Skips A Beat ::Wattys2016::

Chapter 4

"Oreos, check!" Michael smiles up at me, grabbing a pack from the shelf. He's sitting in the cart, various snacks piled up in his lap. I give the cart a hard push sending us down the aisle, grabbing things as we pass. He giggles. "Ooh! Lukey, can we get a movie, too?" He folds his hands together, pouting his lips at me adorably. I can't say no to that. We go to the electronics sections, searching through the movies.

"Oh! Gimme!" He exclaims, leaning over the side of the cart. I have to lean back to keep him from tipping the cart. He grabs The Lego Movie. I roll my eyes.

"Michael, we have seen that movie so many times."

"So?"

"We went to see it seven times in the theaters."

"So?"

"So I'm not getting that movie." I say. Michael pouts, putting it back, and looking at the other movies. He keeps frowning, obviously trying make me feel bad about it. I groan. "Fine, we can get it."

"No, you said that we aren't getting it." Michael shakes his head. God damn his stubbornness. I shrug. If he doesn't want it, then whatever. We check all the snacks to make sure we have enough, and head to the check out.

The lady at the cash register gives us a weird look as I help lift Michael out of the cart. I even see her roll her eyes as he pants slightly. I fight every muscle in my body telling me to say "listen here, bitch". I've had enough experience with Mikey to know that people are just going to assume that he's a lazy, annoying teenager. No one is going to think that he's panting because his chest, his heart, is hurting (literally). No one is going to think that he's in the cart because he can't walk long distances anymore. I know that people are going to mistake his pain as an attitude problem. That's just the way it is. People assume that other people are healthy if they look outwardly okay. They don't think about all the stuff going on on the inside.

"You okay?" I ask softly. He nods, and starts unloading the cart. We're actually having this movie date night because it's one of his pre-bad days. Judging on this past week, and the past bad days, he's going to be miserable. I help hand him some snacks, listening to the beep every time the cashier swipes an item across the scanner. She gives me the total, and I quickly pay, grabbing the bags before Michael insists on helping me.

"I left the car unlocked." I say. He opens up the passenger side, sliding in. I put all the snacks and the movie in the trunk. When I close it, I can see Michael hunched over in his seat, his head resting against the dashboard. I would be scared, but I can see his shoulders moving.

"Mikey?" I ask as I open the door. He straightens up, wiping his eyes quickly. He pushes out a painfully fake smile.

"Yeah?"

"What's wrong?" I ask, sliding into the seat. He shakes his head, making me frown. His hands run continuously across his thighs. "Michael Gordon Clifford, what's wrong?"

"It's just," He hesitates, staring directly into my eyes. He bites his lip lightly. "I just...I want to t-..." He shakes his head, and closes his mouth before blurting. "I want the Lego Movie!" I laugh.

"That's why you're crying?"

"Uh, yeah." He says quickly. Nodding his head just as fast. He turns his head so he isn't looking at me anymore.

"Want me to get it?" I ask, already getting out of the car. He smiles, whispering his thanks. I turn my head back to him in the car, he's hunched over crying again. This isn't a normal Michael thing. I know he gets mad, and gets to the point of tears, but he never wants to be alone when he's crying. That scares me.

----------

"Michael?" I poke his cheek. He jumps, turning his face towards me. "Seriously, what's wrong? You wanted me to go get this movie, and then you aren't even watching it."