petals of longing. [mileven au.] DISCONTINUED .

four.

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with just eight days remaining in mike's grasp, elaine embarked on that date with troy. as the days passed, it was a saturday, and mike found himself in elaine's company once again. a bitter taste lingered as he observed her affection for troy, grappling with his own emotions. H\he despised how ardently elaine adored troy, yet he acknowledged the joy that radiated from her. a pang of despair enveloped him, questioning whether elaine could ever find such happiness with him.

in that moment of heartrending clarity, mike's shattered heart seemed to splinter further. a yearning surged within him, a desperate wish for alaine to comprehend the depth of his emotions. but the cruel truth lingered—elaine might never understand.

as elaine's phone rang, displaying troy's name, a surge of anguish coursed through mike. the weight of his unspoken love felt unbearable as he watched elaine depart, citing the need to leave. gazing through the window, a gut-wrenching sight unfolded before him—elaine and troy, hand in hand, enveloped in a love that wasn't destined for him.

in that bittersweet moment of realization, mike acknowledged that elaine would never be his. the ache in his heart solidified into an unchangeable truth, a poignant chapter etched within the narrative of his unrequited love.

amidst retches and coughs, a symphony of anguish and frustration echoed within mike's thoughts. each cough seemed to punctuate his inner turmoil.

"why won't she love me?" the question reverberated amidst his distress.

"oh yeah, she loves that jerk!" bitterness tainted his words as frustration boiled within.

"she barely knows the guy!" a pang of disbelief mingled with his sorrow.

"she barely knows how much i love her!" regret and longing colored his thoughts.

"i should've made a move!" remorse clawed at him, hindsight taunting his indecision.

in the echoes of his coughs lay the cacophony of emotions, a storm raging within mike, drowning him in the regrets of unsaid words and unfulfilled possibilities.

the wrenching spasms seized mike once more, but this time, they were far more agonizing.

 burgundy-stained petals, tainted with blood, emerged from his retching.

 roses—elaine's beloved blooms. but would elaine embrace roses cascading from mike's bloodied mouth? would his affliction, this grotesque manifestation of his anguish, garner anything but horror from her? the grim reality gnawed at him, a stark contrast to the romanticized notions of affection and the harsh truth of his deteriorating condition.

in the dwindling countdown of a mere week, mike surrendered to tears, their silent cascade marking his anguish as he drifted into slumber. determined to make the most of these final days, a fleeting thought took root.

a call from his older sister, nancy, momentarily lifted his spirits. "hey, nance!" mike greeted, forcing a smile to cloak his inner turmoil.

"hi, mike. how are you?" nancy's concern echoed through the phone.

"fine," he replied, the strain evident in his voice.

"oh, you sound a little odd..."

"nope, i'm fine," he insisted, rushing through the conversation before retreating back to his bed, seeking solace in the embrace of dreams on that cold winter night.

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