Michael held my hand as he took me out of the car and brought me inside to the skating rink. He was quiet though out the car ride her, even seeming nervous, but he kept his lovely smile.
The warm air but ups with joy and excitement as we entered the building together. Michael having his arm around my back, keeping me by his side, like if I was someone special he needed to keep safe. The bright fun light around us made him look magical, hair like normal, but with some order to it. He looked like how he always does, dressed the same way, but neater than normal.
"Hey, did you get home safe last night?" I asked him, finally getting a change to take to him as we walked to the counter where you get the skates.
"Yes, did I sleep? No. I was worried about you, mainly. Like, not in the weird way. Like, I hope I didn't make you feel uncomfortable at any point. And-"
"Darling, I'm fine. I hope you understand. You won't make me uncomfortable by trying to be around for me. I enjoyed having you over and I'm surprised my uncle let you say for dinner."
"Oh yes, the, um, dinner." Michael awkwardly looked away, trying not to be rude, but we both knew the cooking was horrid.
"It was terrible, but hey, next time you come over, and you can dinner with us. I'll cook dinner."
"I don't trust your food either."
"I know how to cook." I huffed.
"Next time, I'll offer to cook."
"What no, that not nice. A guest should have to cook."
"I will and afterwards, I'll get an excellent reputation with your uncle."
"Are you trying to befriend my uncle?" I raised a brow, confused.
"Of course not, I'll befriend him and show him a good time out. I can't imagine what it's like for him to put up with you all day long." Michael grinned.
"You fucker." I rolled my eyes.
"Be nice, I'm only speaking facts"
"No, you aren't. I'm not a pain in the ass like how you are being right now." I crossed my arms.
He rolled his eyes, and I laughed. He trying his best to hid his adorable smile, the smile that appears sometimes when he's enjoying who he's around. A real good heart-warming smile that brightened up face. A smile suits him, sadly he's always in a gloomy mood half the time. Makes these moments even special. To see him be happy and enjoying himself.
He got us skates and even helped me on the rink, first getting on first to show me how to move myself around and stop. I understood what I was doing, but I didn't at the same time. It looked easy, from what he showed me. I got on and attempted to move, focusing on balancing my weight any legs, when moving, while Michael calmly skated next to me with his arms somewhat behind his back. He was being a massive prick by being such a showoff.
"ass." I rolled my eyes.
"You love me really." Michael laughed, clearly wanting show off how better he was.
"stop showing off," I went slightly a head of him and heard him fall, so I turned back to see Michael on the floor, laughing his ass off. I laughed at him and with him, seeing him, enjoying himself even if he fell he deserved it for being a big showoff. I lost control and unable to stop, and falling over.
I gasped in pain as I knocked out the wild of me, landing awkwardly on my back, but I continued to laugh with Michael. I found it so funny.
"are you okay?" He up before skating slowly to me to help me up. "Like, I heard that gasp, like are you actually alright?" He looked slightly concerned, but seeing how it was still laughing my ass off about how karma kicked both our ass.
"complete." I smiled.
"I should show you how to stop because, you could hurt yourself if you rely on falling to stop you. I don't want to end up taking you home with broken parts."
"Do you honestly think I'm that prone to getting hurt?" There was a silence between us. "Okay, Prone to getting by myself."
"Oh then no, but its still good practice to know how to, so you minimums the damage." He looked at me as if I was too stupid to understand if he didn't show as he talked as well as keep a massive amount of eye contact. "To stop, you need to place one foot slightly in front of the other. With the toes pointing forward. Then, lift your back foot and tilt it forward so that the toe stopper can slow you down slowly and stop you." He showed off what he meant, moving at a slow pace, bring his left foot inwards and his right for hovering the ground with the stopper slight scrapping the ground, slowing down and stopped.
I attempted and didn't quite understand, slipping and holding onto the side support when I felt like I was about to fall.
"You'll learn with enough practice."
"You'll learn that I won't be practicing. Can we skate and joy each other?"
"But we aren't moving away from the wall, too much of a safety risk."
"That's fine." I rolled my eyes, skating away from him, giggling. "Just keep up with me, darling."
For an hour or hour and a half, know little time passed, but all I knew, I had a lot of fun, skating and showing off my zero skills at skating to him and laugh when I have to cling to the side because I felt falling. I thought pulled something in my bad arm as it started hurting when I move it a curtain way. It was really weird, but it wasn't a massive pain, just that pain numbed aching pain that seems more of an inconvenience than anything. Michael laughed at me holding onto the side himself, unable to skate and laugh at the same time.
