The Mute || m.c. au ON HOLD

11.

//unedited//

   Michael went to his usual seat in the bus, it was the first seat directly behind the bus driver. You'd think Michael being Michael he'd sit in the very back but it was the exact opposite.

Not many kids rode his bus, fourteen in total when the other buses were on the verge of thirty students riding.

As usual his headphones were pushed in, blasting a Pierce The Veil song. He leaned his head against the vibrating window, waiting for the other kids to arrive so he could go home.

"Hey Mute" he read the lips of his usual bully, Ryan who of course was being closely followed by Tate.

Michael rolled his eyes and looked out the window, watching the not so wondrous scenery.

The whole ride home Michael thought of Lola.

That's all he seemed to think about now.

That girl was affecting him in ways no one else knew, in ways he didn't even know. He never felt so frustrated over a girl, not even Cassidy.

Michael sighed and stepped off the bus, getting pushed by the tormenting brothers to the ground before they parted their separate ways. He hummed along to the sound of King For A Day, one of his favorites.

"Naomi put that down right now!" His moms voice managed to overpower his music, debating that the earphones were now useless he took them out.

Closing the door behind him he went into the kitchen were the yells were coming from. The sight of their dog biting harshly onto the shiny black heel and a red faced lady soon came into view.

"Hey mom" Michael sighed, going straight to the refrigerator where he had left last nights pizza.

She sighed out of distress "Hey Michael".

Plopping the pizza into the microwave he watched the two go back and forth as the time got lower and lower. Rolling his eyes Michael pressed his lips together, whistling loudly to which the dog began whimpering after dropping the shoe.

"Thanks" she ran a hand through her hair.

"No problem" he sighed and carried the paper plate of last nights dinner into the room.

The dog following closely behind.

And once again he began thinking of Lola.

That maybe he should've just opened up and told her about Cassidy. She did see him break down and cry over that very girl, Michael thought Lola would've ignored him after that- but it seemed as if it didn't bother her that much.

So Michael sat in his room, thinking of ways to ask her out on a second date.

"Where's that useless boy!" The familiar frightening voice caused Michael to flinch.

He swallowed down a lump of pizza, preparing for what was going to come.
***
"Okay how do you say We are meeting at the restaurant?" Ashton looked at the girl who picked carelessly at the hole in her pants.

Lola shrugged, uninterested in learning any French.

Ashton sighed, closing the textbook and moving closer so that his knees where touching hers.

"What's wrong?".

"Just have other things on my mind Ash" she quietly spoke, never making eye contact with him.

He swallowed, afraid at the answer that'll she give.

"Is it Michael?" He sighed.

Lola nodded, feeling guilty that Ashton was just trying to help her pass a class and she was here pouting over Michael. A boy who obviously didn't have any interested in her anymore.

"Lola".

She hummed in response.

"Look at me".

Lola hesitantly followed his instructions, her eyes inching upwards. First starting at his hole ripped jeans, then his arms, finally his face. His eyes staring intently at hers, for some reason it made her nervous.

"I know you and Michael have a thing going on but which is more important? Some guy or your grades?" He raised an eyebrow, hoping she would pick her grades over Michael.

Ashton didn't want the few study sessions they had together to be ruined by Michael. This was the only time besides class and lunch that they hung out, and this was the only private time they had together. To lola it probably didn't mean much, but to Ashton it meant everything.

Lola let out a frustrated sigh "I know you want me to say my grades but honestly right now it's Michael".

His shoulders fell in defeat "Why do you like him anyways?".

A smile crept on her face at the thought of Michael.

"He's simply perfect. He's adorable, sensitive, smart, he just gives me butterflies. When I look at him I see a damaged boy, but I know that there's still a ball of sunshine inside. His smile warms my heart, his squishy cheeks and beautiful eyes. I just want to know everything about him, there's only so much you can learn about a person by studying them. I want to hold his hands and hug him and kiss his cheeks and -" Lola noticed the disgusted look on Ashtons face. So she stopped talking and looked back down at her jeans whilst blushing wildly.

"Sorry" she giggled, embarrassed.

Despite the empty feeling that Ashton felt when Lola talked about Michael, he smiled at the girl who blushed furiously in his presence.

"It's okay" he reassured her, though it wasn't.

That's how Ashton felt about Lola and it killed him that she had feelings for Michael.

He thought about pouring his heart out to her right there, but decided against it. Ashton knew that he would get rejected, Lola obviously likes his friend. Besides it would be a dick move to trap Lola in a "love triangle".

"He likes you" Ashton forced out.

Her eyes widened as she looked back up at him. "Did he tell you that?".

He shook his head, to which Lola sighed and calmed back down.

"But I can tell, he really likes you Lola. Don't worry, it might take a little time for Michael to come around. I've known him since we were little kids and there's some things that really hurt him. He just needs to know you won't leave him once he opens up".

Lola quickly embraced Ashton in a tight hug, digging her face in his neck.

"Thank you" she breathed out.

"You're welcome Lola" Ashton squeezed his eyes shut, nearly in tears that he had to force away his feelings for the girl that was in his arms.

So he enjoyed this moment, taking in the scent of the apple that settled on her soft hair.

I lied this chapter isn't super long.

But thanks for 1k reads!! Whoo