Veto Syndrome// m.c

[5]

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Steph groaned as she stretched in her bed. It was nearing eight in the morning and she had been awake since five, thanks to the sunlight that shone brightly through the pale, lavender curtains that covered her window. She had passed the early morning hours with a book in her lap, her blankets tucked tightly around her bottom half, and a bag of fun size chocolate bars hidden under the blanket. Nic would kill her if she found the stash, not because it was so early in the morning, but because Steph hadn't even bothered to share. Stashes are private, stashes are secret; the chocolate was only Steph's.

The door slammed shut as her mum left the house to head to work, her dad having left earlier. The house was hers for the next nine hours; bliss.

"From Clifturd: I have to go to school nowwwww :( "

"From Clifturd: Where tf are you, Steph??!"

"From Clifturd: It's not like you fucking sleep in or anything. U wake up like at fucking What-The-Hell in the morning."

"From Clifturd: Where u @, bro"

"From Clifturd: Janet"

"From Clifturd: Stephanet"

From Clifturd: Ok tht was a shitty joke, I understand if u don't wanna b friends"

Steph rolled her eyes and snorted as she read the text. She and Michael had been talking for well over a month now. They'd text each other throughout the majority of the day, spend hours into the night speaking on the phone- usually outside because Michael claimed it was "more private."; just him, her, and the sky (which Steph called "bullshit" because more people could hear their conversation outside). They also continued to meet at the park after Steph's appointments, Michael never once asking why she always seemed to be at the clinic.

It was all amazing and new, for Steph. Her friendship with Michael made her feel more normal than any solo trip to the grocery store could ever make her feel. He talked to her, and it wasn't because he was asking her if she had noticed any symptoms that had developed in the time since her last doctors appointment. They discussed all sorts of topics together, varying from television shows, to music, to social issues. And each discussion was important and meant something to Steph, each discussion helped Steph stay just a little more sane in her small, uneventful world.

"To Clifturd: Shut up you clingy twAT"

"To Clifturd: And good morning. I hope you have a good day <3"

"From Clifturd: Good morning, light of my life! Thank you"

A blush spread across Steph's cheeks as she read the text. She should've been used to Michael's copious amount of flirty terms of endearment, but she wasn't. She still felt flutters of butterfly wings in her stomach, her heartbeat still sped up, a goofy smile still always found a place on her lips. Her mum had spotted that goofy smile multiple times already, labeling the smile as "Clifturd's Smile".

Her phone began vibrating in her hands, a selfie they had taken while hanging out at the park one afternoon popping up and Michael's number flashing upon her screen.

"Mikey?"

"I HAD HOMEWORK! I DIDN'T SEE THAT I HAD IT, BUT I DID! I'M GONNA FAIL AND DIE, STEPHANIE!"

Her ears rang with Michael's loud, panicked voice.

"Calm. Down."

"ST-" Steph shushed him, he sighed as he took a deep breath. "That's my first class, I have that fucking class in less than an hour! I can't fail this homework assignment!"