"Thank you for the night." I smiled brightly, holding in joyful laughter of seeing him, struggling to keep his balance.
"Woman, the night isn't over, We getting food after this, and maybe head back to yours to watch a movie. I got a few options in the car."
"Man, we'll see about the movie, depends on what you have. I may or may not, have stole movies."
"pastime as a thief? Cause you stole my heart" He winked so proudly of that line, as if it was good.
"You cheesy rat." I blushed at his line. "Who told that one? Roselyn?"
"You'll never hear her say my lines." He grinned, knowing body who would pull out a line like that and use it to try to charm anyone.
"You're insane."
"Insane enough that I want to spend my night with you."
"I hate you." I laughed, cringing at these. So bad but funny, I guess they are working, because I was laughing and responding to them, moving the conversation forward.
- later -
We got to a diner just right outside of town, that appeared Wore down but still brightly lit with colourful sign, that awkwardly blinkered. People were side, and it was still in business. The neon lights flickered and buzzed, casting an ethereal glow on the cracked asphalt parking lot, where we stood outside of 'Michael's' car. The sign above the entranceway appeared wand faded, but still boasted the name of the diner in bold.
"This place is where me and the others used to hang out. Until Roselyn had a go at the owner and got herself kicked out." Michael said, walking to the door and opening the door for me.
"Sounds like a Roselyn thing to do." I entered, looking around. linoleum red, black and white patterned flooring, walls covered in odd colours of paint, slashed and smeared to make patterns with different bold colours on top of one base blue colour, harsh flashy lighting and the most notable was the general layout.
One the left was a vinyl booths being upholstered in bright colours with large stained glass windows, with leaves growing up it freely.
One the other side of the narrow diner, was a long counter with vinyl-topped stools, where a strong-looking woman stood, smiling and chatting up a storm with few of the customers. She darkish flawless skin with peachy undertone, delicate blue eyes that shimmered with joy. Her defined and well-built arms crossed her flat chest, clearly fit. Despite her more muscular build, she looked so soft and feminine with her outfit making everything about her appearance work so well. She poured coffee for some people and had that relaxed feeling around her.
"Fancy that." She leaned against the counter slightly, with her arm holding her weight with ease. "What bring you here?" Her eyes and her directed to Michael, who walked passed me to sit at the counter. I awkwardly followed him, standing close to him.
"cheap food."
"Who's this pretty little thing." She had an odd accent, weird European accent. Maybe French. "Good facial structure."
"This is my date, (y/n). (Y/n) is this the owner, Anais. She's like over 1000 years old."
"Hi." I stayed close to Michael, Not used to my surroundings, to the point I felt anxious about just being around. It was really nerve-racking being introduced as someone date. It was so weird and awkward.
"No need to be awkward, from a look in your eyes, I can see you been having fun. Is Michael treating you well?"
"Mhm," I nodded, smiling at Michael, seeing him generally comfortable with that is around him. "I been have a great time and yes he has been treating me well. He's very behaved and caring"
"that's good, but I heard Michael here is getting into trouble as of late. Could you look out for him, I worry that he's running to his grave. I don't like the energy his giving off."
"energy?" I raised my brow.
"Oh, not this. She believes everyone has energy around them relating to nature and spiritual energy, which is based on a person's actions of how people behave like. Which is a load of bull." Michael rolled his eyes, not interested in what the woman, who seemed to know him well or well enough to have a conversation. I wonder about their relationship and how they met.
"I could do a reading on you both if you would like."
"sure, that would be interesting."
"I'll pass, I don't need you tell me, all reverse side the fool, the chariot and the hermit."
"Fine, fine. You know it may have changed after all it's been a long while. Anyway, What would you both like?"
"Chips please and a can of coke." I quietly said unsure what to get.
(Chips = Fries)
"I'll have the same" Michael looked at me, holding my hand, comforting me.
"Alright, go sit down at a booth or something, I don't want you two being all lovey dovey at the counter." Anais shooed us from the counter as the yelled into the kitchen.
We got settled down at the booth closest one to the door, with my jacket off and to the side of me and Michael opposite side of me. The red chairs stretched to hold over two people, odd stains on the fabric, which I didn't question why. The place seemed decently maintained, and it didn't seem like it was an awful place.
"Wanna talk about what made your uncle look after you?" Michael asked, tapping the table.
