M I C H A E L

I stared for a moment before shutting my mouth from it's agape state.

I nodded. "Yeah, yeah that's me!" I said nervously.

Luke stepped forward and leaned in for a hug. "I'm Luke."

She hugged him and stepped back before looking at me.

"I'm sorry," I said nervously before hugging her. She smiled.

Luke eyed me weirdly before shaking his head and moved on.

Crystal looked over at Ashton, who was still holding Clyde. "Who's this little guy?" She smiled and edged towards him.

I panicked. "Uhm..."

Everyone looked at me.

"Luke's! Uh..." I stuttered. "It's, he's... Luke's... son,"

Luke rose his eyebrows. "Oh?"

I gave him a pleading look. He rolled his eyes.

"Yep, Clyde is my son," he sighed.

Crystal smiled and bopped Clyde's nose. "He's just so cute!"

I was about to say thanks, but kept strong and didn't.

Crystal and Ashton walked over to the beach with Clyde, leaving me with Calum and Luke.

Luke stared at me for a moment before bursting. "What did you do that for?" he yelled.

I brought my hands to my head. "I don't know, I, I panicked!"

Calum rolled his eyes. "Mike, Clyde is your most prized possession. Why would you deny that he's yours?"

I shook my head. "I dunno..."

Calum's eyes widened. "You like her, don't you?" he smirked.

"What? No," I tried to sound believable.

Calum shook his head, the smirk still plastered on his face. "Ooh, Ashton's gonna kill you!"

I looked down nervously.

"You know Ashton wouldn't bring her here for nothing," Luke pointed out. "There's a good chance he's gonna ask her out or something."

I shook my head and facepalmed. "Why am I so stupid?"

Calum put his hand on my back. "You aren't the smartest, but, Ashton might not hate you."

I looked up at him and glared. "You aren't helping."

He shook his head and laughed as we started walking down the beach where Ashton, Crystal, and Clyde were. When we got there, Crystal was holding the baby and swinging him around a bit as he giggled. I couldn't lie to myself, it was cute. Not only my son being happy, but a really pretty woman with him.

Crystal stopped and looked over at us before approaching us. She handed Clyde to Luke. "Here's your baby back," she smiled.

Luke nodded awkwardly. "Thanks," he murmured.

This whole situation was awkward, and I had managed to drag everyone else into it. I internally facepalmed.

Clyde smiled and hugged Luke. He looked over at me and grinned widely.

"DaDa!" he squealed. Luke's eyes widened.

Crystal laughed. "Yep, I gave you to your 'DaDa,'"

I laughed awkwardly and so did Luke. Clyde shook his head and pointed to me.

"DaDa," he babbled. Luke eyed me nervously.

Crystal rose an eyebrow confusedly. "But," she poked Luke's shoulder. "that's your DaDa, silly."

Luke began to be visibly uncomfortable. "Uh..." he trailed off.

Calum tried to butt in to make it 'better.' "Yeah! Daddy Michael! That's what C-Dog's nickname for Mike is."

I mouthed "what the heck?" to Calum and he smiled and shrugged.

"Daddy Michael?" Crystal crossed her arms.

I tried to act chill about it. "Yep, that's me!" I laughed nervously. "Daddy Michael."

I swallowed.

That may have been the most awkward moment of my life.

~~~

Ashton walked on the shore of the water playfully, kicking water at people and slipping. Clyde and Luke stood at the ebb of the water holding hands. Clyde bounces up and down, looking like he was twerking. One of my favorites of his dance moves.

Crystal walked around with Ashton. The jealousy burned in my chest.

"Hey, we should get something to eat," I yelled. I was getting hungry anyways, but I also couldn't stand to watch Ashton flirt with Crystal.

Everyone gathered into a group by me.

"What should we get?" Calum asked.

Everyone stood silently in thought.

Crystal piped up. "Sushi? I think there's a place down the road."

Luke looked skeptical. "Is it good?"

"Have you had sushi?" Crystal stared in disbelief.

Luke laughed. "Of course I've had sushi, but I'm not going to eat sushi that isn't good."

Calum nodded. "Are you asking if the sushi place is good?"

Luke nodded in approval.

"I think it's pretty good," Crystal said slowly.

We all made our ways to our cars. Luke still had Clyde, and had to buckle him into his seat. I now worried if Luke even knew how to work. the seat.

I watched as Crystal walked into her car. She turned around, and I pretended that I wasn't staring. I failed. Crystal waved at me, exploding my heart. I waved back nervously.

I turned around towards Luke, who looked scared for his life to try and put Clyde in. I laughed and buckled Clyde for him.

We drove a bit to get to the place. I was getting sick and tired of having to pretend that Clyde wasn't my son. It was even more strange, because everyone says that Clyde looks just like me. Crystal apparently
never connected the dots. Luke grabbed the baby and we made our way inside the waiting area where Calum stood with Ashton and Crystal.

The three of them talked a bit and turned to face us.

"Baby!" Ashton squealed and reached out for Clyde.

Clyde giggled with Ashton as they played.

A man came over to take us to our table. "How many people?"

"Five, one baby," I answered.

We sat around a table that was like an average dining table at a home. I sat next to Clyde, who was next to Luke, and on the other side of me was Crystal, who was next to Ashton, who was next to Calum. I was really sitting next to none of my mates.

Crystal and Ashton were talking, and Calum and Luke talked from across the table. I was left with no one but Clyde. I turned to the left to face him.

"What's up, Clyde," I joked.

Clyde had the biggest grin on his face. "DaDa!" he squealed.

I shook my head and laughed, thinking of the conversation earlier.

"Daddy Michael, right?" Crystal laughed behind me. I turned around to see her smiling. Ashton has joined Calum and Luke's conversation.

Oh no.

third chapter!! i'm really liking this book, yet like one person is reading it so wooooo

let me know what ya think!

i love you ;)