Bad Dreams //mgc

5.

Twenty minutes later, we pull into the garage of Regan's blue duplex townhouse.

"Your room is at the top of the stairs on the right. Bathroom is right next to it. It's all yours. I have my own. Your suitcase is in your room already." Regan quietly says, finally breaking the silence. She knew. She knew and never told me. Some best friend. I get out, slamming the door behind me, stomping into the townhouse, through the little half bath that joins the garage to the house, and find the stairs immediately to my right. Running up the stairs, I barely take notice of the four guys sitting on the couch, and I slam my bedroom door shut. I fall face first onto my bed, sobbing once again.

How can this happen? Why do horrible things have to happen to me? Every time my life starts to go great, something horrible happens. Why me? Bad things only happen to bad people, right? I guess I really am a horrible person. Before I met TJ, I was a rebel. I skipped classes all the time, smoked, drank (even at 14 and 15 years old) hung out with the druggies, slept around. Then I met TJ, and I began to change. I became a better person. I went to class again, graduated with a good enough GPA to get into USC, which isn't easy, quit drinking (for the most part)... TJ is the only guy I've been with in over three years. I grew up and became a better person. For him. And this is what I get. I guess its true what they say. Karma's a bitch.

***
"Fuck men! I'm never dating again!" I say quietly to myself, slowly exhaling from my cigarette. Smoking is the one thing I didn't quit, and I tried to keep that hidden. That's why I'm out here on the roof outside my bedroom window. I lay down, looking at the stars and take a deep breath as I finish my cigarette, flicking it off the roof.

"Cara! That window better be shut! I don't want my house smelling like a damn ashtray!" I hear Regan call out from her backyard below, followed by the sound of multiple laughs, male laughs. What the hell? I then remember seeing four guys on the couch as I ran upstairs hours ago. Great. This is the last thing I need.

A cold breeze blew and I shivered. I was so upset that I hadn't realized just how cold it was outside. My stomach growled and I heard a laugh that made my stomach do flip flops. NO! "There's pizza down here, if you want some!" one of the guys said. His voice was pure perfection. NO NO NO! I'M DONE WITH MEN!

"I'm not hungry!" I growled. He chuckled and I heard another guy giggle. Giggle! What guy giggles? "You're tummy is saying otherwise!" the perfect angelic voice said through his laughter.

I growled and mumbled, "Fine" as I climbed back into my bedroom and headed to the bathroom to clean up a bit. Not that I care what I look like. I'm done with men. I just need to clear the tear stains off my face.

*Michael's POV*

We all walk back inside away from the fire pit that Luke is putting out when I heard the bathroom door shut upstairs. I was intrigued to meet Cara. Regan talked about her all the time. Apparently they were best friends for the past 14 years. She seemed like such a friendly and fun person. The quick glimpse of her running up the stairs when she arrived has haunted me for hours. She looked like she had been crying, and I heard her sobbing upstairs. I hate when girls cry. I try to act all punk rock, but I really care about people. Only the four guys in this room know that about me.

"Michael, be nice to her, pleeease?" Regan begs me when she hears Cara start walking down the stairs. I just smirk a cocky grin at her. This could be fun!

I turn back to the stairs when I see her. Holy shit she's gorgeous! "Close your mouth buddy," Calum whispers, continuing past me to the kitchen for more pizza, laughing as he walks away.

"Care," Regan says to her as she reaches the bottom of the staircase, snapping me out of my trance, "You better get some pizza before Mikey beats you to it and steals it all!" she laughs as she hands her a beer. That's when she finally looked at me and my stomach erupted. Her eyes! Oh my god! She started to smile, but forced herself to stop, then turned away and ran to the pizza.