мιcнael'ѕ p.o.v.

I didn't know what to expect on the evening of my seventeenth birthday. It was three days after Thanksgiving, and the event landed on a Saturday. When the clock struck 3:00 p.m., my parents and I celebrated by eating a small cake from Cardenas. A few tiny presents were given, including a typewriter from my father's writing years. I thanked my parents, and my friends called me later that day.

They offered to take me out for my birthday. I agreed because I didn't want to spend another birthday at home. My parents were cool with it, and they picked me up around 7:00 p.m., arriving in a silver 2017 Honda Odyssey. My only female friend, Harriet Carrillo, was the designated driver. She smiled at me as I got into the vehicle.

Kai O'Brien, who was seated next to me, grinned at me, and I couldn't help but beam back. He poked my nose as he regularly does when we hang out. A light blush colored my cheeks, and I looked away a bit. Why did Kai's usual procedures make me nervous? I brushed it off as hormones because I was still a teenage boy, even if I was almost an adult.

Luca Richards, my third friend, had yet to be picked up. Harriet explained that he was making me a gift for my birthday. I wasn't entirely sure why, but a nervousness blossomed in my chest. I didn't know why, but I felt like he was thinking of a way to hurt me. That feeling stuck with me until we picked him up.

Luca got into the front passenger seat and buckled the seatbelt. We were finally off. Harriet turned on the radio, tuning it to 104.3. Some of our favorite songs were playing on that station, usually. One of my all-time favorites was barely beginning, the song being Believer by Imagine Dragons.

All four of us sang along, and I wished that the happiness I felt wouldn't end. I didn't know that it would after that night. Now that I think back to that evening, I wish I had never been left alone with Luca Richards. His name now sends shivers up my spine. Every time he touches me, I tense up for fear that he'll hurt me yet again.

Now, school is starting right back up. Thanksgiving break is over, and it's back to our studies. My father noticed a slight limp every time I headed down the stairs to eat with him and my mother. My mother saw me flinch when she tried to kiss my forehead. They don't know what happened that evening.

No one has to know. If I keep it hidden, everyone will think that I'm fine. Kai and Harriet are worried sick about me, but Luca seems satisfied with seeing me hurt. Every time I glance over at him in Harriet's minivan, he smirks. I look away because I'm terrified of him now.

What am I going to do? Who can I tell? Will someone find out? This is going to kill me inside. I'm terrified and need someone to help me.

Let me know what you guys thought of the first chapter so far. I will be asking questions about the part in little author's notes, so answer them if you want to.

1.) What do you think of Michael so far? What do you think happened to him?

2.) Whose point-of-view do you want to see next: Kai's, Harriet's, Luca's, Rolando's, or Su's?

See you guys in the next chapter.

Word Count (excluding author's note and footer): 527