(Edited)

Michael laid his head on the cold window and stared outside at the passing cars. He had no idea where they were going, but he knew he trusted Autumn. Relief washed over him when they drove away from the school. He wasnt ready to go back in there, to face anyone. Michael was surprised when she was the one that had run after him, he didnt expect it, but deep down, he wished that she would. She had no idea how much she meant to him. Maybe to some extent, neither did he.

Michael looked over at her, and there she sat absolute perfection. He had never before met someone like her; she was completely different from any other girl. He realized that she was better; Autumn was better than her. The car ride wasnt completely silent, the radio was playing music in the background, and Autumn sat mouthing the words as if she knew them by heart. A sudden thought occurred to Michael; he realized he wanted her to know him that way. By heart.

Shit, what was I thinking? Michael shook his head. He couldnt have feelings for her; it was trouble. Michael looked outside again; their surroundings still unclear to him. Less than a minute passed, and he was looking at her once again, he couldn't help himself. She was beautiful, no doubt, but there was something, deeper than beauty; she was breath-taking. There was so much about her that he wished he knew. He wanted to see what laid behind those pained blue eyes. He desired to read her like a book, unravel every piece of her. He craved to lay her out like a million words on a piece of paper so he could read her over, and over again. Michael wanted to know how to make her smile, squirm and laugh all at once. He yearned to love her, but he couldnt, not again.

Autumns eyes were fixed on the road, paying full attention. She must have felt his stare; her pink lips stretched into a small smile that warmed his heart. She chuckled. "Not being subtle, are we?"

Michael smirked, feeling arrogant. "Never have been." She shook her head slightly, her smile growing.

"Where are you taking me, anyway?" He asked, looking around. She ran a hand through her messy blond hair and removed them from her eyes. Goodness, I love her hair.

"Just wait, were almost there."

"Are you kidnapping me?"

Autumn gulped and said, "You figured it out! Now I'll have to kill you faster."

Michael gasped and placed a hand over his heart. "Did you just quote Harry Potter?" he asked. "You're a Potter head, arent you?" he teased her.

She blushed scarlet. "Shut up!" She punched his shoulder lightly. "Wait, how do you know thats from HP?" she asked him smirking.

Michael shrugged nonchalantly. "I've watched them all." She removed her eyes off the road and gaped at him, she looked like a fish out of the water, and he couldnt help but burst with laughter.

"And you dare make fun of me?" She scoffed, punching him repeatedly.

"Eyes on the road, woman!" he yelled between fits of laughter. She pouted, and Michael couldnt help but look at her lips. "May-C forced me. It wasn't my choice."

Autumn rolled her eyes, not believing one word. "Don't even, she's a princess freak, that was all your doing." She glanced at me and smirked. "Besides, we both know nobody can force you to do anything you don't want." She bit her lip and smiled slightly, turning right onto a gravel road.

Shit! What is happening to me? What is she doing to me?

"Come on, Harry, we're here," Autumn said, getting out of the car. She waited for him to get out and locked it. Michael stood, still stuck in a trance; she had that effect on him.

"You brought me to a bar?" He asked, snapping out of it. Michael took in his surroundings, transfixed by the kind of places that Autumn knew. He saw a few bikers on the one side and a group of teenagers on the other side. It looked like a hang out for gang members. He looked up and read the neon sign out loud, Neds place.

Autumn gasped. "You can read?"

"Witch." He chuckled.

"Jerk!" She muttered.

Autumn led them inside, walking straight up to the bar and sat them both down. Michael couldnt help but look around the shady place filled with even shadier people. Autumn sat with her back to them, looking incredibly comfortable, crazy girl.

Michael scratched his neck nervously and looked at Autumn. "What are we doing here?"

Princess smiled. "Well, you're going to have a few drinks. You're going to drink for the next." She looked at the time. "four hours and then at five I'll stop you, and you'll sober up." She smiled proudly. "The whole point of this is for you to forget the problem and switch your focus, or you can talk to me about it."

Michael smiled at her; she looked absolutely adorable right now. "Ok Miss plan it all, how are we getting drinks?"

"Show your Fake ID and voila, drinks."

Michael leaned closer to her and smirked. "What if I don't?" he whispered against her ear, making her shudder.

He loved the fact that he had the same effect on her that she had on him. Michael pulled back and looked in her eyes; desire swirling around with a layer of sadness. Her eyes snapped towards his lips, and he couldn't help but bite them. Autumn shook her head and rolled her eyes, calling the buff bartender over.

Michael smirked, smugly. "How exactly are you getting drinks without my ID?" She placed a smirk on her own lips and pushed her hair behind her shoulders.

"Easy!"

"Hey, Blondie." The buff guy greeted Autumn and looked at Michael. A smile came on her face.

