Before You, He Had Me

Fifteen

"Ya," Meg laughs at something Arabella says as they exit the building.

"Holy shit." Bella stops, eyes going wide as she looks past Meg, who turns in confusion.

"Hey, I was coming to find you." Michael smiles.

"You always pick me up at the curb." She frowns at him.

"Felt like being a gentleman today." He shrugs off her comment, but Meg knows there is more to it than that, and she has a strange suspicion she knows what that other part is.

"Meg," She startles suddenly, turning to Bella who she had forgot was there all together.

"Yeah?" She asks quickly.

"Remember when we were at the club and I asked if you knew of 5 Seconds of Summer and you said yes, and that you'd met Calum and that's why you were unfazed." She quips, "Did you leave a huge bit out of that explanation?"

Michael chuckles at the girls expression as Megan rolls her eyes, "No I didn't, you asked if I was a fan and I said yes. And I did say I had met them before."

"You forgot the part about how Michael picks you up from work regularly." Bella rolls her eyes.

"I don't have a license in the US yet. He is nice enough to come get me instead of making me take Ubers."

"Megan. Please, let me spell out my question here." Bella seems exasperated as she grabs Megs shoulders, "How do you know them so well?"

"Oh," Meg laughs, "Michael is my cousin." She motions over her shoulder to the tall man.

"Cousin? Like distant cousin?"

"No, Cousin like his dad and my mum are siblings. We share grandparents. Why is this so hard for you to understand?" Megan laughs.

"I'm sorry I've never been friends with people who actually know people. Even in LA."

"Mike and the others aren't people as you are calling them. They are humans, obnoxious humans at that." Meg laughs.

"Love you too, Megan." Michael laughs, tossing an arm over her shoulders, "Considering you don't pay rent at my house, or grocery bill, or utilities, or shit. You might want to be nice to me."

"Ashton's my favorite though." She shrugs, smirking at him before turning back to Bella.

"And Calum's her least favorite. So that's why she only answered vaguely at the club." Michael adds, "It's nice to meet you I'm Megan's cousin, Michael." He holds out a hand to Bella.

"Arabella, or Bella, Meg's coworker, and friend."

"Good to meet you. You ready to head home, Meg?" Michael turns to her, and there's something in his eye telling her it's not actually a question.

"Ya. Let's go." She concedes, waving to Bella before letting Michael steer her towards his car.

***

"She was with you at the club?" Mike asks in a hard tone as he pulls the Tesla out of the parking lot.

"Ya?" She frowns over at him confused by his tone.

"And she let you go to the bathroom alone?" his voice gets sharper as he asks, anger clearly being held against Arabella.

"It wasn't like she let me go knowing what would happen Mike. I was pissed off and walked away to get away from Calum, and discussing Calum. It's not her fault, it's not Calum's fault, it's not my fault. The only person to blame is the one sitting in the county jail who did it to me. And don't come to the fucking door to pick me up from work. I can walk across the sidewalk to the curb just fine. I'm not a baby."

"I'm trying to help, Megan, and protect you."

"You're treating me like a child. I managed just fine for weeks without you knowing anything was wrong. But now that you know you don't like my friends and you have to pick me up inside the building at work like I'm at fucking daycare or something? That's not okay Mike. I'm not going to put up with it. I'm a grown ass woman, something happened to me out of my control, but I can handle walking out of a damn building to the car on my own."

"It freaked me out, Meg!" He groans, "You move here to live with me, and around me, and I feel like I need to show you LA and what it's like here, and then you go and get assaulted on your first trip out of the house? It fucking hurts and I feel guilty as fuck for it. I know it's not your fault, or Calum's, or even Bella's, but I have to be mad because my kid sister was violated when I was supposed to be watching out for her."

"He wanted to do it. And maybe I should have picked up on more of his vibe before he boxed me in, but it was his fault and his alone and if anyone else is to blame it's me for not listening to how loud my creep radar was going off about the situation."

"I know it's his fault, but he also showed up at my house, where you live, where you should feel safe always, and I had no idea. And one of my friends brought him and how the fuck am I supposed to know which friend, and if they knew he was a creep? Because if they had any idea and were still friends with him, I can't be friends with them. Not with someone who was opening friends with the man who hurt you like that. And I feel so guilty for not realizing everything, or seeing the bruises, or pushing back harder on your entire personality change. Or asking why the fuck you and Calum had a different vibe going no matter how hard you tried to hide it. And, fuck, Meg, I'm dealing with all sorts of emotions related to this and I just have to know where you are and who you're with and make sure your safe. I can't live with myself otherwise."

"I need a little space, Mike, I have to be able to breathe, I will never work through all of this if I don't. I'll ask for help if I need it, but I really, really need you to give me a little more space. You are driving me up a wall this week."

"I can't help it. You've been sick because of the anxiety, I've heard you in the bathroom, it's next to my gaming room, Meg, don't deny it. I can't help but want to protect you, and the fact that something like this happened as soon as you moved in with me, I feel guilty for that, Meg. I'm sorry, but I'm going to sent a thousand annoying texts, and I will call if you don't respond. And I'm going to panic and worry about you. I love you so much, Meg and I have to. You have to understand that."

"I don't have to understand that, Mike. And you have to stop feeling guilty for what happened when you were on the other side of the fucking country. It wasn't your fault, or mine, or anyone's, so let me fucking breathe."

"I'll try, but you have to be patient with me, Meg. You have to."

"I'll try and meet you in the middle. But you have to meet me there too."

"I'll try."

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Is Michael right to worry, to feel guilty?

Is Meg right to be demanding space and trust?

Vote and comment!

I love you guys!!!

~M =)