FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE HEART.

CHAPTER FIVE.

  Mike sat at the Starbucks table with the same expression that seemed to be stuck to his face all week.

  Sadness.

Sarah and her blonde short haired friend, Victoria, sat opposite him with a concerned look. He hadn't been like this in a long while and everyone noticed it, even some teachers.

His coffee still stood untouched and was slowly getting cold. Sarah and Victoria exchanged glances and they knew what they were thinking. "This was getting nowhere."

Mike looked up at them with an emotionless face. "Thanks, girls, I understand that you are trying to worry about me and all but I'm okay." He sighed and finally took a sip of his coffee then spat it back when he realised it wasn't his preferred flavour.

Sarah sighed. "Mike, I've known you for a long time and I know when something is eating you up. You can talk to us you know that."

  Victoria nodded in agreement. "I'm sure it's something we can talk about and get it off your chest."

Mike sighed again but this time out of stress. "I know that, Victoria, but to be honest it's not something I want to speak over. It's best it remains in my trail of thought..."

Sarah was about to say otherwise but Mike's phone rang and he stood. "Excuse me for a second." He walked off to a secluded corner and picked up the call.

"Hey, Wills." He said in a dry tone. "What's up? Didn't see you during some periods, anything come up?"

"I did my lessons earlier than the rest so I could get home and deal with the arrangements of things for Kim's birthday." He answered. "But let's set that aside. Heard you don't seem to be yourself lately. Everything okay?"

Mike smiled "Nah, lad, I'm actually quite alright. Just a little bit of thought and all."

Wills was quiet once he detected the bit off insecurity in his voice but he still went on to say. "Okay, bro. Watch over yourself." He hung up and as soon as he approached the seats the girls rose. "Umm, Mike can you please drive us back home? Victoria dropped her wallet back there."

Mike nodded. "Sure. My Lamborghini is at the back so let me go and get it." He left the two girls and approached his pitch black car but as he did he noticed a piece of paper stuck unto it.

  At first he was going to throw it off but then he realized it was a mail. And placed on it was the Levesique crest. A white rose.

Mike looked around to check whether there was anyone close by capable of doing it but he didn't see anything.

He carried it and stuck it into the pigeon hole. He would read it later.

As he gets the car up front he suddenly sees Victoria and Sarah being disturbed by two dudes with ugly grins across their faces. Mike cursed because he recognized them. Staken court's worst enemy students Parken House.

Mike got out and approached them. "Excuse me, I believe you're disturbing these two ladies."

  The beef head that sat opposite Victoria turned to him with a risen brow. "And you're disturbing us, so unless you want a beat down I advise you get the fuck out of here."

Mike always hated the students there. They always acted tough but once they were conered they always duck and ran.

Mike adjusted his collar. "As much as I'd like to deal with you personally I'll just give you the choice of running now."

They both rose and the second guy cracked his knuckles. "I think you should get some friends because you're about to get real-"

"Hurt." Fred completed as he and Mike's Irish friend, Owen Gatts, appeared from around the corner.

Owen had a big smile on his freckled face as he stared into the beef locker's eyes who now shook in fear as his met with Owen's green eyes.

Fred grabbed his sister and pulled her along with Victoria. "You're lucky this wasn't a secluded area." He told them "Because I swear I would have beaten the shit out of you. Get out of here or else..."

He didn't need to complete his sentence. Everyone had seen what he could do when provoked.

The two took off and Mike turned to Owen who folded his hairy arms across his chest. He was actually Mike's second cousin who travelled away for a while but he was happy that he got see his scattered red haired head.

"Fred got me from the airport." He explained "And I'll be attending Staken court again. And be watching over you, again." Mike smiled "Good to have you back, lad."

"Fred hugged his sister "Let's go home." Mike waved them good bye before getting into his car but he noticed a Rolls Royce parked opposite him but he decided it was probably some business man on a break.

Mike got home and smiled as his German Shepherd, Halls, trotted up to him wagging his tail happily. "Hey, boy," he said as he scratched behind his ears "how have you been?"

Obviously no response but he knew that the dog missed him dearly.

Mike walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of Pepsi before retiring to his massive bedroom.

He sighed as he stared at the letter he had found on his car. It wasn't looking promising but he guessed there was no need tossing it aside for later so he opened it.

"Mike Roland... I am writing this letter to apologise for saying that thing on Monday. I am in no place to judge you and I am truly sorry for saying such. But still, don't approach me. I still believe I need space because of what I heard.
  Annabelle Deer Levesique."
 
Mike scratched his head in confusion. Why exactly had she written this and yet still asked for space?

He looked at Halls who was curled up beside him. "Girls are really confusing." He said and dropped the letter.

He believed she needed to apologise but he expected that she would do it herself and not through some letter.

He dropped back on his bed. The thoughts were just going to give him a headache. That's the last thing he needed right now.

He got out his phone and started going through pictures and when he discovered he was sleeping off he decided to crash out. But he slipped into a dream.

He stood there at the house of one of his classmate's and looked through the window to what was being called the party of the year.

He was here alone. Wills and the rest were not around because this was on a Monday night.

This was Mike. The old Mike. The careless Mike.

He made his way in smiling at every girl that passed by when he suddenly saw a beautiful hot girl sitting at the corner with a bottle beside her. His mind went into work immediately.

Break up.

Heartbreak.

Comfort.

Sex.

That was how he thought then. Then were girls to him were just away to get the stress out and have fun.

But little did he know that once Sidney looked up at him his life was going to change from the second they made eye contact.

This was Mike's nightmare and to prove it he wanted to wake up...but he just couldn't.