Not A Bad Thing//A.I.

9

The car ride to Michael's was filled with arguing between the boys discussing their favorite bands. Everly just sat there looking out the front window not caring for their conversation. After fifteen minutes they pulled into Michael's garage. They all hurriedly got out of Michael's beaten down car, and followed Michael into his parent's house.

"Are your parents here?" Calum asked.

"Nope." was all Michael said as he headed downstairs to his basement. Not many houses in their town had basements, Michael's parents turned their basement into their son's room slash hangout area, mostly just to get him and his friends out of the way. Everything Michael needed to survive was down here; including a fridge and bathroom, basically it was Michael's own apartment, rent free. Being the only child, up until his mom got remarried was a benefit.

"Wow." Ashton said to himself while looking around Michael's room. "Your parent's let you have a whole floor to yourself?"

"Yup. My mom found it easier to stick me down here since we're so loud." Michael said grabbing drinks out of his fridge.

They all took a seat on the couch and on the floor in front of Michael's tv. Michael handed everyone a drink, while Calum began passing remote controllers to everyone.

"No thanks. I'll just watch." Everly politely declined. The boys settled on playing Mario Kart. Everly just sat there watching them get all competitive.

"Are you sure you don't want to play Ev?" Luke asked after they finished a race.

"Yeah. It's more fun watching you guys get pissed at one another." She giggled.

"We don't get pissed." Michael defended.

"Michael, you told Luke that you were going to push him down a well and leave him there to die, when he passed you up." She laughed.

"Well he's an ass." Michael sat with his arms crossed like a mad five year-old.
"Boo hoo." Luke teased.

"Luke I will fucking throw you down a hole if you don't shut up." Michael glared at him.

"How about we do something else before Michael kills Luke." Ashton spoke out, everyone nodding their heads agreeing with that idea.

"I wasn't going to kill him. Maybe wound him, but not kill him." Michael mumbled.

"It's okay buddy." Everly patted his shoulder laughing.

They decided to watch a random movie on Netflix, that none of them have ever heard of. About ten minutes into the movie Ashton's phone began to buzz.

"I'll be back." He said getting off of his place next to Everly on the couch, and headed upstairs to answer his phone.

"So what's going on between you two?" Michael asked continuing to stare at the tv screen.

"What do you mean?" She asked confused.

"You two seem cozy together." He teared his eyes away from the documentary about snow owls.

"Really?" She didn't think her and Ashton were 'cozy' she thought they were just being friendly, since he was new and he didn't have much friends here.

"Wow. Everly you really are oblivious." Michael laughed shaking his head and turning his attention back to the movie.

She didn't say anything, she just thought to herself if she's actually oblivious. This is the second time she's heard this, this week. First Ashton, not Michael. Was she really that oblivious about this stuff.

Everly's thoughts were cut short when Ashton came back downstairs. He retook his seat next to her.

"Everything okay?" Everly asked looking over at him.

"Yeah." he gave her a forced smile and turned his attention to the documentary.

That was weird, Everly thought, but she simply shrugged it off. She still couldn't help but feel hurt by it.

"I'm sad now." Calum announced after the movie finished.

"I don't think I'll ever be the same again." Luke said staring at the blank TV screen.

"The poor baby owl never had a chance." Michael cried out. Everyone looked over at Michael, who was in fact crying over the baby owl's death. Everly scooted over to him and tried her best to wrap her arm around Michael's broad shoulders. He buried his face into her shoulder.

"Hey it's okay." She shushed him, rubbing his back. The boys didn't know what to do, so they all just stared at the two.

"But it's not." Everly made out over Michael's sobs.

"It's all apart of nature Mikey. If not that then some hawk would've gotten it." She explained, hoping it would calm him down.

After five minutes of comforting Michael, he seemed to have calmed down a lot and was no longer crying. He lifted his head from Everly's shoulder to see all eyes were on him. Everly saw that the three boys standing over them were having a hard time to not laugh.

"Don't." She warned, but it was too late they were already bursting into laughter.

"Shut the fuck up." Michael said getting up from the couch. That only made the boys laugh even harder.

"Stop." Everly scolded them.

After a few seconds they had calmed down and their laughs were slowly fading.

"Sorry man." Luke apologized patting Michael's shoulder, he just shrugged it off.

"I can still kill you Luke." Michael growled.

"Okay, that's my cue to leave." Everly said getting up off of the couch.

"How are you getting home?" Ashton asked.

"I only live on the next street over, so I'm going to walk." She said grabbing her backpack.

"I'll come with." Ashton said grabbing his stuff also. The two said goodbye to their friends and headed out.

"Do you live close by?" Everly asked him as they began the walk to her house.

"Somewhat. I was hoping I can just hang out with you for a bit while my mom comes to get me." He said looking down at his feet.

"Yeah that's fine." She smiled at him. They continued to walk in a comfortable silence.

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Boring update. Was going to add on more to the end but ran out of ideas.
Sorry it took me awhile to update.

Thanks for reading xx