I jolted awake from a nightmare that I was previously having. I blinked my eyes a few times and looked around the darkness of my room, breathing heavily and drenched in my own sweat. I immediately stripped off my sweatshirt and laid back down in only a tank top. My thoughts kept wandering back to the strange dream I had when I realized that my bed was now empty. I unlocked my phone and checked the time; 5am on the dot. The moon was shining through my still open window which I knew I would scold Michael about the next time I saw him.

My mom could be heard downstairs shuffling through things and scurrying through the house as she was about to leave for work. To both of our surprises she was still told to be in the office a day after she came back, but she was able to get off a few hours earlier than normal. I groaned and sat back up, now being wide awake. I hauled myself off my bed and quietly opened my door to head downstairs but stopped myself when I heard my mother's voice on the phone.

"Sharon, I don't know how to tell her." She sighed.

"Who's Sharon?" I whispered to my self as I looked around, trying to collect my thoughts. There was a pause as the conversation continued.

"I think I'll be able to mention it by the end of the week." I heard her heels clicking towards the stairs so I rushed back into my room, only listening to her through the crack through my door. "The promotion is very exciting, thank you." I could just hear the smile in her voice and my worries left me. This was huge for us. I reopened my door and began making my way down stairs. She caught me out of the corner of my eye and her smile immediately faded. "I'll catch up with you when I get to the office, it'll be great to be back in. Bye." She quickly said as she hung up.

"Good morning." I spoke from beside her. I felt very fatigued from only sleeping four hours, which I made a mental note of catching up on very soon. My mom pulled me in for a tight hug, squeezing me once more before pulling back and gripping my shoulders.

"Why are you up so early?" She asked worriedly.

"Bad dream." I shrugged my shoulders and glanced away from her. "I though you'd already left?" I questioned as I checked the clock. She should be running 15 minutes late.

"Just running late." Spot on. She kissed my forehead once and speed towards the door. "I'll be home at five tonight. I love you!" She called as she closed the door and locked it from outside. My head dipped down and I blew a piece of hair out of my face.

"Love you too." I mumbled.

-

My eyes crept open, letting the sun light from a window wake me. I took notice at the fact that I was now back in my room. I had no clue had I had gotten back up here, but I did notice that I wasn't alone. Lue was laying on my bed opposite of me, sleeping soundly as Michael was curled up in the chair in front of my desk, his arm supporting his head. I smiled softly at the sight and let them be.

I rolled out of bed carefully, making sure not to wake Lue. I threw on the sweatshirt I had tossed across my room this morning and walked towards my window that was still open. I shut it slowly and locked it tight.

"What am I going to do with him.." I whispered, shaking my head.

"Do with who?" Michael's husky voice asked. I turned around to him and watched him as his stretched his arms and legs out, just waking up from his sleep. I put a finger up to my lips and nodded towards the sleeping girl at the end of my bed. He gave me a sorry look and I dragged him downstairs to where we could now talk in our normal voices.

"Why are you guys here?" I asked as I followed him to the couch.

"What? Can your friends not visit you?" He taunted. I kicked my legs up and rested them on his lap as the arm of the couch supported my back. "I'm not a footstool, by the way." He peered down to my now crossed ankles.

"But why so early? It's 9:30. When did you even get here? How did you get in here? And yes you are."

"We came in around eight. You were passed out on the couch so I carried you to your room. You're welcome." He smirked. "Annabel was with us too, she was actually the one who let us in, but she said something about helping her dad with some fundraiser? I don't even know. She left right after we got here." He waved it off, not knowing much about the subject. I simply nodded, not wanting to get dragged into a detailed story that I honestly didn't want to hear about.

"How are you?" He asked, keeping his eyes on his hands that rested on my legs. Michael had always seemed to ask me generic and odd questions, not that I minded though. I think it was a 'daily check-up' kind of process he had. Make sure I'm okay so he can be okay.

"I'm...good?"

"No, no, no." He took notice in my confused expression as he looked over at me. "Like how are you holding up? How is your mind?" He put emphasis on the word 'mind.' I wasn't really sure how I was doing to be honest. I had been distracted by so many other things that I didn't take time to notice myself.

"I'm okay. A month of my life flew by and I didn't even notice it." I frowned as I suddenly began collecting my thoughts. In one whole month, I was able to pull myself together. I had put myself out there so much more, I let loose. I hadn't broken down, I hadn't run into my mothers arms when I needed it. I mean, not that she was there anyways. I opened my mouth to let my thoughts tumble out like I had expected, but I closed it right away when nothing came out. I furrowed my eyebrows and was completely lost with myself.

"That's great." Michael smiled genuinely.

