"Mitch, where were you yesterday?" Kirstin immediately said when she found him at his locker. Mitch looked at her, an eyebrow arched.
"I was at home...?"
"Why? Were you sick?"
"No. I didn't want to be here," Mitch huffed, shutting his locker and swinging his bag over his shoulder. "Why do you care?"
"Because you're my /friend/, Mitch," Kirstin sighed.
"Well, relax," Mitch mumbled. "I'm not dead."
"You scare me sometimes," Kirstin murmured, and Mitch immediately stopped in his tracks.
"Why?"
"You're unpredictable and you barely ever care about anything and I'm just-"
"You're scared of me because I'm a potential bad influence?" Mitch interrupted.
"I... No, that's not it-"
"That's exactly it," Mitch interrupted again. "And for your information, if you're scared of me, you can fuck off."
"Mitch, come on-"
"No. Just... go away," Mitch breathed, shaking his head and storming down the hallway. Tears burned his eyes and he ran a hand through his hair as he walked into class, taking a seat.
"Mr. Grassi," his teacher muttered under his breath, glancing at the teenager for only a second before averting his eyes to his desk.
"Don't," Mitch breathed, burying his face in his hands. "Just. Don't talk to me."
---
Mitch was walking out to his car when Scott stopped him, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Are you okay?" Scott asked, not even bothering to greet him. "You look like you've been crying."
Mitch immediately turned around to face Scott, heart clenching. "I... I'm not okay," he finally admitted. "I'm awful."
Scott immediately pulled Mitch into his arms, holding him tightly. "Oh, Mitchy," he whispered when the boy in his arms started crying into his chest, letting out every emotion he'd been holding in for so long.
"I hate myself," he sobbed, heart pounding.
"Mitchy," Scott whispered. "Don't hate yourself, honey."
"I'm so awful," Mitch cried. "I don't care about anyone! I-I'm an awful person!"
Scott just shook his head and held him close, rubbing his back. Once he had quieted down, he pulled away and cupped Mitch's jaw with both hands, wiping his tears away with his thumb. "Please don't hate yourself, Mitchy."
"...Why? I'm aw-"
"You're not awful," Scott cut him off. "You're such a good person, Mitchy. You're independent and beautiful and you're having a hard time realizing it. Let me be the reason that you realize how amazing you are."
Mitch swallowed hard, but suddenly pulled him down for a hard kiss, eyes shut tight. It only lasted a few seconds before he pulled away. "I... Please... Help me..."
~~~~~~