"Oh, My mother doesn't trust me to be left alone." I went quiet, feeling awkward.
"Looks like a win, no need to be worried about your mother finding out where you are."
"True, I guess, but She isn't probably coming back..."
"Don't say that, She care too much about you to leave you. That woman would go to hell and back to keep you safe. It can be annoying but, taking everything that has happened plus a decline in the relationship between you and her. It wouldn't make things any better. She'll be worse, you'll be still depressed and the decline on relationship will just get worse. However, I don't know how things are or if it is this the case. I can assume from you know what you have said and how she has been any time she at the hospital. Most of the time, It looks as if she was being overall protective mother, which is valid. She's also valid for not trust any of the people you hang out with."
"maybe, it's been on my mind, since earlier today."
"What happened? If you don't mind me asking."
"I overheard my uncle on the phone with my mother. He was yelling at her for quote on quote 'abandoning me' and she has plans on sending me away to my grandparents..."
"Well, all to treat every day as fun as possible." Michael smiled looking at the bright side of the problem. "Your last year of school would be in another town, I'm guessing. Hey, don't have to see the people who hurt you around"
"But I won't get to see you and the others."
"Weekend visits, phone calls, writing letters. Many ways we stay in touch. It'll be pretty cool to get out of this stupid town. Start new somewhere else where nobody knows you. Good friends are scarce but there are always ways of communications. You never know where technology is going to go in the next 20 years."
"Imagine games being 3D becoming the normal, where you can play from games from your home with friends, while they are at their home. Anyone can use the internet at the same time." I got all existed for the future of games, even if it would probably be not in my lifetime.
"Crazy cool, Better games to beat and win against you."
"You wish you can beat me at games."
"You bare beat me at games. You're not on my level." Michael grinned.
"You're right, I'm not on your level because I'm on a higher level." I laughed.
"In your dream" Michael rolls your eyes. I lightly laughed at him, and we continued our back and forward of who is better to the point we started poking and laughing at each other, until Anais walked to our table with our order and a cheerful smile.
"Thank you." I smiled politely, before looking at Michael. He looked oddly happier than normal with a joyful smile like he had no stress or worries in anything, like all problems he once had gone away and he felt relaxed. I liked the sight of him being this happy.
"This place looks busier than normal."
"Want the bullshit, or the truth." Anais eyed Michael, prideful grin with her arms crossed after putting down the baskets of chips and a can of coke.
"humour me, tell me both."
She chuckled as if it was going to be something unbelievable. "Hard work and dedication, After all, good comes to those who do good." I thought that was a reasonable. "Sheriff Richard doing charitable work by donating money into making this place get more customers because is new lover is part time here."
"I- oh." Michael thought about it for a moment, looking so confused on which one was the truth. "That bastard got a new lover? I knew he sometimes comes here for a coffee break because shit is dead cheap here and you are open all night half the time. Tell me the truth."
"I did."
"Show me you documentation of this hard work and dedication, where is this good comes to good people shit because there is no way someone is sick enough to be willingly be with that cunt. He's soup to his own ass."
"I know, but sometimes, things needs to be done to keep this have food, fuel and water for cooking and keep the lights on."
"Who's the new employ like?"
"She was hired a week ago, does 2 pm to 12 am. She's on her 10 minute break right now but you'll see her around. Once she's back, I'll do the reading for now, I'll let you two be alone."
"Okay." I nodded, eating my chips.
Anais left us to help and serve other customers, chatting and laughing with them, clearly knowing them or just being a good at being friendly with everyone.
"So, how do you know her, you two seem like friends?" I asked.
"Old friend of my mother's. My mother was once a sociable lady, chatty, friends with most people. Anais and my mother were good friends before I was born and knew me when I was a tiny baby but mainly lost touch with my mother after 5 years of my existence and a slow decline of communications because of mental health. Anais has a sister called betty, that normally deals with me and the others, but I think she left to focus on being a mother to her 5 children."
"That makes sense. I saw Max and Roselyn today, they are, sweetheart."
"Heard from Alex, Though I don't know what he was complaining about. He was sitting with me telling me how Roselyn swindled him. I thought, we all knew Roselyn will swindle use out of money, clothes and anything we give her. Love the woman but she can be a thief and a bitch."
"It's a love hate isn't it between you two. I mean, I didn't know you two had fix your issues or are you two just repairing the friendship."
