Playing Rough

Chapter XXI

Chapter XXI ─ Overdue

[ B R Y A N   C L A Y ]

Michael had been gone for around ten minutes before I heard the front door creak open. I felt terrible about having to shift this huge burden onto Michael's shoulders, it wasn't fair for him and I fucking hated myself for being so powerless.

Janice must have come back home from the grocery store and I was debating on checking on her. It had been years since I properly talked to her, back when Griff and I were younger, she was more of a mother to me than my biological mom was, it was depressing.

I let out a deep sigh and fell back on Michael's bed, giving everything that unfolded another thought. I couldn't help but get trapped in my head whenever a minor inconvenience happened. I knew that the day was far from over and there was more havoc to wreak, Michael and I needed to talk, we desperately needed to talk and address everything. While I knew it was necessary, I dreaded it more than anything.

It felt like I was running around in circles, circulating the same bullshit I had long cemented in my mind. What was Michael trying to achieve from this situation? He said we'd fight our battles together from this point onwards, but at what cost? I didn't want to be anybody's charity case. I also couldn't pretend that I forgot about that kiss last weekend. It messed with my head too much, slap Jenna's eternal bullshit on top of it all, and soon we're going to be witnesses to a manic episode.

I sat up on the bed and ran a hand through my hair. I didn't know how much more of this I could take before I broke. 

It didn't take me long to stand up and take steps into the living room, full of hesitation and doubt. I didn't know whether it was right to seek comfort from Michael's mom, especially before all that bad blood had been cleared up between the two of us.

I bit my lip and walked into the living area, I saw Janice unpacking her reusable grocery bag on the counter, pulling out various household necessities. She seemed to be oblivious to my presence for a little while until she turned and jumped a little when she met my gaze. "Bryan! You scared me! You've gotten so big over the years." She clutched her chest with her hand and smiled. I couldn't help but suppress a chuckle. "Where is Michael?"

"He went out to grab my pills for me, forgot them on the way out and I didn't want to see my sister again." I flushed out of embarrassment. Janice wasn't in the loop yet, but it was inevitable before she found out everything that happened.

She shook her head, trying to piece her thoughts together. "Pills? Sister? Bryan, what's going on, honey? Come, let's go sit down and talk, we missed you so much." Her eyes were full of genuine sympathy for me. A kind of motherly love and care, that I never truly found in my life, was on display.