✧.* ❛ i want to wear his initial on a chain 'round my neck not because he owns me but 'cause he really knows me ❜ ✧.*

Malachi was a lot of things to mariah and though some would never understand how important he was to her and why, she does. She remembers a lot about their friendship treasuring all the memories.

She remembers when they first met.
when they were 4 :

"it will be fun plus she's got a son your age" mariah's mum, abbie said trying to get her daughter excited about the play date she had set up. She had run into his mum and they had hit it off instantly once realising they both had children around the same age they knew they needed to have them meet.

As her daughter's interest was immediately piqued she smiled grateful as she led her daughter into the car to head off.

She sighed before she got into the car, her hand aching where her husband had gripped onto it tightly as he screamed at her angrily last night. It was the first time he had ever acted like that but she put on a smile for her daughter as she stepped into the car.

Once they had gotten to the barton's house, mariah had practically jumped out the car excited to make a new friend.

She knocked gently on the door hearing barking and movement inside as the door suddenly opened. Their stood felicia, malachi's mother, with a giant grin on her face as she noticed the tiny girl standing beside abbie.

"omg aren't you just gorgeous" she said as welcomed them into her home. Mariah grinned proud as she thanked her but her thoughts were quickly interrupted when a dog ran up to her.

It began sniffing and licking her as she giggled the parents laughing along. "marley!" she heard someone shout as a boy her age ran into the room.

He stopped noticing her standing next to his dog. She immediately grinned "hi! i'm mariah" she walked up to him offering a handshake.

He looked down at her hand bewildered and looked back up at her face, she was smiling right at him and he slowly and carefully shook her hand.

"i'm uhh mal..malachi" he announced awkwardly though she wasn't put off by his awkwardness instead she simply smiled "i can tell we are going to be great friends!"

Which wasn't a lie as soon as malachi lost his shyness around the girl they became inseparable, begging their parents practically every day to let them hang out.

She remembers when he first called her mary.
when they were 10 :

"i think my mum might be sad about something" she announced as she kicked her feet simply sitting on the swing instead of actually swinging.

Malachi on the other hand was swinging as high as he could "why what's wrong" he questioned, confused as her mum seemed happy whenever she visited.

She shrugged "i don't know, i saw her crying yesterday but when she saw me she immediately started smiling and saying she was fine"

"that's weird but a lot of stuff makes people sad especially you" he said teasingly "you're a crybaby always" he joked wanting to hear her laugh hating how upset she sounded.

She laughed but immediately began protesting "i am not a crybaby!" "mhm sureee" he replied laughing. She glared at him and crossed her arms staring ahead of them at the sky.

"i'm sorry mariah" he said smiling knowing she wasn't actually upset. She bit back her smile, huffed and continued to stare forwards as she wasn't about to let him win.

He groaned "don't ignore me" she didn't reply so he got off the swing and walked right in front of her. She continued to look anywhere where he wasn't "cmonn mariahh talk to me" he pleaded trying to catch her eye.

She continued ignoring him, though it got harder to do as he started to tug on her sleeve. She bit her lip once more not wanting to laugh. "maryyyy" he groaned now upset she still wasn't answering him.

"mary?" she questioned forgetting that she was ignoring him. His smile got larger as she realised that she had spoken to him.

"you like my new nickname for you?" he questioned tilting is head at her, she felt herself blush at him giving her a nickname and couldn't hide her smile anymore as she beamed at him.

He felt himself smile as he noticed how happy she seemed from the nickname he came up. At that moment he decided that was his name for her and no one else's.

She remembers her first kiss.
when they were 13:

She really wanted to impress these people, they seemed so cool and she just wanted them to be friends with her. That's probably the only reason she agreed to play truth or dare with them. She had forced malachi to play too not wanting to get stuck by herself.

He was sitting right next to her and their knees were touching causing her whole face to be red like a tomato. It was malachi's turn now and she was nervous for what he would have to do.

"truth or dare?" jas questioned. Mariah thought jas was gorgeous and was incredibly jealous of the way she looked and how she seemed to have a personality which just radiated around the room.

Malachi seemed to think for a second before answering "dare". Everyone made noises dramatically at his choice which he just rolled his eyes too. Jas thought for a second before she looked between mal and mariah who were sitting incredibly close. Mariah felt knots form in her stomach nervous for what she would say.

"i dare you to kiss mariah" she said grinning as some people began acting disgusted. She saw how malachi seemed to hesitate and then noticed how a group of the guys seemed to be laughing. She immediately felt subconscious and felt her lips turn down in a frown as she heard them whispering knowing it was about herself.

Malachi's hesitation disappeared as soon as he saw how upset mary looked so he shrugged and simply said "okay" as he turned to face mariah.

Her eyes widened in surprise as she turned to look at him too. He gave a sweet smile which made all the nerves in her body dissipate as he leaned in and kissed her.

It was a simple peck but as soon as he pulled away she felt her heart hammering and she couldn't concentrate on anything else other than his face as he beamed at her. As the game continued the only thing on her mind was the kiss and she was sure she didn't stop blushing all day.

She remembers when she first told him about her parents.
They were 14/15:

She felt bad. It was malachi birthday and here she was crying in the bathroom instead of celebrating with him. He had just turned fifteen and she had planned the whole party for him, making sure it was absolutely perfect for him.

"this is literally the best party ever" she heard mal say as he knocked on the door wondering what happened as she'd been gone for a while now.

She smiled glad to hear that he was happy. She quickly wiped the tears not wanting to worry to boy.

She opened the door and walked out seeing malachi waiting right beside it for her. He was smiling so hard but he stopped as soon as he looked over her face. "what happened?" he asked, "i swear if someone said something" he said starting to feel angry.

She sighed at the fact that he could read her so easily and knew that she couldn't lie to him. "no it's not that" she replied not wanting him to go and punch a kid again.

"what is it then?" he questioned studying her face and before she knew the tears had started streaming down her face and she couldn't stop them.

Malachi immediately ran to her and wrapped his arms around her as he led her upstairs to his room away from the birthday party in the living room.

She cried in his arms for a while without saying anything but she knew she wanted to tell him so lifting her head from the crook of his neck she explained "it's my parents" she said hiccuping.

"they keep arguing all time, they're constantly shouting and it's really scares me. They were arguing before i left and i went to check if everything was okay and then my dad started screaming at me" she explained, more tears streaming down her face.

Malachi's heart broke as he stared at the precious girl in his arms, he knew she didn't deserve this and all he wanted to do was to help and take away all the pain she feels.

That's how they spent malachi's fifteen birthday. She was wrapped his arms as she cried while he promised her that everything will get better.

.・。.・゜✭・.

i hope you guys like this chapter and don't mind that it's just flashback as they were a lot of fun to write

i just wanted you guys to get to know their friendship better
and i'm probs gonna start mixing flashbacks in a little more

don't forgot to vote and comment, love u guys!