Breakdown

"Moving...?" Coraline's gaze turned up to her father, her hazel eyes holding more than just shock. Her father nodded absently, peering at her over his glasses before he dropped his gaze back to his computer. He had been at work all day and was now home on a Saturday, still working. Her chipped nails rapped against her bare knee as she stared into her lap. They were moving, and to America no less. She was fifteen for Christ's sake. Could they have at least waited until she graduated...?

"Don't get dramatic, Coraline."

His wife, as she still refused to call her anything close of a mother, leaned against doorway of the office. She was the last one who should be talking of being dramatic. Coraline clicked her tongue. "I'll stay with Mom." She decided, crossing her arms defiantly. Her eyes danced across the room to the urn that sat behind her father's desk. She heard Margaret scoff under her breath and pressed her nails into her tanned skin.

"We've already got buyers looking at the house Coraline." Her father was still busy typing away at his computer. Coraline's mind danced to her friends, who she was supposed to be meeting in about fifteen minutes.

"Give me this year... please." He finally lifted his gaze to meet hers, pressing his glasses up to the top of his head with sympathy in his eyes. "I'm sure you'll have to get over there soon, but I'm just not ready... I need time Dad... Please, just until the year is up. Michael's mom will look out for me, I'm sure. You and Margaret can get settled in and I'll get prepared to leave the last fifteen years of the only life I've known, behind me." A coy smirk played on the corner of her father's lips at her dramatic words.

"Fine, Cora. Be home by dinner tonight. You've only checked your phone six times in the ten minutes I needed to talk to you." Cora stood, knowing she wouldn't be home for dinner. Her father knew too, despite how stern he had sounded. She smiled and slipped from his office. A frown quickly graced her lips once she was out of their view, her chest aching as she walked out of the house.

Michael leaned against the column outside. Her eyes shot to the electric blue stripe in his hair once they made eye contact. He picked at it, a snarky grin on his face. "I give it until tomorrow morning when your mom cuts it out." She looped her fingers with his and pulled him down to the street.

He always did something crazy when a girl screwed him over. Last time it was the piercing on the corner of his eyebrow which he had laced a black piercing through for the day ahead. "We're meeting everyone at the field..." She glanced at the sky, seeing the sun sink lower beneath the horizon. She honestly didn't know how to tell Michael, unsure if she even would be able to. They had been friends for so long and she didn't know how he would take it. With a sigh, Cora swung their hands back and forth between them. He gave her a crooked grin and she stuck her tongue out, boots tapping against the pavement.



"Pass me that bottle, mate," Michael motioned to the half empty whiskey bottle that sat beside one of their friend's leg. The brunette fought to sit up before the girl he had brought along passed it for him with a small giggle. Of course, this caused a cheeky grin to dance across his face. Coraline didn't remember how they got there. All the boys, Coraline, and a few other kids from school. Michael's head laid atop her stomach and she was running her fingers through his hair, her nails grazing his scalp gently. He shivered and Cora laughed softly, training her attention to the John Mayer song that flood through the speakers of Grayson's cell phone in the grass. Michael took a swig of the whiskey before his hand made its way across her calf and he wrapped his whole arm around her leg, long fingers circling her ankle bone.

"That tickles," she murmured, alcohol clouding her vision. If a police officer was to happen upon them, they'd never be able to safely get away.

"Good," Michael chuckled and Cora smiled, her eyes gazing up at the stars. Michael's head lifted from her stomach and she felt him shuffle beside her until he was leaning over her still frame. His fingers danced over her cheek, causing a smile to follow. "God I love you Cor... I don't know what I'd do without you." Coraline giggled and rolled her eyes, craning her head away from him before mumbling a small 'whatever'. His arms wrapped around her waist and he pulled her back to his chest, his chin pressed into the crook of her neck. She smiled, closing her eyes as she laid her hands over his.

A few hours later, Frankie was shaking them both awake. "Oy, we need to go. Like now." Michael sat up first, stirring Cora awake soon after. Red and blue lights illuminated the sky around them and Michael pulled her to her feet and started across the field, his sneakers and her combat boots slamming against the moist grass. When she finally realized what was going on, a smile broke across her lips and she picked up her pace. He shot her a wild look, smiling as adrenaline rushed through their bloodstreams. They hit the road leading to the train station and finally stopped, keeling over to catch their breath. The others weren't too far off, as Coraline could hear their laughter clearly. Michael simply shook his head, commented about how wild that was.

"I got the whiskey!" Alex cried as he sprinted past the two of them. Sure enough, he held onto the bottle with the tips of his fingers, fully intending to keep running until he hit the train station. Michael smiled and laced his fingers with Coraline's pulling her down the road and towards the station. As they all waited for the tram to come, Michael's arm were wrapped around her, fingers laced together in front of her.

"I love you Cor," he smiled and Coraline let her head drop with a weak, guilty smile.