I'm Not Fine At All 》Michael Clifford

Chapter Seven

Riley's POV:

The faint ringing of my phone sounded throughout my bedroom. It was Monday evening, and my dad hadn't been home since the night before when he crushed my guitar. I hadn't gotten up to clean it up yet, I hadn't even gotten up from where I collapsed after he left.

I took my phone out of my pocket and saw my boss was calling me. I clicked the answer button. "Hello?" I croaked.

"Riley, where are you? You were supposed to be at work an hour ago." She said.

"Angie, I can't come to work today." I replied weakly. "I'm having some problems."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. When will you be able to come back in?" She asked. I always liked Angie. She was a very kind, and understanding boss.

"I... I'm not sure." I replied. I really wasn't sure.

"I'll tell you what, I'll give you the whole week. You're overdue for a vacation anyways. Does that sound alright?"

"Oh, thank you Angie, that would be fantastic." I said.

"Well, I hope things get better soon, hun. I have to get back to work now. Bye!"

"Bye." I hung up the phone, and literally, three seconds later, I rang again. I didn't bother looking at the caller ID before answering it with a "Yes?"

"Riley! What's up?" A giddy sounding Michael was on the other end.

"Michael, I can't talk right now," I replied weakly. Again to my surprise, he picked up on the pain in my voice.

"Riley? Riley, what's wrong?" He asked.

"Michael, I'm fine." I replied sniffling. I was about to start crying again, but I didn't want to with Michael on the phone.

"Ri, where are you?" He asked.

"Michael, I don't-"

"Where are you?" He cut me off. By now, as much as I tried not to, I was crying. And he could obviously hear it.

"I'm at home, but-"

"Riley, stay where you are. I'll be right there." And with that, he hung up. Not five minutes later, there was a knock at the door of my apartment. I didn't get up, I just yelled,

"Come in!" I heard Michael come in and start calling for me, but I didn't answer. It didn't take him long to find me, curled up on the floor in my room.

"Riley!" He ran in and saw the broken guitar on the floor, and knelt next to me. I began breathing rapidly, as he lifted me into his arms. I felt pathetic, like a helpless little child as he rocked me while I cried.

"H-he b-broke my g-guitar," I managed to choke out.

"Shh, it's okay, it's okay," He soothed. I burried my face in his shirt and cried softly, as he comforted me. "Guess what?" He whispered.

"W-what?" I asked.

"I called today to tell you that I took a shower," of course this made me laugh. He laughed too, and I felt his chest rumble as he did so. "Did he hurt you?" I shook my head, and he held on tighter.

When I finally stopped crying, he helped me get up and clean up the broken guitar. Then he led me to the kitchen while I told him the whole story, and began rummaging through the refrigerator to get me something to eat. I hadn't eaten in over twenty-four hours, and he wouldn't let me go any longer without getting something in my stomach.

He made me a sandwich with extra cheese and mustard, the way I told him I liked it. When I finished eating and I drank an entire bottle of water, he offered to take me back to his hotel room with the boys again.

"That way you won't be here alone... or with your dad." He said. I thought about this for a moment, and realized that the more I thought about it, the better the idea seemed.

I quickly went to my room and grabbed a few changes of clothes, and some other girly things that I would need, and packed them into a backpack. I went to the bathroom and grabbed my bag with my makeup, deodorant, soap, hair care, etc. I met Michael back in front of the door, where I grabbed my phone and my keys, and checked to make sure I was ready. When I turned back to Michael, he was sitting on my dad's beer cooler staring at me with a faint smile, one hand reached up to scratch the back of his shoulder.

"What?" I asked. He shook his head and, with a slight shoulder shrug, replied,

"Nothing."

We exited the apartment, and I left the door unlocked this time, in case dad forgot his keys again. We made our way downstairs, where I latched on to his arm once again and prepared to step outside. The snow from the day before had collected and there was about a foot of the stuff all over, but it was still coming down. I put my head down as Michael and I speed walked down the sidewalks, desperate to get out of the cold.

We somehow managed to make it back to his hotel without running into a single fan.

We got on the elevator, and I clung to him the same as always as we rode up. We got to the top floor and made our was to his room, and went inside. We were met with the screaming of Calum at the TV, Luke playing his guitar randomly, and Ashton beating a pair of drumsticks on anything he could reach. The noise was for real.

The sofa-bed was already out - or should I say, still out from the night I stayed here, so I sat my bags down on the rocking chair next to it, and camped out next to Calum, who was playing FIFA.

"Hey Riley, planning on staying a while?" He nodded toward my bags.

"Yeah, if that's okay." I replied.

"It's cool with me. Why?"

"Umm... it's a long story..." I trailed off, and he let it go. He turned his attention to the TV again, and started yelling at it. Luke stood up and put his guitar away, and flopped down at my feet on the bed.

"Sup, Riley?" He said.

"Hey, Luke." I answered as he flashed his stunning eyes at me. Michael sat down next to me with a bowl of popcorn, and offered me some. I took a handful and ate it, while Ashton ran into the room.

"Riiillleeeyyy!!!" He squealed like a school girl and plopped down on my lap. "Michael told us how you play! You should've brought your guitar!" He said. I fought the tears as long as I could, but now, at his words, they came without being stopped.

The boys froze and all looked at me, and Ashton sat up. Michael sat up and pulled me onto his lap, and rocked me gently just like before, while the others stopped what they were doing, even Calum. Michael whispered to me while he rocked me, and I slowly began to calm down.

"Do you want me to explain?" He whispered, and I nodded.

"That would be great."

Michael took a deep breath and I closed my eyes, as he launched into the whole story.