"It's love hate and yeah, I think we are still on talking terms. I don't know anymore, slowly fixing the relationship." Michael went quiet about Roselyn as if he doesn't really want to touch the subject of her. Did something happen? When hasn't something happened between them too, it's always on and off. Like an unpleasant light. The friendship isn't good, nor healthy but I don't think Michael or Roselyn can move on from each other like an addiction that can't be broken.
Michael looked around, taking sips of his can of coke, before blinking a few times and looking at me. He ummed and urrred, trying to find the words, pointing to the someone over by the counter. So out of curiosity what got him like this, I looked and saw my mother, working as a waitress here. Oh fuck. Oh. Ooooh fuck! Shit! Wait. Oh fuck! My thought screamed to me, like fuck what have I discovered.
I looked away from him covering myself up with my jacket and my head on my hand, to cover face. I didn't want her to notice me. Michael put up his hood and wide eyed me as if we were both fucked if she spotted us. Oh, hell no.
"Well, that explains things."
"She's not." I cringed at the thought of my mother dating someone. It shivered my skin and made me lose want to live. How and why.
"Wait until max and Alex hears about this." Michael laughed.
"I'll never here the end of this."
"daddy sheriff" Micheal laughed more, as soon as the door opens and the man himself, the sheriff walked in with a coworker, tired and looking like in need of coffee. Michael instantly shut the fuck up, embarrassed of what he said. It was quite queer that he will call someone that. "So, wanna know how badly I fucked up."
With a smug look, I chuckled, "Oh, humour me."
"Coffee?" My mother called out two of the two men, that entered and sat at the counter, looking at her with glee in their eyes. The sheriff, nodded with calm voice chimed out with tiredness, "Of course, like always." He winked at her.
"They aren't even hiding it."
"How long has this been going on." I kept my eyes away from the counter.
Anais walked over to us after notice, us becoming more quiet and were hiding away, getting more into the booth to hide our presence. She stood by our table, confused, seeing how nervous and embarrassed we both became.
"You being shade, what are you two doing." She asked with her arms crossed.
"nothing..." We both shamefully said, giggling on with an extra pinch of embarrassment in our voices.
Anais looked at the new waiters and back at us, being suspicious about our activity and behaviour. "You know her, don't you? Tell me the detail. Spill."
"Make sure the new waiter did not n't see us." Michael mumbled.
"Why?"
"Please, it's my mother and she'll be really pissed off if she see me her. I'll never hear the end of it if she knew I was out this late and with Michael."
"Michael already angering mothers. Sounds about right. Well, Since that bastard is here now, she'll be busy chatting with him, and convince him to have something to eat." Anais got out a pack of weirdly designed cards and sat in the booth with us. "Right, I'll do your reading now."
"Alright."
Anais got them, began shuffling them with her eyes closed murmuring something not in English. Each word she said, was perfect, even better than her English, which was pretty good. She put the cards down and then asked for my hands and for me to think about something I wanted to know. I relaxed and through for a while for what I wanted to know, the first thing came to mind was, will my life get better but that seems pointless to asked, to see if it will make you feel better. Oddly enough, I thought about it.
After that, She told me to pick 3 cards that I felt like picking and placed them down in front of me. So I did, but I don't know what I felt about these. So I don't know how this would work or what she was doing, she explained little about this.
"So these cards can tell you or give you a overview of what you had wanted to know, the left is the past the right is the future, and the middle is current day. Left being your left as you have to touch the cards and placed them down, so it uses you energy and wanted to know."
On my left was, The fool, a jester looking out freely and carelessly on an edge of some sort. I looked at it more, kind of feeling stupid at this point, and seeing why Michael thought this was bull. These were just cards.
"The fool, in general, being young and innocent of a care of any dangers that may surround them. It the context of your what you wanting to know, you started an adventure with an innocence about it, or even a child. Only you can really know why or what adventure you embarked on but you went down a path without care for dangers. This can be that you started something new, made an impactful choice that has put you into a path in life."
Her words made me think back, when I met Michael at his father's and Henry's diner. Enjoying myself, after a few months of saving up money to sneak away and play. My mother was already stressed before then, but I played pretend, pretending not see the overdue bills and medical bills. How I cluelessly listened all of her phone calls with my uncle, trying to borrow money. I definitely made it so much worse for her, wanting an adventure and explore, after hearing classmate talking about going out to the theatres to see films that I was never allowed to go see. They talked about how much fun they had going shopping with their friends. When my mam does glossary shopping, I like to sit in the shopping cart. I never really tried to make friends, because of everyone generally having cool things to talk about. I never could get anything I wanted and she selective on what she bought, always doing maths but I thought every trip was fun and took it as an opportunity to explore with Fritz and playfully chase him through the row of shelves, as if they were tall towers of a city street like in these movies I secretly watched with my him, when my mother was a sleep and told me to get fritz to bed by 7. I never did. She never found out because he always blame the darkness for his nightmares. How sometimes, I got scared of the movies and had to creep into my mam's bed for safety, knowing when she was around, I was safe and nothing could harm me.