"Hey, Neddy! Missed me?" She asked playfully. Michael's eyes widened, How the hell does she know this guy?

"You know I always do." He winked at her. "What can I get you?"

Autumn ordering their drinks snapped Michael out of his haze. "Four shots, a beer and my usual please?" He walked away and got their order ready.

Her usual? How many times has she been here?

Michael looked at Autumn perplexed. "How the hell did that just happen? You're freaking underage." He looked angry as heck, and she smiled at him. He balled his fist, ready to punch this so-called Neddy in the face. Autumn grabbed his fist and opened it up, replacing it with her small palm, their fingers intertwined. The feel of her skin against him made him momentarily forget why he was angry until Ned placed the drinks in front of them.

"Enjoy, call if you need anything," Ned said and started to walk away, but Michaels voice stopped him.

"How the hell can you sell to h-" Autumns hand placed over his mouth stopped him. Ned shot her a look, and she smiled innocently.

"Ignore him Neddy, he's just moody." He chuckled and shook his head, walking away.

The thing that irritated Michael the most was that this Ned fellow wasn't bad looking and from the looks of it, she spent a lot of time here. Autumn removed her hand and ignored the glare Michael was sending her. She pushed four shots and a beer at him and grabbed her drink. Michael looked at the red-ish drink in her hand and snarled.

"What are you drinking?" he asked with distaste.

She slapped his cheek, mockingly and chuckled. "Its a fruit blend that Neddy makes. Alcohol-free promise." She pushed her glass forward, testing if he trusted her. He looked at it and took a sip; sweet nectar filled his mouth, no alcohol. He gave her drink back, and her smile turned into a frown.

"You thought I was lying?"

Michael caressed her cheek, and she couldn't help but lean into his hand. "No princess, but with these people, you can never be too careful."

She pulled away from him and cleared her throat. "I know these people, Michael so no need for the distrust." She urged him to drink his drinks, and he took the first two shots swallowing them; they left a minty aftertaste.

"How do you want to start this?"

She took a sip of her drink and leaned in a bit, the bar getting louder by the minute. We'll handle it like twenty questions. She saw the hesitation in his eyes and volunteered to start.

"How did you find this place?" Michael asked.

"A drunken adventure." He chuckled and nodded his head. It was her turn. "Who called you?"

"My father." he clipped shortly. He wasn't ready yet. Michael furrowed his eyebrows, thinking of something to ask her. "A month or so back, we were at Ashtons party." He looked at her to see if she remembered.

Recognition filled her eyes, and she smirked. "The first time you almost kissed me?" she teased. Michael blushed and tried to hide it with a chuckle.

"Yeah, that one!" I saw you fight that night. "I was going to jump in and help, but it seemed you had it covered."

Autumn clenched her fist under the counter, hiding the anger that appeared. "What's your question? Michael pulled her fist from under the counter and held her hand. She took a sip of her drink, hiding the shock that consumed her. Autumn forgot how attentive he was. She didnt want to be unfair and only let him share his secrets, so she took a chance and told him as much as possible.

"Who taught you to fight?"

A faint smile portrayed on her face, thinking back to simpler times. "Friends of mine from back home taught me. They wanted me to be able to protect myself." She chuckled and looked at Michael. "They were absolute idiots."

"You miss them?"

"Yes." She cleared her throat. "My turn." Michael was done with all four shots and half his beer, feeling a small buzz. "What's the issue with your father?" Michael gulped, he knew this was coming.

"Straight to the point."

"Always am," She said.

Michael downed the rest of his beer and Autumn called Ned over for a second round. Michael took a deep breath and looked over at Autumn, who sat waiting patiently.

"The deal with my father is that he's a lying, cheating excuse of a man." He took another shot from the counter in front of him. "The bastard cheated on my mom, and I'll never forgive him."

The look on Autumns face warmed Michaels heart. He could see that she cared, that she felt his pain. With that thought in mind, Michael decided to tell her the whole story; he wanted her to know why he didnt give her a chance. Yes, he filled her in about his ex cheated on him, but he never said with whom. And even though Michael knew that Autumn was nothing like her, he couldn't get over it.

"I told you my ex cheated on me, but I never said with whom." He downed the rest of the drinks that were placed in front of him and looked at her. "My father and my girlfriend were sleeping together. Freaking disgusting if you ask me." Michael shook his head; the memory felt fresh in his mind.

She was underage, and he slept with her. She was Michael's girlfriend, and he still slept with her. He wanted to go to the cops and get him arrested, but his mom stopped him. She didn't want to go through that. It was bad enough that he had cheated, but that he did it with an underage girl and his sons girlfriend was even worse. Michael didn't have enough time for the memory to consume him. He could feel the anger radiating off him, but before he could lash out and punch something, Autumn grabbed his hand and led him to the dance floor; his horrific past forgotten in her arms.

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