FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE HEART.

CHAPTER SIX.

"Hey, girl." Mike said as he began to approach her "What are you crying for?"

  Sidney wiped her eyes so she could get a good view of Mike. "Aren't you the Roland guy every girl talking about?"

  Mike smiled "Is that a bad thing?" "Well, it is to me because I know what you want and I am not interested." Sidney told him blankly and then carried the bottle to take a swig but Mike snatched the bottle. "I don't think alcohol takes away one's sorrow." He said dropping the bottle aside "But talking to someone does. I promise I won't try anything stupid."

  Sidney stared at him hard then sighed"No use hiding it anymore. The whole school already knows what happened to me."

  Mike tried to jog his memory until he landed on the most recent of news. "You're Sidney Liam." He recalled "The girl that got screwed over by that lad from Parken House."

  She nodded sadly. "That's me. The girl that got cheated on multiple times by some guy from our rival school."
Mike sat beside her "I'm sorry for that stuff." He said "What that guy did was totally fucked up."

  Sidney cleaned a tear off. "And now I'm being looked at as the idiot girl who believed she could merge two opposing sides together through love." She sighed "I wished I knew earlier that love didn't exist."

  Mike frowned. He might be somewhat heartless to girls but his caring side appeared as soon as he saw situations like this.

  He handed her the bottle back and she was lost. "I thought you said alcohol wasn't a way of getting sorrow out?" "It isn't." He told her "But it is a way of getting one to smile and have fun. And I think I'll abandon my plans tonight just to make sure you do that."

  She smiled. "You have plans?" "Trust me," he said "you don't want to know."

  And that's what they did. They had fun and with the atmosphere Sidney's smile brought he just couldn't leave her.

  At the end of the party Mike dropped Sidney off at her place. "Thanks for the great time." She told him "I really needed that."

  Mike smiled "Anytime, beautiful. I think we should meet more often. Sound like a plan to you?"

  She blushed a bit and pulled her hair aside. "That...that sounds very nice. I do need a way to clear him from my thoughts."

  "Then look no further." Mike assured her "I'll help everyway I can."

  She smiled. "You're not as bad as they say... you really aren't."

  Mike nodded. "Thanks for noticing that. I'll call you later." He drove off and as he did that he woke up finally.

  Mike lifted himself off the bed and wiped some sweat off his forehead. Why now? Why that?

  Halls gave him a disturbed look. But he rubbed his head "I'm okay, boy. Bad dream. That's all."

  Friday came quickly and Mike was now getting up from his table after the end of his last class. Today he was meant to follow Wills over to his lake house but something came up and he would have to go later.

  Again he stood in the principal's office with Anna directly beside him. "I heard you students are having a birthday party." Kebash said not looking up from the files on his desk "And I believe you should take Anna along with you so you can watch over her while she is there. Unless she doesn't want to come?"

  Anna shook her head. "The person throwing the party is my friend I would be delighted to go."

  Kebash turned to Mike. "You've been gloomy lately, is everything alright?" Mike nodded slowly "I'm good, Mr.Kebash. Just thinking that's all."

  Anna stared at him for a second then looked away before he noticed. She felt kind of bad because of what she said and she should feels like the letter wasn't sincere.

  But the thing was there more to why she despised him.

  Mike came to her house in the evening to pick her up and once she got into the Lamborghini she turned to him. "How far out is the place?"

  "Forty minutes tops." Mike answered starting the engine "You can just sleep or listen to music. Like I said, I won't disturb you."

  The words made Anna feel bad again. So she sighed and said. "I'm sorry...I shouldn't have said and acted like that towards you...but the thing is-"

  "You've had history with my type." Mike said "Something terrible happened to you all because some dick broke your heart by cheating on you or worse...but guess what Anna. We all have monsters we have to sleep with every night and day. I've had my share of things like that. But I think you're right...we should try to keep away from each other."

  Anna said nothing. She just turned to the window because of lack of words. She didn't know what Mike's history was but the truth is she knows her demons are a lot worse than his.

  With them not speaking to one another and the music not playing the drive was long and silent until they reached Wills' place.

  Wills frowned at the sight of the person in the shotgun seat and as soon as Mike stepped out he handed him a can of Monster. "Long drive?" Mike nodded "Everyone else here?" Wills pointed back at the lake "Max's about to leap into the lake. Everyone's about to join in."

  He turned to Anna. "Kim's inside with the rest of the girls. Be sure to grab a drink from the cooler."

  She smiled and walked off but Wills could tell it was forced on. "Anyways," Mike said "let's not start on me. How's your relationship going?"

BWills blushed and Mike almost choked on his drink. "Did you just?!"

  "First kiss today." Wills told him "In the house. I know I've kissed some girls but they were two reasons why I loved hers. First: She's a bloody good kisser. Second: Because for once...the kiss meant something. Ever had that feeling?"

  At that question his mind went through some bad memories. "Yeah...or at least I thought it did."

  Wills realized what Mike was thinking about and sighed. "You know what? I think you should let loose tonight?"

  Mike turned to him with a confused expression. "Thought you liked this me?" Wills shrugged "Well this you has his perks...but this you is allowing that past of yours to slide show through that head of yours...just be free like Owen and Max."

  Mike chuckled. "Their a little too free. But I guess I am just sulking...shit. I'll have to drive-." "Don't worry about that." Wills assured him "I'll talk Fred into dropping you off. Just let go."

  Mike smiled. He deserved that. To be free of the nightmares. He downed the can within two seconds and then turned to Wills. "Let's go have a motherfucking party."