A Sky Full of Stars // m.g.c. [COMPLETED]

Go on and tear me apart

It was Monday and Aeryn's mother let her off the hook a day early. Elated, Aeryn looked forward to her and Michael's convention.

It was around 5 PM. Aeryn already studied for Mrs. Gambacorta's test that was on Wednesday, and she vacuumed around the house. Aeryn was about to continue her cleaning spree by washing dishes, but her phone ringing split her attention. She ran to her phone that was blasting Death and All His Friends. She thought it was Michael expressing his excitement for tonight, or asking a homework question.

(5:18 PM) Aeryn, please clean your room. Thx

To say she was disappointed was to say the least. Over the weekend, Michael had only sent a maximum of three texts, and they were always at a ridiculous time in the night, short replies to her questions.

At school, Michael almost... ignored her. She didn't want to jump to such a sudden conclusion, and so she did her best to not think about it, but they didn't walk each other to their classes, and in the classes they did have together, he sat far away. He didn't sit with her at lunch either. In fact, he wasn't even in the lunchroom.

She texted back a quick 'okay' before getting on with her cleaning.

By the time 6:55 rolled around, Aeryn was already on her way to the playground. Usually Michael was the early one, but today Aeryn was there before him.

While waiting for him, she sent him a text asking where he was. It was 7 o'clock when Aeryn worried. Michael was never late, not to their conventions.

She gave up on waiting at 7:08, deciding to visit his house. When she arrived, she knocked on the door.

"Who's there?" Karen warbled.

"Aeryn," she called.

"Oh, hello! Come in, come in." Aeryn bowed her head as a courtesy. "What bring you here, dear?"

"Um, Michael's not at the playground..." Aeryn briefed.

Karen shifted her feet. "Y-Yes, dear. I saw him leave earlier."

"Leave? To where?" Karen's words confused Aeryn. Michael wouldn't normally disappear unless it was to grab a drink with Calum, but why would he get drunk on a Monday? Especially if he knew him and Aeryn had their constellation convention.

"I'm not sure, I'm sorry, but I did see him mount a car... They looked like his new friends."

Aeryn furrowed her eyebrows. "New friends?"

"The ones he spent all weekend with."

"I-I don't understand."

"Neither do I. I'm sorry." Karen pulled Aeryn into her arms, and Aeryn let her.

After declining Karen's offer of tea, she left. Despite the slight drizzle that began, Aeryn headed back to the playground. Putting her music on shuffle, she sat on the damp swing.

That was how she spent the rest of her night; sat on the swing, listening to music.

'Cause you get lighter the more it gets dark,

I'm gonna give you my heart.

I don't care, go on and tear me apart,

I don't care if you do.