In the middle was the towers, a tower in flames, seeming almost unstable or in ruins. I didn't look good, nor did current time was. And it was upright, meaning good. Right. I don't know why the what way it was mattered; it looked weird.
"This card means changes, problems or general life being chaotic, there has been changes in your life that you may or may not like or understand, and changes can be scary or even chaotic at times but changes are a natural thing appear of life. Even scary at times, oh god, bless your soul, I just realise."
"You just realise, her mother is with the sheriff." Michael kept his voice down to a whisper. "This is the first time she's hearing about it. It worse than that. Last couple of months been hell and back. You don't really need to know, how chaotic it actually been."
"Are you joking me?" Anais gasped in surprised. "You poor soul, Listen. Things are changing, maybe in the worse ways. Just keep your head up high and work through and develop new was of life to get you through the changes or chaos. What's up, darling. Has the changes to life been hard."
"Maybe, Its gone too fast, mainly for me to even understand it. I don't know. It's been quiet a lot and I want my life to return to being how it was." I signed unsure how to make of everything, seeing everything that has happened, I have never really sat down and truly processed any of it, almost hiding from all of it trying to ignore it as if it never happened. I would like it if what happened didn't happen, but it did. I was still unsure if I was being sad about it was even allowed. Been feeling numb about it, disgusted in myself about it and fearing what would anyone thing of me if I told someone about it. Would Michael hate me? Would I gross him out, not wanting me because some other person has took my pride, my worth and caused me to feel so helpless and defenceless that now I felt like I wasn't worth anyone's time or love. I couldn't protect myself.
"Things to happen for plenty of reasons because free will exist. Unless its natures doing, then it's because nature had set its course of what it normally does, continues without stop or fail. Life is a part of nature and its unpredictable, filled with good days and bad days. I hope this will give you some idea or some comfort for the future. I have a feeling you would rather move on to the future."
"Yes, please." I quietly sniffled, tearing up. Michael, got to my side, and comforted me, cuddling me in caringly with his hand stroking my arm. He let me rested myself against him with my head on his shoulder. He softly kissed my head, whispered sweetness to me. Telling me how funny to night has been with me, how I brightened his day and other sweet things that made me softly smile. Rarely hearing these words from anyone, but from Michael.
"Are you okay? We can stop."
"No, I'm fine, just remembered something."
"You know if its something negative, I suggest we should stop. I believe terrible memories produce negative or bad energy, making things that require these spiritual energies to be accurate, you need to stay relax."
"It was nothing." I quietly brushed what she said away like nothing.
On my right was the star, with a depiction of a pretty woman pouring water with stairs around her, hopeful.
"The upright stars, its hopefulness, a light after a storm, strength to carry on, faith. Through all the hardships, there is hope and a chance for something better to get back up on your feet and live life. This can mean you will heal the emotional, mental wounds in life has caused you with the healing bring hope and reason for living, pride in who you are. If you can suffer what you have and learn to heal the wounds scarred to you, then you are much braver than Michael and his friends. Trust me, the never get the star. Meaning, they aren't doing a lot of healing. Look at Michael, you probably still angry at Alex for stealing a pea from his plate."
"Right, you made me that dinner personally, I hold that with pride, and he stole one thing throw it." Michael defend himself.
"See."
"Right, that's unfair." Michael huffed, cuddling me in.
"He's not much a healer, holds everything in his heart. He's probably pissy about when I beat him at an arcade game."
"you were distracting me and making me not focus on what I was doing."
"I wasn't, I was only watching, and Elizabeth can back me up. You are just shit. Just get better and still being saltier than the sea."
"You just get better."
"I am better than you." I got every talkative again, enjoying the petty jokingly back and forward. Harmlessly joking around that really made me get so excited about. My voice slightly louder, as I giggled and laughed.
"I know you're not, it's why your picking trouble with me."
"I'm not doing anything like that. Plus, you have no proof of anything."