Pathway || m.c

Part 13.

"Are you kidding me?"

Those bright green eyes were way too familiar to not recognise. I had spent too much time recently looking into them to not know exactly who they belonged to. Of course, it was none other than the very own Michael Clifford. He had been the mysterious boy by the beach this entire time. Every single countless night I had spent thinking and wondering just who it was. 

Just days ago Michael had made an advance at me and kissed me. I had let him down gently afterwards as I was completely and utterly attatched to this person who was only a vague existence in my life. I was completely lost for words thinking about what was going to happen now that I've discovered that they are the same person.

"I've been wanting to tell you for so long; to reveal myself. But Charlie," he started, coming towards me and taking my hands in his. "Please understand that I never wanted to hurt you if I ever did in some way."

It was such a gorgeous night. Nothing but clear skies and calm waters. On any other night, this setting would easily put me at ease. But on this very particular night, my entire being was tense.

"I have admired you for the longest time, but I never knew the right way to introduce myself. I was completely caught up in my thoughts one night and I just couldn't manage to sleep. So I came down here to the beach." 

The night was silent, Michael words melting into the blissful surrounds. I tried to fight the tiredness I had began to feel, wanting to hear what he had to say.

"I still remembered the first night I ever noticed you were here. You had sat right by the water. I was in absolute aw of you Charlie. I still am. I had never spoken to you, but I continued to come night after night just so I could connect with you. Then when Mr Barker approached me to help you out, I couldn't say no. I've been trying to figure out a way to reveal myself, so to say, ever since then. I've just always wanted to know why you come here. Nearly every night, Charles."

To say I was stressed out was an understatement. I felt like Michael had a right to know. He was becoming a bigger part of my life than I had ever imagined.

"This beach..." I sighed, hating talking about the events of things that happened with my dad. "This beach is where my dad used to come. He would come on the nights where the voices would get really bad. He had depression and schizophrenia. He would rarely take his medication for it. But coming to the beach would kind of reset everything and completely take his mind off everything. Like this right here was his medication, y'know? This one night. I don't remember much but I vaguely remember him leaving in the middle of the night, just like he always would."

I looked out into the dark blue ocean. It was never ending. So easily to just leave. To get lost.

"But he never came back. He succumbed to the voices. We're never really going to know what happened that night, but we believed he killed himself. Drowned, we think. This beach is the only way I still feel connected to him. It scares my brother," I huffed, shaking my head. "He doesn't want me to end up the way Dad did. I don't think he gets it though. I loved coming to the beach every night because there was this boy that would come, and just his company was enough to make everything better. My medication, of the sort."

Michael pulled me in for a hug, taking refuge on the ground below.

"I never knew his face or his name. Only the outline of his silhouette. I basically fell in love with this boy. I continued to come, just for him. He made me feel so whole. And now, to find out that person was you this whole time is nothing but amazing." I looked up and met his green eyed gaze. "But this is a lot to take in, especially all at once. It's just crazy to think that you have been the person I have fallen asleep thinking about so often. I never once would have thought it had been you."