Michael didn't show up to school the next day so I decided to blow off 5th, 6th and 7th to go to his house.
I texted him once I had left the school parking lot and asked him what his address was and he gave it to me but asked me why I wanted to know. I didn't reply. I was gonna go surprise him.
~
I walked up the path to a relatively large baby blue house. there were weeds growing out of the cracks in the pavement of the walkway, but there were healthy roses growing in plots near the windows, and there was an undeniable smell of marijuana coming from the house. I pulled my phone out and checked that I got the right house, and I did have the right house. I just couldn't imagine Michael living in a place like this. there were two nice cars parked in the driveway. it didn't add up. the house was very nice but also looked run down. like whoever lived here had money but lived a bad lifestyle.
I knocked at the door and picked at some of the peeling paint around the doorknob until I hear the raspy voice of a woman screaming "ROBERT! GET THE DOOR". there were some loud footsteps until I was met with the face of a well dressed 30 something year old man. "who are you" he spat in my face, his breath smelling like cigarettes.
"I'm Ashley... does Michael live here?"
"who? oh yeah Mike" he turned around and screamed "MIKE GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE THERES A GIRL HERE"
I heard some more loud thumping and the sound of someone falling until Michael came down a set of expensive looking wooden stairs and nudged the older man out the way.
"Ashley, let's go outside" he said in a serious tone
I stood outside on the porch and watched him close the door slowly. he was wearing a big hoodie and a look of sadness crossed his face when he saw that I was staring at him, shocked. he turned me around and started walking me down the path and onto the sidewalk before saying "whatcha doing here Ash?" cheerfully
I doubted him for a second. he looked sad and tired when he opened the door but was acting all happy and goofy like he was yesterday.
I looked at him sideways for a second before saying "why didn't you go to school today?"
he immediately said "oh yeah, I was just feeling sick this morning" before flashing me a small smile.
we kept walking until I asked him why he was wearing a hoodie. it was August and it was 89 degrees out.
"like I said Ash, I wasn't feeling good and I'm feeling kinda cold"
I backed up and realised he was wearing shorts. he couldn't be "feeling cold" if he was wearing shorts. was something going on with him?
"MICHAEL GORDON CLIFFORD GET YOUR USELESS ASS BACK IN THIS HOUSE OR SO HELP ME GOD" the woman with the raspy voice screamed from back up the street. I just barely saw her face since we were far down the block.
"I gotta go Ash see you tomorrow?" Michael said in a hurry with a hint of fear in his voice
"sure sure go" I said calmly before patting him on the back
"feel better soon Mike!" I yelled as he ran back up to his house, I don't think he heard me though
there was something going on in that house. I kept walking down his street until I ended up at a dead end. I started back up the street to go home and when I passed Michael's house and realised that it wasn't "large". it was a McMansion. I heard screaming and I paused outside. it sounded like something was being thrown and I heard a loud groan that sounded like it came from Michael.