"How are you?" I questioned back.

"I'm good." He repeated my answer, not having much to say afterwards. "Really good." I snickered at his answer which he bit his lip at. I swung my legs off of him in attempt to stand up, but was yanked back down by him and onto his lap. "Let's do something today." He cheekily said as he wiggled in his seat. I loosely slung my arm around his shoulder.

"Like what?" I had adored every single place he took me to, so honestly I wouldn't turn it down. He was especially full of fun and mischief lately.

"Something." His eyes flicked between my eyes and my lips. "Anything." Just as I thought he was leaning in closer, he grabbed my waist and hauled me onto the other side of him. Him pinned me down and started tickling my sides.

"Michael!" I yelled through my loud laughter. "Stop!" I was kicking my legs underneath him and pushing on his chest, but his strength overpowered mine. His own giggles joined in with mine as he watched my eyes brim with tears from my sides aching. "Seriously!" I managed to bend my knees up and bring them to my chest, separating us. My stomach was just out of his reach now and began to pout. "Enough Michael." I said as sternly as I could through my laugh. He tried to extend his arms just the slightest bit to tickle me again. I pushed up my legs and immediately stopped him. "No!"

"Can I get a kiss then?" He puckered his lips, trying to lean towards me.

"No!" I shouted, still letting my laugh out.

"Please?"

"No!"

"You know there's no escaping this position without doing so, right?" I rolled my eyes and slid my legs back under him, removing the space between our torsos. I had both of my hands on his chest, resenting him slightly. I picked my head up and quickly pecked his lips.

"Can I go now?" I asked, wriggling out from his grip as best as I could. I looked up at him and he had the most unimpressed look I've seen. "I guess not." I said sarcastically. He playfully kissed all over my face, not missing one single centimeter. "Quit it!" I giggled. He continued on, completely ignoring my words.

"Guys really? You couldn't have waited until I was gone?" Our heads shot up at Lue who was passing by us and into the kitchen.

"It's not what it looks like!" I hollered after her, finally getting out from under Michael.

"Yes it is!" He yelled back.

"Shut up!" I shot back at him. "No it's not, he decided to act like a child this morning. Sorry if we woke you up." I sheepishly smiled at her as she raided my refrigerator.

"You didn't." She said as poured herself a glass of orange juice. She glanced up once to me. "I'm actually on my way out. So you two get the day to yourselves, not like you haven't had enough of those." She wiggled her eyebrows at me while my cheeks reddened.

"So you come to my house to sleep in my bed and take my orange juice?" I folded my arms over my chest in a joking matter, not responding to her last statement. "Where are you going anyways? It's early. Well for you at least."

"We wanted to come surprise you, but you were asleep! So we basically dragged ourselves upstairs with you. And I'm going to Calum's." She confidently said.

"What's this I hear about Calum?" Michael interrupts.

"Nothing." I wave him off, wanting to hear the full story on how this started. Lue looked from me to Michael, tilting her head.

"I'm going to Calum's." Lue repeated. His mouth formed an O shape as he nodded his head. "And I'll be back here later tonight with Annabel." She came by my side and nudged me with her elbow. "I'll tell you everything that happens." She gave me a cheesy wink and collected a few of her things she had brought. "Maybe you guys can hang out with us later, we'll see."

"Have fun!" I yelled as she walked out the door.

"Be safe!" Michael said after me. I roughly hit his arm as I watched Lue roll her eyes and shut the door.

"Michael, you dick." I joked as we sat back down on the couch.

"You're so harsh today." He said as he rubbed his bicep in the place I had hit him. He rested his ankle on his knee and put and arm on the back of the couch behind my shoulders. "What happened to the Maddie that actually liked me when she woke up?"

"I do like you." I patted his shoulder softly. "But not when you're a smart ass." He pushed my comment aside with a quiet laugh. He turned to me so we were now sat right across from each other. I had never felt so mesmerized by the way he was looking at me. His smile lit up his whole face in a matter of seconds, which was something that I could never get over.

"You know," He started off. "I could sit face to face with you and just look at you forever." I blushed at his comment, I could never respond to his compliments. No matter what we were doing or where we were I always responded the same way. "And my father had always told me when I was young that bright eyes shine for lost souls." We both tensed up slightly at the word father, it being a touchy subject for both of us. "I've always taken that with me wherever I go. It changes my view on lots of things."

I glanced around the room and let the subtle noise of the TV fill the background. Moments like these are what brought us so close. The quietness and the subtleties. It was the emptiness that wasn't so empty. And if what Michael had said was true, then he was my lighthouse. And that's when it hit me. I do not just like Michael Clifford.

I am irretrievably in love with Michael Clifford.