How To Talk To Your Crush

two

Stuffing popcorn into his mouth, Mickey found it difficult to concentrate on the film.

The loud noises were piercing through the bedroom, rumbling through the walls and vibrating from his head to his toes. He could hardly hear the sound of his thoughts over the roaring dialogue.

He rolled his eyes and directed his attention to Cole, who was nonchalantly scrolling through his phone, the brightness illuminating his face a bright white. Mickey reached forward and snatched the controller from across the blankets, turning the volume down.

"I was watching that," Cole frowned in a grumble, but he was still sucked into whatever he was viewing on his phone screen. Mickey shot him a narrowed glare and went for another handful of popcorn.

"She wants me to talk to Ethan," he snapped, whirling around to face him. "Lucy actually suggested I ask him for help."

The idea had been playing on his mind ever since she had suggested it. It was simply ridiculous, right? Mickey couldn't see himself grovelling on his knees for somebody like Ethan, and there was no way he was going to ask for any of his help. He would die from embarrassment. That, and Ethan would dangle his secret over him, maybe blackmail him into doing things for him. There was no way Mickey could let that happen.

This was giving Ethan an overbearing advantage over him.

Cole raised a brow and shrugged his shoulders, still tapping away at his phone. "Who...?"

Mickey snatched his phone and tossed it across the bed. The delinquent finally blinked back into reality with a scowl, directing his gaze to his friend with a small glare.

"Can you listen to me?" Mickey snapped, having felt far too irritable all day to deal with his friend. "For just one second? Is that so hard?"

"Jesus, chill out," the other huffed back, his expression tight in annoyance. "No need to be an asshole."

"Me? An asshole?"

Mickey didn't know why, but every little thing kept playing on his mind, making him feel miserable. His stalemate with Andrew. Lucy's proposal. His parents at home and of course, the thought of Ethan.

"Yes. You. An asshole," Cole tugged the blanket towards him, dragging his phone along. He picked it up and turned it back on, sighing. "I'm letting you stay the night, aren't I? I don't have to always listen to you blabbering on about how you're too much of a pussy to say hello to Andrew."

The brown haired boy's face tightened in a flash of hurt, before it hardened inexplicably. Dangerous thoughts poured into his mind, making him feel as though he was being nothing but a burden right now.

He wasn't even listening to me, he thought miserably, climbing off the bed. So much for getting his advice.

Cole peered at him when the mattress shifted, and his shoulders sagged suddenly. "Hey, come on. Where are you going?"

"Back home," Mickey replied bitterly. "Since letting me stay here is such an inconvenience."

He heard an exasperated sigh as he shoved his hoodie on, moving towards the door where his shoes were sprawled out. He started putting them on as he heard Cole climb off the bed, padding along the floor.

"Jesus, Mickey. Come on," he sighed heavily, dragging a hand down his face. "You know that's not what I meant."

Mickey didn't reply. He knew he could let his emotions grow too controlling, but he was too exhausted to deal with the rationality of it all right now. All he could think about was locking himself in his room and sleeping off the rest of the night before the inevitable call of school the next day.