Sunflower

47 - The Reunion

Micah

My phone buzzes with yet another call from Mom. She's called 24 times, each call accompanied by a tornado of text messages. Eventually, when I got tired of my phone chiming every five seconds, I turned it on Do Not Disturb. I know I'll be in a world of trouble when I get home, but that only means a lecture and a night spent in a locked room. She doesn't care enough to actually punish me. She probably knows I'll do this again, so she doesn't bother with trying to control me. Most people would call this a luxury, but it really means my own mother doesn't give a shit about me.

My phone rings again, this time a number unbeknownst to me flashes on the screen. I answer it.

"Is this Micah Rivers?" A woman with a familiar voice asks.

"Yes."

"Hi, this is Dr. Williams. I'm calling because you've missed quite a few appointments."

It all comes flooding back. I completely forgot about therapy, and Mom must have to. She hasn't bugged me about it in seemingly an eternity.

"I don't think I'll be coming back." I say.

"That's too bad," she says, disappointment laced through her words. It's all fake. She only cares about the money my rich mother gives her. Gave her.

I hang up before she can say anything else.

My car is parked on a small road near the beach, and I watch the ocean as its waves crash onto the shoreline. It seems so angry, the way the water sprays across the sand. I wonder what its so angry about.

I look at my phone. It's 7:48 P.M. I've been sitting here, staring at the ocean, for almost an entire day. Suddenly, I remember I'm supposed to meet Theo and Isaac at the airport as soon as they land. I hurriedly drive away from the beach.

-

I'm waiting outside the airport, pacing back and forth in front of the doors. It gets a little hard with my crutches, but if I'm not moving, I might die of the anxiety. I can't wait to see my Theo, but at the same time, I'm riddled with fear. What if he met someone on his trip and he's completely fallen out of love with me? Maybe he was never in love with me the way I am with him, and when he steps out of those doors, he'll tell me he doesn't want me. What if he abandons me?

A crowd of people swarms the outside of the airport, like a clump of bees surrounding a hive. It makes me nervous, being in such a busy social setting, but my desperation to see Theo distracts me. I scan each doorway for Theo and Isaac. For every minute that I go without seeing him walk through the doors, I worry even more.

Until I see him walking down the pathway, Isaac following behind.

Our eyes meet, and he instantly runs towards me. He flings himself into my arms, causing me to drop my crutches and stumble backwards. I lift my foot off the ground, so my weight shifts onto the other.

I wrap my arms around Theo's torso, enjoying the warmth that engulfs me. I've missed this. I haven't felt this safe in weeks.

Theo pulls away from, reconnecting our gaze. His emerald green eyes shimmer in the moonlight, and they are almost as bright at his smile.

I place my hands around his face and pull his lips into mine. Like two puzzle pieces our mouths fit together, and fireworks light up the darkness in my chest.

After a good minute, Isaac speaks up.

"Alright, alright, enough you two. There's kids here." He chuckles.

Theo pulls away and turns to face him. He shoves him playfully.

"Yeah, you, you douche."

He turns back around and pecks my lips gently with another kiss. He then looks down at my wrapped foot, and his face turns pale.

Still holding me up, he picks the crutches off the ground and hands them to me.

"What happened?" He asks like a concerned parent talking to their child. I love the motherly vibe he gives off. It's adorable.

I take the crutches so I am able to put my foot back on the ground.

"It's nothing... I was just messing around, and I tripped." I decide to leave out the part about Bre. I still feel guilty about what happened with her, even though Theo and I technically aren't dating. I don't even have feelings for Bre, so I'm not sure why I feel so bad about what happened.

Theo sighs. "Well if you were with me, I would have made sure that no one or anything ever hurt you. Even yourself." His eyes flicker, and I know he's thinking about my self harm. Suddenly, my arms begin to tingle.

"Are we gonna leave or what?" Isaac groans.

Theo hisses at him angrily. "Shut up dumbass, you're ruining our moment. I haven't seen my baby in forever."

Isaac laughs mockingly. "Oh shut up, it's been, like, a week."

"When you've found love, you will understand."

"If he finds it, you mean." I joke.

Theo and I laugh, and Isaac sulks a few feet away from us.

Theo looks at me up and down, then back into my eyes.

"Have you been home?" He asks me.

How can he tell?

"N-no.."

He looks surprised. "Micah!"

"What?"

"Where have you been sleeping? And what about food? And showering?"

"I slept at Bre's on friday."

"Who's Bre?" Theo's eyebrow lifts up.

"S-someone I met. S-she's nice."

"Oh, I bet."

I have no idea what he means by that.

After a few minutes, Theo touches my arm lovingly.

"We should get you home."

I nod softly.

"Okay."

~ shi