The Internship

Chapter Five

I walked back into Mitch's office with a plan and Mr. Grassi's address.

I was expecting to do work as soon as I sat down, but to my surprise Mitch was sitting and waiting for me.

"Hey I just want to talk about last night," he said.

I felt myself tense up. I'd screamed at my boss last night, could I be any stupider?

"Yeah sure okay."

"Look I'd had a rough day and maybe it was the beer but what I did was rude and inappropriate."

"Mitch it's fine really--"

"No it's not. I've been a pain in the ass lately. I've never opened up to anyone before. Kirstie is the only one who knew my dad was abusive. I guess I just want to say I'm sorry."

"Mitch that's not fair. I'm your friend, don't push me away."

Mitch stood up suddenly and I jumped back. "So you want a repeat of today?! I was an asshole to you yesterday and then you protected me today. That's not fair Scott. You're worth so much more than me."

"Don't you dare say that."

"Enough!" Mitch boomed. I pressed my lips together to stay quiet. I was scared.

Mitch sighed and flattened his hair. He began talking, his voice only a little higher than a whisper. "I don't care how wonderful you think you are or the promises you'll make, you're going to leave. Everyone leaves and believe it or not that includes you. To do us both a favor, please get your head out of your ass and open your eyes. By doing that you'll realize you're in love with a screwed up slut. Get. Over. It."

My mind was racing. I wanted to tell him that he wasn't a slut and that I most definitely wouldn't leave, but instead I said both the stupidest and only thing I could think of in that moment. "I don't think I'm in love."

Mitch smiled and then was full on laughing until he was on the ground crying.

I stood there confused, trying to figure out why he suddenly began laughing. But then I realized he wasn't laughing. He was crying and hunched over while holding his side.

"Oh my-- are you alright?" Damnit Scott of course he's not alright.

"I just--" He took a deep breath and put his head down further so that I couldn't see the tears that escaped, but I'd already seen them.

I kneeled down next to him and rubbed his back.

"Can you stand up?" I asked.

"Yeah," he said but I could hear the doubt in is voice.

I stood up first and he slowly followed. As soon as he stood up I brought him into my chest. I hated the reasons, but I was going to hug him as much as I could today.

He pushed me away as soon as I fully got my arms around him.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"Why?"

"I've been such a fucking mess today. First I was crying into your chest and now I'm screaming at you. I just don't know how to let people in."

"It's okay, but you're trying right? And you know I won't hurt you?"

"Yeah," he said, the reluctance in his voice and eyes. It would be hard to get him to trust me but the only way I could do it was by showing him, tonight.

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Mr. Grassi's house is huge. But I guess that's expected considering the amount of money he makes.

"Sloth boy?" Mr. Grassi said as he opened the door to his house. He was wearing only an undershirt and boxers. His hair was crazily all over his head and he smelled like a garbage can. There was a bruise beneath his right eye from where I had punched him, and I refrained from smiling as I looked at it. He also was slightly slurring his words and it was obvious that he was drunk. "What do I owe this pleasant surprise?"

"Leave Mitch alone. He's never done anything to you and he's--"

Mr. Grassi cut me off by bursting into laughter. "Mitchell your boyfriend is here!" He called. He opened the door wider and I took it as my cue to walk in. Mitch came down the stairs in a hurry. He was shirtless and I swallowed back the remains of my lunch that wanted to reappear as I took a look at his bruises.

"Did you call me dad?" He asked. "Do you need something? Is it time for round three?" Then his eyes fell onto me. He grabbed a pillow from nearby to cover his bruises.

"Do you honestly think that's going to change something? Your face is ugly and your body is ugly, get the fuck over yourself," Mr. Grassi spat.

"You fucking crossed the line a--" I began.

"Enough from you blondie! Just take your slut home with you, I can finish this with him later," Mr. Grassi growled.

I swallowed while running my options through my head. I really wanted to kill this fucking maniac but at the same time I wanted to get Mitch out of here and not stoop to Mr. Grassi's level. Mitch ran up the stairs to get his stuff and my decision was made for me. He came back down seconds later with his phone, wallet, keys, shirt, and jacket. He practically pushed me out of the door.

We got outside and the cold air hit me immediately. Mitch's bruises were purple, black, and red. Some old and some new. Some of them, that were from tonight, were gushing blood. "Put a shirt or jacket on, you'll freeze," I said.

Mitch put on both his shirt and jacket. We both silently stood in the driveway. I was waiting for Mitch to say thank you or give me a hug, but instead he began yelling, which my hate had been increasing for lately. "Why are you always trying to protect me?! It's like I'm your fucking property or something. You think that if you protect me from all the evil in the world, I'll be marked and everyone will know I'm yours. Well it's time for a fucking newsflash buddy. I'm not yours! I never will be! I don't need you!"

Mitch marched off to his car and began speeding away almost instantly. I numbly walked to my own car. I got into my seat and turned on the heat. Tears began slowly spilling out of my eyes until I was almost sobbing.

I wasn't crying because my plan didn't work, or because he probably was getting drunk tonight and being mistreated by some prostitute, or because everything he said was right. I was crying because Mitch Grassi was pushing me away, and there was nothing I could do about it.