broken souls of blame | mileven

chapter seventeen

ASSHOLE + SWEETHEART

"there you are! where have you been all day? i texted you but you didn't answer." el says, sitting down by the cliff edge next to mike.

"couldn't you get the message then? not to fucking bother me?" he grumbles.

she frowns, "what's wrong? did something happen?" she places her hand over his as he pulls away.

"mike... talk to me.. please." she pleads.

he tilts his head back, letting out a sigh, "i fucked up."

"okay? how?" she asks.

"yesterday, i went out. i thought my mom was at a friends house so i went and my dad had to be somewhere with his friends anyways so it was safe. b-but when i went home-" he sniffles, "my mom was beat up by him. he never left, he was just passed out somewhere a-and my mom came home early and i wasn't there to protect her."

"mike, it wasn't your fault-"

"it is. i overheard his call saying he was going out yesterday! how could i mess it up!? how could i have allowed my mother to go home without me!?" he shouts as she flinches at his sudden tone.

"mike, calm down, please." she whispers, "where is she now?"

"i sent her to a hotel, i'm going to go there for a while as well." he tells her.

"come to my house. i'm sure joyce and will wouldn't mind you guys coming to live with us for a while." she says softly, trying to grab his hand again as he lets her making her smile.

"no, it's okay. i think i might tell her to go to live with my sisters. they live half hour from here." he murmurs.

"you have sisters?" she asks with wide eyes.

"yes, an older and a younger. my older sister moved out when she was eighteen and i made her take my little sister with her to keep her safe. she's under a lot of stress though, taking care of my little sister and going to college."

"why didn't your mother and you go with them?" she asks in confusion.

"he's after us both. my mom won't let me go alone and i won't let her stay alone so we stick together. and anyways, if i go.. my dad will for sure go search for me and then i would put my sisters at risk. me and my mom.... we can't go. my sisters need to be safe." he whispers as she sighs, pulling him in for a hug.

"i am sorry, i'm so sorry." she whispers into his shoulder.

he shakes his head, "don't be."

"if you want, i can to kill him for you." she half jokes.

he lets out a sad chuckle, "i wouldn't mind but you would go to jail and i can't have that."

she pulls back from the hug, "are you okay? don't say you're fine because i know you're not."

"i'm not fine. sometimes i wish i'm dead so my family can be safe." he says above a whisper.

"i wish for the same thing as well." she admits.

"your family is safe-"