friends [muke af]

j'ai été inquiété

j'ai été inquiété

“Clémence, babe, you’ve gotta get up,” Michael begged, standing at the end of her hotel bed. He grabbed her skinny ankles which were hanging over the edge in a mess of blankets.

She squealed at the coldness of her father’s hands, “f.uck you.”

“Excuse me, I am your father. Don’t be a dick.” He grabbed the pristine white sheets off of her body, her old stuffed sheep was clutched in her hands, it’s once white fur was a faded grey. 

He smiled at the memories of that small stuffed animal. 

“What time is it?” She asked, throwing a hand over her pounding headache —she never did well before noon. 

“Like 11:40. We’re going to Tilden beach, then dinner at Theresa’s Pizzeria,” Michael answered, packing a bag of water bottles and snacks. 

“Is Luke coming?”

“I can ask, if you want.” Mike smiled, he didn’t want his fourteen year old daughter knowing how desperate he was.

Luke had his hand in his hair as he read over his notes. His job would be much easier if he was able to read his own handwriting. 

He threw his pen across his small office space, looking over at his phone for any excuse. 

From/ Mikey 

heY we’re headed to tilden do you wanna come with

Luke smiled at the flashing screen, quickly standing up and grabbing his trench coat off his chair.

To/ Mikey

yes please, meet you there in twenty

Michael already had his leather Converse deep in the sand by the time his phone buzzed with a response. He didn’t bother to reply. 

All the memories came flowing back when he looked out into the grey water. He looked next to him, Clémence had a dark blanket wrapped around her as she froze. Weather was never on her side. 

“This is pretty, but it’s different,” she said, wiping a piece of hair from her forehead.

“It’s a lot different than Cali.” Michael laid back, looking up at the sky, it all felt like a dream, but looked like a nightmare. The sky was always grey, always cloudy. Even for this ‘warm winter’, they were still laying on the beach not able to feel their fingertips.

Mike remembers being wrapped up with Luke, their limbs entwined in the pale light. It feels like yesterday. 

Luke saw the duo do to their bright hair, they aren’t much for blending in, are they? He buttoned his trench coat tighter as he took the first steps into the sand. He still came here often, just to stare out into the bay. It gets a small touch of home.

Most thirty year olds don’t call their parent’s home ‘home’, but Luke is different. Luke is very different. 

Luke sat down next to Michael, wrapping his knees up to his chest, “thanks for getting me out of work, I was about to start crying.”

Michael laughed, “nerd.”

“I feel you, though, like, on a spiritual level. I have this entire packet of science homework that I haven’t started.” Clémence sighed, leaning her head on her father, “did you tell Mom that you took me out of school?”

“Psh, of course.”
“Dad…”

“No, not at all.” He smiled, looking over at Luke who had stars in his eyes, sand in his hair.
Luke kept his hands to himself, even though he wanted to be curled up in Michael’s arms too. Nine years later, he will always remember the feeling of his body pressed up against the older boy’s. The way they fit together like a messy puzzle. 

“Do you remember that pizza shop we used to always go to?” Mike asked, leaning back on his left arm, holding his daughter closer with his right.

“Yeah, a little bit. Haven’t been back there in forever, though.”

“I was already thinking about dinner—as usual—and wanted to go back there, to see if it’s still as great as I remember.”

“We went there so often, the owners knew us by name,” Luke said, playing with the cuff of his dark slacks. 

Mike laid down in the sand, his eyes closed as he took in a good breath of the outside world. He spent a good year and a half inside his parent’s house. He didn’t leave besides to work and sometimes take Clémence out somewhere. 

He turned into the parent he swore he’d never become, and all these years later, he still feels guilty. C needed him and he didn’t have the time of day to give her the affection she deserved. There was too much pain in his heart to hold his daughter close during the dark nights, there were too many tears in his eyes to see that she, too, needed Michael.

“Those were the days,” Michael sighed, “filled with pizza and carelessness.”

After four hours, three trips to the hotel, and two trips to Luke’s apartment, the trio found themselves in a wooden booth with tacky red paneling waiting for their pizza to arrive.
Luke had his arm around Clémence once more as they talked about their matching skinny jeans, “I’m convinced we’re the same size.”

“But I’m a dude!”

“Sorry, Lukey, not my fault you have a feminine body,” C shrugged her shoulders, looking up at the tall blonde as he played with his lip ring.

“Your daughter is so mean to me,” Luke looked over at Michael who was typing out a text. 

“I mean, you do have a very feminine body. I would know.” Mike covered his mouth once it slipped out, “I mean, no, I would never have sexual relations before I’m married.”

“Nice one, Dad.” Clémence rolled her eyes, scooting closer to the wall.

C looked at Luke and Mike, who were both ignoring each other. It’s like they were teenagers again, too afraid to look at teach other in the eyes. 

Mike knew one look into the ocean of blue, he would be done for.

“Michael! Lucas!” A middle aged women came running to their table, hugging Mike first, then grabbing the lanky blonde, “I can’t believe you guys are back! I always knew you’d end up together!”
“No, we’re-,”

“Oh my goodness, baby C, you’ve grown so much.”

Michael had his eyes locked on the steaming hot pizza this women was carrying to care for her words or the fact that she knew all three of them.

“Theresa, good to see you again,” Luke smiled, unwrapping the silverware on the table.

“Technically, you’ve never seen her before,” Michael sassed, cutting himself a greasy slice of cheese pizza.

Theresa let out an obnoxious laugh, “amazing. Just as funny as usual.” She walked back into the kitchen, leaving all three in confusion.

“See, now you guys have to get together, don’t wanna disappoint Mama Theresa.”

“Shut up, Clémence,” Michael shoved pizza into his mouth as they sat in a silence.

(a/n) i'm sorry, i'm brain dead. i'm trying, guys, i swear, i'm trying.