pulled away. "I need to find a basket with a handle and some rope."

Apparently I keep handled baskets and rope quite handy in my apartment, so that task was easy. I tied the rope to the basket, filled the basket with chips and water bottles and wrote "Share! If you need anymore, just holla at ya girl" on a sticky note.

"Ya girl?"

"I know how to speak teenager. Why do you think all the kids love me at my job?"

Michael chuckled. "Sure."

"Can it, Clifford. And help me lower this basket to the ground."

The girls screamed at the sight of Michael Clifford. It was so weird. It was like having a bunch of my dads all in one place.

And it made me realize; Michael wasn't just my little secret anymore.