trilogy [one-shots and poems]

IV

FOUR:
The Good Side
(1/18/18)

Mitch couldn't believe it.

He truly was terrified, and that was surprising.  This was something that could be easily handled — but Mitch wasn't one with change. In every experience he's had, the change was bad. Mitch feared change. But Mitch didn't fear jail, and drugs, and guns, and death. So why in the world would he be scared now?

Is it because of Kyle? The little kid who he was barely friends with? Maybe.

The question that rang on his mind only seemed the inevitable; What about Jace?

Mitch stood on his friend's doorstep one day before he was to leave. It was undeniable that what he did was an asshole move, of course, leaving his best friend in the dark until the final day. But whatever. What's done is done.

Jace opened it. "Uh, yuh, Herrada —"

"Yeah, I get it, dumbass, house boundaries." Mitch crossed his arms over his chest. "But this is important"

Jace frowned and grabbed the door handle behind him, closing it shut. Mitch tried to ignore the guilt in his stomach when voices crowded from inside, knowing very well Jace had a mentally abusive family. Some people he hardly had faced, and didn't want to.

"What's so important you couldn't just sneak in my goddamn room?" Jace growled. "Like literally, every other time you had something important to say?"

"Because I'm in a rush."

Jace paused, frowning. It was silent, but then he started to laugh. Mitch didn't.

"Mitchell Herrada in a rush? For what? You're lying, ass. No girl, no drug, nothing Mary could say to you to get you in a rush. Enlighten me."

It slipped out of his mouth way too easily. "I'm leaving, J"

This is the part Mitch regretted.

"Leaving what." Jace was monotone.

"Honeyview." This was obvious. But Mitch answered anyway.

Silence.

"No you're not." Jace's anxiety seemed to lift up like a rising temperature, clenching his fists, gritting his teeth. His face got red. Mitch stayed calm, though, because Jace's temper was something he's used to. Of course, not like this.

"I — I am, J."

"Stop fucking playing." His voice rose. He stepped toward his friend now, grabbing his collar in a forceful grip. Mitch stayed calm. "Mitchell." He pulled Mitch's face closer menacingly. As if this was going to make him feel threatened. But Mitch knew this was only his way of defending himself.

"Jace, let go of me." Mitch ripped his hands off his shirt, and Jace let go. He let go, defeated, and took a step back.

Mitch looks back at this and wish he would've said sorry. But he didn't, because Mitch didn't know what to feel back then. Emotions are only yet to be figured out.

"What the fuck, when." Jace was shaking, and his voice was loud now. Mitch stood and hoped his father wouldn't enter the scene.

"Tomorrow morning." Jace lost it.

"WHAT THE FUCK!" He screamed, and Mitch stayed calm. Although he did flinch, and lean back slowly, curling his eyebrows into a worried frown. "Jace —"

"YOU'RE JUST LEAVING LIKE THAT? I'LL HAVE NOBODY!"

"I've always had nobody, Jace. It's not like you helped my depression. That's something no one can do." Mitch folded his arms over his chest, ignoring his friend's rage. "I hate it here, Jace —"

In any normal situation, Mitch would have been pissed. He would've started tearing down Jace, unfolding his insecurities, and ended with what would've been a screaming match. Mitch would've been brutal.

But this was... Jace. So, for his friend's sake, he decided not to leave on a bruise-to-the-eye note.

"I HATE IT HERE TOO, MOTHERFUCKER!" Jace screamed, clearly choking on his own tears, which were to come soon.

"I'm not picking a fight with you." Mitch spoke before Jace could scream again.

Jace sucked in a breath and coughed, hanging his head, clenching his fists. He was shaking, his face was red, his eyes were red. Mitch left Jace Woods an absolute mess, which wasn't the terms he would've hoped.

"Bye, Mitch." Jace looked up, and matched his gaze.

Mitch could've said a thousand things. But what did he say?

"Bye, J."

Mitch turned around, and left.

—————

Hey Jace, it's Mitch.

I know it's been very long since I've left, and maybe you won't get this letter. Maybe you left Honeyview (and I hope you did), so if you don't get this, then that's fine too.

I should've said I was sorry. That's something that's been on my mind ever since I left.
I was so heartbroken and I was trying to fix myself.

I went back to Riverwood, so...

You know why, now, that it was so important to me to leave. Because you know how important Kyle was to me. And you hated him, because you felt like I'd stop being your friend if something ever happened.

I guess you were right. But that was never my intention.

You are not a bad influence. I was wrong. I admit that. It was my state of mind that made you look like the bad guy. It's my fault for getting in that whole mess anyway.

Anyways, I've clearly matured now.
And you know what?
I'm the happiest I've ever been in my life, ever.

And I hope you're doing ok too.

     From, Herrada