Crushing (Scömíche)

Chapter 9

"Ok so what are we talking about?" Kevin asked.

"Mitch!" Kirstie rolled her eyes.

"Kirst, I agree with Scott. What can we do?" Kevin said. Kirstie threw her head back onto my shoulder and groaned.

"Nothing! We can't do anything! That's why I'm upset!"

"Kirst it's only been a day, he'll come back." I said.

"Yeah, I was only kidding, he'll be back. He loves you too much." Kevin offered.

Kirstie was taking this pretty bad, but I couldn't blame her. Yes, I was absolutely terrified, but I was kind of out of tears. I truly believed that Mitch would be home in less than a week, but Kirstie had given me doubts. Then I remembered the one place he would go.

"Hello? This is Scott."

"Scott! Hi! How are you?" She asked.

"I'm good Mrs. Grassi, but-" I didn't know how to word it. I didn't want to worry her.

"Is Mitch visiting this week?" I asked.

"No, Scott, why? Is something wrong?" She asked with concern.

"No it's fine, he told me he was going somewhere, but i just forgot. I'll try to call him again. Thank you." I said.

"Ok as long as everything is ok! Bye Scott." She said. I said goodbye and hung up. Everything was definitely not ok.

"Hasn't seen him." I muttered.

"Who else? Old friends?" Kevin offered.

"No. He wanted space. He wanted to breathe and think. He wouldn't go anywhere other than a hotel and his moms."

Then my phone rang. I had never been so excited to answer a phone.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Scott. It's Mitch. I love you." Then he hang up. That was it. Nothing else. No other words. He was alive, but maybe not for long. Was he saying goodbye to me? He would call Kirstie to wouldn't he?

"Scott!" Kirstie was yelling.

"What was that?" She asked when I was  paying attention.

"Him. He said hi, then he said he loved me. That was it. He's alive, but-" I stopped, my throat dry and scratchy.

"That's enough." Kirstie said, getting up.

"Where are you going?"

"To Mitch." She said. That damn boy.

"I'm coming." I said.

"Me too!" Kevin agreed. And so we piled into my car and we were off.

"Where are we going?" Kevin asked.

"A place."

*Kirstie's POV*
I was speeding a little, but Mitch was important and it was a highway. I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel as the boys asked every form of 'where are we going' they could think of . I really didn't want them to know about it, especially if he wasn't there, but I had no choice. Mitch might be there.

I couldn't believe I hadn't thought about it until now. I was almost certain if he went one place this would be it.

"Are you sure he's there?" Scott asked. Finally something new.

"Not even a little, but there's a chance." I said, turning the radio up a little louder as I heard a song I liked. Scott reached over and turned it back down.

"What can you tell us about this place?" He asked.

"It's special to Mitch and I, but especially him. We met there. I'd rather not take the two of you there, but I don't have all that much of a choice." I said plainly and turned the radio back up. I braced my self for more questions, but they didn't come. I turned back to them.

"What?" Kevin asked.

"Surprised you stopped asking questions."

"Sorry, you're allowed to have special places too." Kevin said.

"It's fine. I'm just a little agitated at the whole situation." I said. Kevin smiled softly. I refocused on the road, getting rather anxious and trying to convince myself that he would be there. After almost 40 minutes I turned onto the exit. I was washed with the memories of the dirt roads and gas stations Mitch and I grew up with. I smiled at some buildings still in good condition, but many were practically crumbling, which was rather saddening.

"Could you guys try not to remember ever coming here?" I asked.

"Ok. I guess." Scott said. I turned into a neighborhood, flooded with memories. The swing set where I met my old best friend. The tree that I had my first kiss in.

"That's my house." I said, pointing to a trashy old abandoned house as I slowly drove down the street.

"And Mitch's there." I pointed at another about 5 houses down. Kevin and Scott were quite. I stopped the car at the end of the cul-de-sac.

"Here we are." I muttered, pushing open the car door. The boys got out and stood behind me as I stared at the overgrown mess in front of me. I couldn't believe that this would happen to this place, though I should have.

I took giant steps through the tall grass while the boys were able to walk normal.

"Mitch and I met here when we were 15, which is funny since we had went to school together and lived five houses apart." I said. We had crossed the large field and I was now pushing vines and sticks away so I could climb into the canopy.

"Kirst, nobody's been here since you left, he's not here." Kevin said after another 10 minutes of pushing through trees.

"You're going to get poison ivy Kirst, watch where you're going going!" Scott said. I ignored them both and kept going.

"He's here." I said with determination.

"Here we are." I muttered. I struggled to push through the thick barrier created by the branches, but once I did it cleared out into the same huge canopy I remembered. I gasped a little and slapped a hand to my mouth. It was exactly as I remembered.

"Mitch!" I called.

"Kirstie?"

"Oh my god Mitch!" I screamed. I ran to the small log he was sitting on and wrapped him in a tight hug.

"Mitch!" Kevin and Scott were running too and were in the hug in a second flat.

"Don't ever leave."