Thanatophobia (Manthony)

Chapter 19

Christian

     I pace around my room, biting down on the nail of my thumb. "Bitch," I mutter to myself as I recall Jordan barging into my room. "Why are you so angry?" Mitchel asks as he walks in. 

"Let me think," I reply sarcastically. "Maybe, just maybe, it's because your stupid friend walked in here without even fucking knocking." 

"She didn't mean to, and you know it." Mitchel says in Jordan's defense. 

That was a lie, and I knew it, but I couldn't tell Mitchel that. She was an angel in his eyes.

"I don't care. She should knock." 

"Can you sit down and relax?" Mitchel asks. I look at him, suppressing my anger, and do as told. I take a deep breath, attempting to gain control of myself. 

"I'm tired of fighting with you." Mitchel sits next to me. "We're not fighting." I say. 

"Yeah, but I feel like we can never be happy," Mitchel stops speaking for a second. "It's exhausting." He finishes. 

"What are you saying right now? Are you trying to break up with me?" Mitchel shakes his head quickly. "I want us to be happy. We have gone through too much for us not to be happy." I nod in agreement.

 He grabs my hand, forcing me to look in his direction. "I love you, okay?" I half-smile, still pissed off about Jordan. "I told some friends I'd meet up with them. I'll see you later." I let go of Mitchel's hand, kissing him goodbye before leaving my room. 

I glance back quickly. Mitchel looked upset. Maybe I should have stayed with him.

*****

     I shove my Converse on and run out of the house, where my friend Cynthia and her boyfriend Aaron are waiting for me in their car. I jump into the backseat, greeting them both. "How're you guys?" I ask as Cynthia speeds down the highway. 

"Same old, same old. You?" Aaron replies. I shrug, grabbing a beer from the pack in the seat next to me. "Me too. Where are we going?" 

"Picking up Travis. He wanted to join in on the fun." Cynthia says as she turns down a random street. I frown, not knowing what she meant by that comment. 

"We all gonna fuck or something?" I laugh at my joke as I continue to drink. 

"How are things going with Jordan?" Cynthia asks me. I groan in annoyance. "She just walked in on Mitchel and I having sex." I say. "She is doing her absolute best to destroy me." 

"You think she did it on purpose?" Aaron asks. 

"I know she did on purpose. She's an absolute bitch, but I can't say that to Mitchel because he thinks she's fucking perfect." Cynthia rolls her eyes. "She's gotta give it a rest. I don't know why she's so obsessed with you." 

"I don't even think she's obsessed with me, honestly. I think she enjoys trying to ruin my life." Aaron agrees with me.

 I finish the beer, tossing the empty bottle on the car floor, and grab another. 

I pop the cap off with my teeth, watching Aaron take out a small clear bag with white powder. 

I frown, looking between Aaron and Cynthia. "Uh," I say.