Michael cries all night. He cries until his ribs hurt, and he falls asleep. He wakes up, and walks around his house, happy to find it empty so he can bawl and eat with his feelings as much as he wants to. He unlocks his phone to text the one he's been thinking about all night, but pushes it into the back of his mind.
He tries desperately not to think about going out and getting high, so, he fixes a computer. He cries again when he sees a motherboard, but ignores it and fixes the screen, fingers shaking when he fixes a chipset.
He grows angry at himself, because why is he so fucking hung up on someone who doesn't feel the same? He grits his teeth, and hears the door open. Michael holds his breath, not wanting anyone to come in, but his door opens anyway.
"Fuck," Todd groans, marching over the window, opening it up. "It smells like a broken heart in here."
"It's actually probably the candle I have going."
"What's its name? 'I'm Better Than My Ex'?" Todd asks, fists clenched before he angrily makes Michael's bed. "I'm mad that that prick hurt you, and I'm mad that I spent a stupid amount of money texting him hate, but what really fucking gets me is that he thought he had the audacity to hurt someone like you when he thought you weren't looking."
Michael watches, blinking a few times as he listens to his brother talk. "Brazilian Summer." He says quietly. "The candle's name is Brazilian Summer."
Todd gives him a look, blows the candle out, and walks off with it. Soon enough, Michael hears a crashing sound, and he crosses his arms. "I only had that lit for five seconds!"
"Five seconds of Brazilian Summer is enough." Todd snaps. "Don't buy candles that remind you of shit. It's depressing."
"I think you're thinking too much."
"Shut up." Todd says. "We should throw a party."
"Dude, throwing a party on a Sunday is a bad idea."
"So is cheating." Michael makes a pained sound and the fifteen-year-old raises his eyebrows expectantly. "It's the school holidays, and Mum and Daryl are out. No one cares. Now, sit down, and I'll organise everything."
Considering it's late in the afternoon, Todd decides to go into Facebook, and makes a public invitation. Once it gets shared a couple of times, a hundred people are already going because they're thirsty for a party.
Michael falls asleep on the couch, and wakes up in his bed. The music vibrates the walls, and it is absolutely beyond Michael how Todd managed to pull this together. He gets up and shuts his door behind himself as he sees his brother sitting on the kitchen bench. Todd doesn't say a word, and hands him a red solo cup.
"I brought lots of thirsty gays around, so get ready." Todd shouts over the loud music.
Michael laughs loudly at this. "Thanks, Todd. I love you."
At the confession, Todd smiles as he bows his head a little. "Love you too. I'm going to find Mia."
Michael walks around to see Luke and Ashton in the corner, laughing their asses off at something. Michael manages to squish himself in between them both, frowning when he can smell the alcohol on them.
"How much have you guys drank?"
"We smell like piss because some chick poured it on us." Luke explains briefly. "I'm a little drunk, and Ashton's my baby sober-driver."
Ashton shakes his head at the nickname, sipping the faux vodka (water) from his solo cup. "Todd pulled together one of the best parties I've seen a year ten have."
"Yeah," Luke agrees, fidgeting with the edge of his shirt. "I'm gonna find a girl, or something. I'll be around if you need me."
Ashton looks over the crowd, licking his lips at he tries to take it all in. It's nowhere near as fun when he's sober, and he knows Michael feels the same. "You gonna drink?" he asks the pale boy, looking at the cup in his hand, and Michael shakes his head.
"Nah. Don't want a hangover."
"Fair enough. Wanna head to your room?"
Michael nods and weaves his way through the crowd to get to his room. The music shakes the room, but neither seem to mind once the door is shut. Michael lays down on his bed as Ashton sips his water, pacing around the room as if he's never seen it before.
"The emo fringe days," Ashton giggles, wiping his thumb over a photo on the wall. "Miss it." He says, sitting down on the edge of Michael's bed.
Michael nods absentmindedly, staring at his phone screen as he presses the 'send' button. "Just sent my break-up text to Cal."
"Good," Ashton mumbles, eyes on Michael's band poster. "He doesn't deserve you."
Michael takes a deep breath. "I was expecting it. Maybe that's the worst thing."
"You should never be in a relationship with someone you don't trust." Ashton states, drinking the rest of his water before throwing it on the ground.
Michael sighs, tired of being lectured as he sits down and grabs a screwdriver to work on another computer. He opens one up, wires and metal carefully placed in each spot. Michael spots the problem straight away, and sees a part of the motherboard is loose. He fixes it up and puts it out of his way.
Ashton sits down so Michael is in between his legs. "You called me a motherboard once." He says, recalling the memory in his head. "You were drunk off your ass, and you told me like it was the greatest thing in the world."
"A motherboard is one of the most essential parts of a computer system. It holds together all the important shit."
"Holds together?" Ashton asks.
"It is like the leader of all computers. Like, if you were without something else in a computer, you could probably find a loophole and connect a few wires or make up your own thing, but without a motherboard the computer is fucked."
Michael bites his lips, continuing. "I called Luke a ROM, and Calum called me a chipset. And this doesn't make sense to you at all, but they're parts of a motherboard. They're parts that make a motherboard a motherboard and . . ." he stops rambling, and looks over his shoulder. "Sorry, I nerded you out."
Ashton giggles. "It's okay. It was cute."
"It was a very deep way of saying you were very important."
Ashton grins, and Michael phone vibrates in his pocket. He gets it out, seeing it's from Calum.
Calum: okay. I respect your decision. I did not cheat, but I never said no to her when she was flirting, and I accept that that's a very shitty thing to do. You're an amazing person, Michael, so you should go find someone better. I love you baby, but I guess now all we are is friends.
Calum: I did not cheat on you, though. I promise you. please don't think that lowly of me. I've learnt from the last mistake. But, I know you don't trust me enough to believe me, and that's the first red flag.
Calum: we're better off as friends.
Michael doesn't reply, but smiles as he makes his screen go black.
"That was nice," Ashton says. "Now I will only rip one of his balls off."
Btw piss is aus slang for alcohol
thoughts on todd throwing s party for michael?
thoughts on ashton being a protective bean?
thoughts on calum not actually cheating but being semi-ok with the break up?
what do you think it gonna happen in the end?
