forever // m.c (book 3)

03 - we can make it out alive

song for the chapter: unpredictable by 5sos

Summer's POV

"Do you think going to meetings for it will help you? I mean, is it that bad?" I watched him think over my question, taking a drink from his water.

"No," he shook his head slowly after a minute. "I can stop anytime I want and I do want to. I don't want to be drunk every night and feel sorry for myself."

"Good," I smiled. "I was just worried because I was talking to Calum and he seemed to think that I should keep an eye on you."

"Calum said that?" Michael fiddled with the cap of his water bottle, avoiding eye contact.

"Yeah, I called to see if he knew you were coming here and he mentioned something about it."

"Oh, well, uh I think I just need to find something to do. I'm going stir-crazy just having nothing to do. I was thinking about finding a place here. That way I can see Hope more, you know, if you're ok with that. I'm not really sure why I went back to Australia in the first place."

I nodded. "She would love that and I think I'm ok with it. You should be in her life as much as you can." My heart ached for him, he looked so vulnerable and lost. It was as if the band not getting back together broke him as much as us splitting up. "So, how about we both go and pick Hope from school and go out for dinner?"

"Really? You think that's a good idea?"

I nodded, standing up from the small wooden table. "I do, Hope's been missing you and she's having a rough time with school. The kids are picking on her," I said sadly.

"What? Why didn't you tell me?" Michael freaked out, standing up as well. "No kid of mine is going to get bullied."

"Michael, it's not that big of a deal yet. And you can't stop a child from being bullied. Kids are cruel and they always will be." He ran a hand through his hair, evidence that he was frustrated. As we walked to my car in the parking lot, I could hear the gears in his mind working. "Calm down, ok? We'll handle it if things get worse."

"Ok, you're right," he nodded, taking a deep breath. I turned my car on and music began to play. I quickly slammed my hand against the on/off button, forgetting that I had 5sos' album in the console. "Was that what I think it was?" he smirked.

"No, it wasn't," I shook my head, obviously lying.

"I think it was," he chuckled and turned it back on. Mrs. All American filled our ears and I groaned.

"Hope likes it ok?" I tried to justify having it in my car, but in reality I put it in there when I was missing him.

"Sure," he snickered as I pulled up to Hope's school.

Ten minutes later of awkwardly listening to his music with him, Hope opened the backseat car door.

"Daddy!" she squealed. "Why are you here? It's not a holiday," she smiled so big, I couldn't help but smile myself.

"I know, baby. I just came for a visit. Thought I would see where you go to school."

"Can we go get ice cream?" she pleaded.

"You haven't had dinner, but maybe after," I told her.

"But it's always good to eat your dessert first," Michael whined, acting like a child himself.

"Yeah, mommy!" Hope agreed.

I rolled my eyes. "Fine, we'll go get ice cream instead." They always won out on me, the two of them conspiring together to get what they wanted.

I hated to admit it, but as were sat around eating ice cream cones, it almost felt as though we were a family again. Almost.

Michael's POV

I felt as though the time I had spent apart from Summer and Hope was just a figment of my imagination as I sat with them at the ice cream shop. I felt like we were back to the way things were, spending time together, all three of us. 

"Do you want me to bring you to your hotel?" Summer asked me as she started her car. 

"Yeah, sure," I nodded and told her where it was.

"Daddy isn't coming home with us?" Hope asked and I could hear the sadness in her voice. 

"No, he isn't," Summer shook her head. "You start piano lessons tonight and daddy has things to do." I had no idea that Hope was going to start piano and I had absolutely nothing to do, but I didn't speak up. 

"Hmph," Hope crossed her arms over her chest. "Can he pick me up from school tomorrow then?" 

"I don't know, baby," she spoke for me again. 

Hope was quiet then and Summer pulled up to my hotel. I slid out of the car and opened the back seat door to hug my daughter. "I love you, don't forget that," I told her, placing a kiss on her forehead. 

"Love you daddy!" she waved through her open window as I walked away. 

It was only six o'clock when I got to my room. I needed something to focus on, something to get my mind away from the fact that I was alone. I changed into a pair of athletic shorts and an old t-shirt that I brought. I exited my room and wandered around the hotel, looking for the gym. 

"May I help you?" a lady dressed all in black, a nametag with "Trish" clipped onto her shirt. 

"Uh, yeah. I'm looking for the gym."

She gave me directions and I found the gym empty upon my arrival. I stepped up on to a treadmill and started at a slow speed, not having worked out in a long time. I began to increase my speed so I was jogging, sweat beginning to form on my forehead. I wiped my forearm over my forehead, trying to rid my face of perspiration. 

After forty-five minutes, I was breathing heavily and my legs felt like they were going to fall off. I stumbled off of the treadmill, my jelly feeling legs making it hard to walk. The exercise made me forget my problems for a little bit, but as I was walking back to my room, I remembered that I was still alone. I wasn't going home to anyone and I was going to wake up with no one next to me. 

i hope you like this chapter, idk if i really do but yeah. I had this written so i thought i would update, but i'm having such bad writers block ugh i'm sorry. i'm going to spend some time and figure out where i want this book to go so i'm sorry if updates are slow. but i promise i will finish it, i'm not just quitting. i want it to turn out well.

please vote and comment, i love you for reading <3 xx zoe