Captive || Michael Clifford FanFic

Chapter 12|| Comedown

(Michael's POV)

I woke up on the bathroom floor, covered in my own vomit and shaking uncontrollably. I tried to remember what had happened last night but everything was a blur. I rolled over and slammed my eyes shut again, trying to stop my head from pounding. I didn't get the chance when one of Dad's friends barged into the bathroom and started to to use the toilet right in front of me.

"Do you mind?" I snapped, my voice was rough. I dragged myself onto my feet and slammed past the guy, heading towards my bedroom in the hopes of getting some peace and quiet. I had never felt this bad in my entire life; my hands were shaking, my legs felt as though they were about to crumble underneath me and my face was throbbing. I caught sight of myself in the mirror hanging on my wall, disgusted with the reflection staring back at me. My eye socket was bruised and swollen again; my skin was pale and sweaty and my clothes were covered in vomit. It was disgusting. I remembered my dad hitting me and slamming a needle into my arm but everything after that is a mystery. He had hit me so many times, I was used to that by now but he had never drugged me before. I threw myself onto the bed and tried to calm myself down as a rush of anxiety took hold of me. Today was going to be the day of reckoning; today was the day I had to lead Autumn out into the darkness. 

-

"Morning Mich- What the hell happened to your face?" Autumn gasped, dragging me inside and running her fingers along my cheek. "Oh my God, Michael! Who did this to you?" 

"It's fine, I'm fine" I managed to say, allowing her to lead me upstairs. She sat me down on her bed and scurried off out the door and down the stairs, leaving me alone. I picked up the picture on her bedside table; it was my favourite and I couldn't help but smile every time I saw it. It was a picture of Autumn when she was about ten years old; she's sat on her dad's knee behind the wheel of a mercedes and she's wearing the most ridiculous hat I had ever seen but she has this huge grin on her face and her front tooth is missing and it's ridiculously cute. I had hidden away all of my childhood photographs; the memories were too painful. I hated looking at mum because I knew I couldn't see her anymore. 

Autumn interrupted my thoughts by rushing back into the room and pressing a bag of frozen peas against my eye. 

"It's not gonna work, it happened last night so the swelling isn't going to go down" I sighed, pushing it away and wrapping my arms around her waist. I just wanted to feel her in my arms. She let me drag her onto the bed, falling beside me and nuzzling into my neck. I pressed my lips against her forehead, wishing we could stay like this forever. 

"Are you going to tell me what happened?"

"I got mugged" I answered, saying the first thing that popped into my head. Autumn stared up at me, a mixture of sadness and anger spreading across her face.

"Have you called the police? What did they take from you? I fucking hate this town... Why do people think it's okay to do that?" she was rambling and I let her for a little while because I couldn't quite workout what to say next. 

"Michael, have you called the police? Do you want me to do it? I'll stay with you why you talk to them!"

"No, it's fine. They didn't get anything anyway" I shrugged, wrapping my arms around her again. "I don't have anything for people to take. That's why they hit me; they were angry that they'd picked the wrong target. It's funny if you think about it"

"How is that funny?" 

"Cos the dumb idiots wasted their time on me and walked away with nothing. I got a couple of hits in too, so if you think I look bad you don't wanna see those guys" I should have probably stopped but once I started talking the lies just kept pouring out of me. "One of them had a knife but I managed to grab it off him, threatened them with that and they left me alone"