I'm watching one of the kids' favorite movies with them when my phone starts to ring. I sigh, stand up, then leave the living room. I pick up my phone from the kitchen counter and look at the caller ID.
It's Michael.
Why is he calling me?
Do I answer it? Or do I ignore it?
I don't even know what happened earlier on the dance floor. I gave him his ring and he ran away, sobbing.
Did I do something wrong?
Did he do something wrong?
Just as I'm about to answer the call, it goes to voicemail. I spent too much time worrying.
I sigh and go to my voicemail to listen to the message he left.
"H-Hey, Noah," Mike's voice says. He sounds nervous but tired. "I-It's Michael. I just... A lot of things just happened and I... I just need you right now." He inhales a shaky breath in the message. "You don't have to come. You know how I am... Just a big baby sometimes. If you actually do come, I'm at the Pizzaplex. Vanessa's not feeling well, so Jeremy and I are splitting up her rounds for her shift. Gregory's here, too, so he can have dinner." He chuckles. "He's actually the one who encouraged me to make this call and not be a wimp. So... Yeah. I'll leave you alone now. Bye." And the message ends.
Oh, poor Mikey... What happened? It's only been a few hours.
I pull his contact up on my phone and call his cell. He picks up in the first ring.
"H-Hello?" his voice mumbles anxiously.
"Hey," I greet softly. "Are you okay? I listened to your voicemail. What happened?"
"What happened? Hah! Oh, that's not something you want to hear," Gregory's voice butts in.
"Am I on speaker?" I ask, chuckling.
"Y-Yeah. Sorry. He's treating my wounds right now," Mike mumbles.
"Wounds? Well, now I want to know what happened even more," I say.
"You're going to want to sit down," Gregory warns.
I sit down on the floor because I don't feel like sitting at the table. "Tell me."
"You're getting the short story," Mike tells me. "Um... First, it was a mental breakdown, and then I almost..." He trails off.
"Almost what?" I ask.
"I can't..." he whispers. "I'll crush him."
Oh, he's not talking to me. He's talking to Gregory.
"You don't know that," Gregory tells him.
"I do! The last time something like this happened, he was a wreck. I-I can't do that to him again!"
"Stop moving! You're making it difficult to clean the wounds." Gregory laughs, then sighs. "Do you want me to tell him?"
"No."
"He has to know, Mike."
"But why? I've already hurt him enough. I can't stand to hurt him again."
"He's your boyfriend! He deserves to know. He can help you."
"I'm too far gone. No one can help me."
"That's not true," I butt in.
"You wouldn't be saying that if you knew what happened," he tells me.
"Then what happened?"
"I... I almost overdosed on AR," he admits quietly.
"AR as in... agony remnant?"
"Mmhmm."
"May I ask why?"
"I... Intrusive thoughts."
"May I ask what the thoughts were?"
"Mmm-mmm."
"Okay. That's fine." I chuckle softly. "Do you still want me to come to see you?"
He hesitates. "Mmhmm."
"Do you want me to bring the kids?"
"Mmm-mmm."
"I'll drop them off at Henry's house, then. Is that okay?"
"Mmhmm."
"All right. I'll see you soon, Love."
"Bye," he mumbles, his voice filled with embarrassment before he hangs up.
YOU ARE READING
Happier (Michael x Noah)
FanfictionThis was originally going to be a skit for Afton Family Skits, but it's too long. Way too long. And it's got a plot that would be fun for a book! So, that's what I did! I made it a book. It's a very dramatic book, though, so be warned. This story ta...
