Kiss Me, Kiss Me

‘Thank you Dallas! We’ll be back soon – see you!’ Calum concludes once the show was over.

I watch as the four of them run off of the stage cheering with one another. Members of the team congratulate them as they walk. Michael stops for one of the cold bottles of water that awaited them. He wipes his sweaty face with a free towel as he walks over to me.

‘Great show.’ I compliment as Michael stops before me.

‘Thank you.’ He ruffles his bright green hair with the towel, ‘I’m glad you liked it.’

‘Alright, fellas!’ some large man claps his hands several times, ‘it’s time to head out.’

‘Off to Chicago.’ Michael announces, ‘Can I walk you to your car?’

‘Sure.’

‘Guys, I’m going to walk McKenzie out. I’ll be right back.’

‘Great meeting you!’ Ashton waves, as did Luke and Calum.

‘Good to meet you guys too.’ I reply with a smile following Michael out the door, ‘so, are you ready for Chicago?’

‘Yes and no.’ he answers shoving his hands into the pocket of his hoodie.

‘Why yes?’

‘Well we’ll get to meet more fans and have another show like tonight. That is the best part about what we do. There’s nothing like hearing a room full of people sing your song back to you. It’s almost as good as when someone tells you that you saved their life. I love it.’

‘And why no?’

‘Because I’m not going to be able to get to know you as I would like to.’ He explains turning on the heel of his shoe.

‘When will you be back?’

‘Later this year. We’ll be opening up for One Direction during the North American leg.’

‘Later this year.’ I repeat unlocking the door to the car. ‘That’s a very long time.’

‘Yeah, I know. But we had fun, didn’t we?’ he leans against the car fumbling with his fingers.

‘Yeah, it was fun. Short, but very fun.’ I nod in confirmation turning to look away from him. ‘So, I’ll see you around, maybe?’

‘Wait, what just happened?’ Michael pushes his body from the car to look at me. ‘I thought things were going good.’

‘Yeah they were but now they’re over so I really should just go.’

‘McKenzie.’ He sighs moving a bit closer to me reaching his arm out.

‘I really need to go, bye Michael. Have a great tour.’ I excuse myself then slide down into the car and close the door.

I drive out of the parking lot leaving Michael standing there, alone. I make it back to my house to see my mom asleep on the sofa. I grab a spare blanket from the closet and toss it over her legs before going to my room. This small quiet room never seemed louder. I go to bed that night involuntarily thinking about Michael.

‘Good morning.’ My mom mutters pressing her water bottle to her lips.

‘Morning mom.’ I rush through the living room to find my purse.

‘How was last night?’

‘It was a mistake.’ I sigh tossing the purse strap over my shoulder. ‘I was expecting something more but ended up falling on my face.’

‘When we fall on our face it’s important to pick our selves up because we need to keep going. Chin up, babe. It’ll be okay.’

‘Thanks mom, I’ll see you tonight.’ I say before going out to my car and driving to Galleria Dallas for another’s day work.

‘There you are.’ Shelia slides her thin body from the counter, ‘I need you to help with inventory.’

‘Alright.’

‘So go over there and start on the bracelets.’

‘Right away.’

I grab a clipboard and a fresh inventory sheet before walking over to the bracelet display. This is where Michael stood staring at these very bracelets. His hair. His eyes that pulled me in. His laugh. His voice. His stupid smile. Stupid Michael Clifford. Stupid McKenzie who still can’t get over some boy who just met. A famous boy at that with thousands of fans. Maybe this was all for the best. Gone and forgotten.

Michael’s Point of View

‘Wake up Mikey! We’re in Chicago!’ Calum repeatedly pokes me with his freakishly long finger. ‘Time to get up.’

‘Alright, alright. I’m up – leave me alone.’

‘I know that tone. That’s the “I’m upset and I don’t want to talk about it” tone from Michael Clifford. What’s bothering you?’

‘It’s stupid.’ I shrug rolling over in the small bunk bed to cover my face with the nearest pillow.

‘Just about everything you say is stupid,’ Calum laughs to himself, ‘I’m kidding, what is it really?’

‘You remember that girl from the show last night?’

‘What girl? McKenzie?’

‘Who else?!’ I toss the pillow from my face and hurl it at Calum. ‘Of course McKenzie.’

‘Okay what about her?’

‘I cannot stop thinking about her. It’s weird. We’ve said maybe a hundred words to each other but it was the best hundred words. She’s incredible. In this small amount of time I see that she’s this smartass but so shy at the same time. I want to know more but we had to fucking leave Texas. I don’t know, I’m more annoyed at myself right now.’

‘Why are you annoyed?’

‘I didn’t get her number.’

‘WHAT?’ Calum shouts causing me to jump in the bed, ‘Luke! Ash!’

‘What’s going on?’ Ashton stands beside in the narrow hallway with Luke behind him.

‘This dumbass didn’t get McKenzie’s phone number!’

‘WHAT?’ Luke shouts just as Calum just did, ‘Are you crazy?’

‘What?’ I look from the three of them confused.

‘I would definitely got her number.’ Ashton says, ‘I mean did you see her?’

‘Shut up.’ I run a hand through my hair.

‘That made him sensitive.’ Calum bursts out into a fit of laughter, ‘you cannot say how good looking McKenzie is.’

‘Can we say how hot she was?’ Luke couldn’t hold back his laughter as he hurries down the hall.

‘Better keep running Luke!’ Ashton calls after him before taking off as well.

‘You do know what shop she works at don’t you?’

‘Yeah, why?’

‘Look up the number and give her a ring.’

‘Right now?’

‘No. Wait a few days. You don’t want to seem really creepy.’

‘I am not creepy.’ I whine rolling out of the bed.

Okay just a few more days.

McKenzie’s Point of View

I use the computer at work to go onto Twitter then search Michael’s name. I scroll down his profile to read his tweets from the last few days.

@Michael5SOS: Dallas you were all so damn beautiful! I can’t wait to come back. Loads of love x

@Michael5SOS: tell me that I’ll see you again cause I don’t know I can let you go.

@Michael5SOS: Our songs really come in handy at time lol

I exit it off of Twitter just as Shelia comes from the back.

‘Hey, I’m going out to meet up with my old friend so try to manage without me. I’m not supposed to leave the unattended but you seem competent enough to handle things in my absence. I’ll be back. Don’t call me.’

‘Okay Shelia.’ I sigh as she walks through the door. ‘Whatever you say.’

The store phone beside me begins to ring.

‘Hello, thanks for calling Earthbound this is McKenzie. How may I help you today?’

‘Hey McKenzie. It’s Michael.’