No Good at Goodbyes

Chapter 11: Sixteen Months

Author's Note: Happy Saturday!  Just wanted to thank everyone who leaves comments and who has been going back and reading some of my other works, leaving comments and voting on the old stuff. I'm glad that somehow you haven't been scared away by the... dark nature of some of my stuff? lol. Anyway, thank you. The comments help me to write better. So keep them coming, the good, the bad and the ugly! 

Chapter 11: Sixteen Months

Scott Hoying: So... what yall up to?

Kevin Olusola: Just put the little man down for a nap. How you doing bud?

Mitch looked down at his phone, watching the exchange between his friends. He was thankful that Scott was reaching out more in the past couple of months. He was smiling, he was joking around again, and he was keeping himself busy.

But the others were constantly walking on eggshells, and the whole thing simply wasn't sitting right with Mitch.

The thought of his breakdown two months ago still plagued Mitch's mind daily, breaking his heart over and over again.

Scott Hoying: Just wrote a musical 🙌

Kirstin Maldonado: What? That's so cool! Tell us about it.

Scott Hoying: Took me two months but we like what we have... wish me luck in getting anyone to take a look.

Matt Sallee: Insane! Can't wait to hear about it!

Scott Hoying: Wanna come hear the demo? I would love some honest opinions.

Mitch hated everything about this. He had no idea that Scott was even working on anything like this. He hated not knowing what was going on in his friend's life.

Mitch cursed himself. He should consider himself lucky that Scott was willing to share this with him at all.

Mitch Grassi: Time and place, and I'm there.

They sat on the leather couches of Scott's living room, feeling much more optimistic about this visit than they had last time.

"Where's Mark?"

"Oh, he went out with his sister."

Mitch took a moment to survey the taller man as he started to tell them about the musical. Mitch had done this each time they had seen each other for the past two months, in fact, mentally ticking off his checklist as he watched the man across from him.

Healthy weight? Check.

Healthy complexion? Check.

Clear eyes with normally-sized pupils? Check.

Steady hands? Check.

Smile that reaches the eyes? Check.

And Mitch felt like he could breathe again.

"So hit us with it," Kevin said, enthusiastically, clapping his hands together.

"Yeah... that's not really why I asked all of you here."

The room was filled with a heavy silence; one that had become all-too-familiar in the past year and a half.

"I don't know if this is even still an option..." Scott began, and his cheeks flushed slightly. He rubbed his hands together, awkwardly, and suddenly he wouldn't make eye contact with anyone.

Mitch refused to get his hopes up.

"Would you all be willing to try again? I think... I think I'm ready now."