With Or Without You

Chapter Six: Sunday Bloody Sunday

Two weeks later, Clare sat in an uncomfortable airplane seat, relaxed and tanned from spending the week with Ian in Australia. Michael had called her a couple of times during the week to say hi and to make sure she wasn’t mad at him. She knew she’d left kind of abruptly, and even though she’d been planning this trip for a long time, she hadn’t told anyone about it until a day or two before she left. She’d been angry at Ali, who had been avoiding her and spending most of her time with Aaron. Aaron felt caught in the middle. Ali had told him what Clare said and they’d tried to figure out what it meant, but the only solution they could come up with was that Clare liked Michael and Ali dismissed that, saying that Clare was unaffected by swimmers having been Ian Thorpe’s cousin her whole life. Michael had relayed this story to Clare after Aaron told him, and the conversation had been slightly strained. Clare could tell that Michael wanted to ask her if she liked him, but he wouldn’t do it. She probably wouldn’t have told him the truth anyway. Not that she knew what the truth was.

She sighed. She knew it was possible, and highly probable that she liked Michael, but she didn’t really want to admit it, especially to herself. She’d grown up never telling people how she really felt because she didn’t want to be the bad guy and have people mad at her, but she also found that she got stepped on a lot because she never stood up for herself. Shaking her head, she tried to fall asleep and not think about any of it.

When the plane touched down, Clare was jolted awake. She had a stiff neck and a headache from having her head banged against the window. “Christ,” she muttered. “I can’t get a bloody break, can I?” she said to herself. Gathering up her bag, she got off the plane and headed to the baggage claim area. Just after she dragged her luggage off the belt, someone poked her in the side. She squealed and jumped, turning around, ready to hit somebody over the head with her heaviest suitcase.

Michael was standing there, grinning at her, with Aaron and Ali.

“Jesus Christ, don’t ever do that again,” Clare said in her most menacing voice. “I am fourteen hours ahead of myself, I have the worst jetlag in history, and I’m tired. But relaxed.”

“And tan,” Ali said.

“Yes, well, I was in Australia,” she snapped.

“She’s still mad at me,” Ali said quietly to Aaron. Aaron put an arm around her.

Michael picked up one of Clare’s suitcases and fell into step with her, a foot or two in front of Ali and Aaron. “I hear your birthday’s coming up,” he said.

She nodded. “November 30^th.”

“I feel like somebody else’s birthday is that day.”

“Clay.”

“You’re kidding. But he was not who I was talking about.”

“No, I’m not kidding. I’m like his bloody twin,” she said. She grinned. “It’s so great.”

“You’re crazy, you know that?”

“Yeah. Last year Clay’s mom had me over for my birthday, which is also Clay’s. She lives down the street from me and Ali. Though I’ve yet to meet her son, I really like her.”

Michael laughed. “How do you know his mom and not him?”

“I’m just lucky, I guess,” Clare said as they reached the car they’d taken to pick her up. She loaded her bag into the trunk.

“Hey, once you get your stuff back to your dorm, I have to tell you something.”

“Can’t tell me now?” she asked, leaning against the car.

“Nope. Actually, I may tell you tomorrow, so you can sleep. Yes, I think I’ll tell you tomorrow. You go have a good night’s sleep and I’ll tell you in the morning. Or afternoon, whenever you wake up. Good plan, coming home on Saturday.”

Clare sighed as she climbed into the backseat. Michael sat next to her and Ali and Aaron sat in front. “I just left home,” Clare said sadly. Michael put a hand on her knee comfortingly, and left it there the whole way back to Ann Arbor.

Clare, with the help of Michael, Aaron, and Ali, managed to drag her suitcases into her dorm room. Michael and Aaron left and Ali silently helped her unpack. “I’m sorry,” Ali said softly.

Clare looked at her, eyes narrowed in confusion. “What are you talking about?”

“For the way I acted two weeks ago. After you yelled at me I realized you were right. I had a talk with Michael and told him about my crush and how I felt bad for liking Aaron and that I thought I’d hurt your feelings. Clare, I think he likes you.”

Clare snorted, changing into her usual pajamas – gym shorts and a Clay Aiken tour T-shirt. “He doesn’t. We’re just friends. We just study together. And it’s ok, Ali. I was frustrated with school and needed a holiday and I took it out on you. I’m sorry too.”

“Are we ok?” Ali asked timidly.

Clare nodded and took a step towards her best friend, pulling her into a hug. “Ian asked me about you,” she said.

“Why?”

“Because he’s Ian. And he was horny. And since I was the only girl around and he couldn’t shag me, he wanted to know if you’d fly out just to shag him.”

Ali nearly choked on the water she’d been sipping. “Does he know he’s like my brother?”

“Apparently not. I really think if I hadn’t kept reminding him I was his cousin he would have gone after me. I thought about wearing a sign that said, ‘I’m your bloody cousin you sicko,’ but luckily did not have to resort to such actions.”

Ali laughed. “Next time you go to Australia, tell me. I haven’t seen Ian or your aunt and uncle in a long time. I’d like to come.”

Clare agreed. “Now I need to sleep.”

Ali turned off the light and both girls went to bed.

It was almost two in the afternoon the next day by the time Clare woke up. She rolled over to go back to sleep, and her cell phone rang. “Ugh,” she grunted, reaching over and picking it up.

“Mmm,” she mumbled.

“Morning, sunshine!” Michael’s cheery voice came through.

“Mmmmbmmmmhmmmm,” was Clare’s reply.

Michael laughed. “I have no idea what you said. Might be helpful if you lifted your mouth out of the pillow.”

Clare turned her head and closed her eyes. “I asked you want you wanted at this ungodly hour.”

“It’s two.”

“No kidding.”

“In the afternoon.”

“Really?” Clare sat up slowly and looked around. “Right. So. What’s up?” she asked groggily, stretching like a cat.

“I’m coming over.”

“What? Why?”

“Because I have to tell you something.”

“Right,” Clare said again. “Now?”

“Yes, now. Open the door.”

Stumbling out of bed, Clare opened the door and saw Michael leaning against the wall, a smirk on his face. “Love what you’ve done with your hair,” he said.

“Shove it,” she said.

Michael pushed past her and sat down on Ali’s bed. He closed his phone and slid it in his pocket. Clare closed hers and tossed it on her desk. “Is that good for it?”

“I don’t care. Michael,” she whined. “I’m tired!” She fell back on her bed and crawled back under the covers.

“Don’t fall asleep on me,” he said. He switched beds and sat down next to Clare. “Listen, you’re skipping classes on Tuesday.”

“Why would I do such a thing?”

“Because I have a surprise for you.”

“Michael,” she said warningly, but with her voice muffled by her duvet.

He just grinned. “I’ll come get you at two on Tuesday afternoon. You’d better be here.”

“I hate you,” she said.

He laughed and kissed the top of her head lightly. “No you don’t. Two. Tuesday. Be there.”

“Get out,” she said, ineffectively waving an arm at him, trying to swat him away. Michael kept laughing as he left the room and closed the door behind him.