"Where are you going?" Rich asks, staring at me.

"Spencer's gifts," I say as I open the door. "I have an idea."

"Bye, headphone'ths kid."Rich and Jake wave, and I shut the door, walking down the hallway.

I walk through the white hallways, looking around. Most of the doors are closed, but one wasn't.

I can't help myself, and glance inside. Lying on the bed is a young girl, who looks nine or ten. Her face was burnt, like Rich's, but ten times worse. No one was with her, no get well soon cards, no anything. She was alone.

"She was found in a fire in her house, barricaded into her room, locked in, She's been here a week," A nurse had appeared next to me. "Are you family?"

"Oh," I say, backing away. "No, sorry, I'm just looking"

The woman looks somewhat disappointed. "Oh, it's alright. No one has came to visit her anyway. Have a nice day." The nurse walks in the direction I came from, and I take another glance at the girl. I look down the hallways for any more nurses or doctors before stepping into the room.

I sit down next to the girl and just stare at her. She is alone. I grab a notepad and pen from the bedside table next to her.

Dear girl,

I hope you get better soon.

- Michael

It isn't much, but there isn't much could do. I stand up, and walk out the door, continuing my search for the exit.

I eventually find the waiting room, where Mom is leaning on Ina's shoulder.

"Mom, Ina," I say, attempting to shake them awake, "Wake up,"

Ina slowly opens her eyes, and when she sees my she jumps up, throwing mom off her shoulder, "Michael, You're finally awake!"

Mom and Ina pull me into a hug. "You're finally awake. Are you okay? Are you hurt?" They fret over me.

"Mom, Ina, I'm fine." I say, hugging them back.

Mom gets up to sign me out, and me and Ina to talk for a bit.

She comes back after about ten minutes, and interrupts Ina's and my deep conversation about what cults we would like to start.

"No, listen, Michael," Ina argues, "A chocolate cult is much superior than a slushee cult, because chocolate is much better."

I let out an over extravasated gasp, "Are you throwing shade at slushees?"

"Okay, you two, lets go." We walk out to the car, and I sit in the back seat.

"Hey Mom, can we quickly go to Spencer's gifts?" I ask, "It's kind of, really, important."

Mom and Ina made eye contact, "I don't know, Mahal, you only just got released." Ina starts, " Mell Scale, go."

The Mell Scale is a scale Ina and I made up to determine when something is really bad, or important. We use it for basically everything. It goes from a one to a holy mother fucking shit.

"Holy mother fucking shit." I say, not lying to the slightest.

"Ugh, Fine." Ina says, "Mahal, you don't mind, do you?" She softly whispers to Mom.

"Of course not, Love." She says, before making a left turn, "Michael, do you have money?"

I immediately realize I'm missing something. I look in my pockets, unable to find my wallet or phone. I groan, "I think I lost my wallet and phone in the fire." I say quietly.

There's a moment of silence.

"That's alright, we can buy you a new phone today," Mom says, "and you can use my credit card."

"Pansensya na," I whisper, "Pansensya na."

"Michael, It's okay." Ina turns in her seat, "Those things are replaceable. We are just happy you're okay."

"Yes, Ina is right," Mom says, "You are much, much, more important than those objects. We love you."

"I love you, too," I say back, and Ina rubs my hand.

We soon arrive at the mall, and we separate, agreeing to meet in the food court at 4:00 PM.

They start to move to get my new cellphone, and I make my way to Spencer's gifts.

I step into the store, and immediately see my guy, Jared. Jared is in grade higher than me, I met him through my friend ,Connor, one of his boyfriend's. Connor and I go to the same dealer, and sometimes smoke together.

"Hey Michael." He says as soon as he spots me, "What brings you here?"

"Hey, Jared," I say, moving up next to him, "Would you happen to have any Mountain Dew Red? It's kind of, really important."

"I don't actually know." Jared opens the door to the back room, "Come on in."

He opens the fridge and looks in, "How much do you need?"

"Just a bottle, maybe two," I answer, and he pulls two bottles out, passing them to me.

"Thanks, Bro." I say.

"Yeah, no problem," He says, and I pull out moms card to pay.

"It's on the house, honestly you deserve it. You look like shit."

I roll my eyes, smiling "Thanks for the vote of confidence, see you later?"

"You bet." He throws finger guns at me as I leave the store.

I look up at the clock on the wall, 3:24 PM. I decide to head to the food court, ready to relax for a few minutes.

I walk into the area, and see a sight that almost makes me retract my steps all the way back to the hospital.

Jeremy.

That.

Fucking.

Bitch.

I glare at him, before noticing the expression on his face. Sad, and scared. Broken, a look I've seen on him many times before. I almost forgot to be mad at him, wanting to comfort him. But I know he can't see me, he can't hear me, he probably doesn't even remember me, but that's not his fault, it was the SQUIP.

Hey, Michael. Remember what he said? That was the SQUIP. Nope, it was off. He said those things to you, not the SQUIP.

I throw another glare at Jeremy before turning on my heels and leaving the food court. I can just find Mom and Ina.

I walk through the mall, glancing at the stores, slowing making my way to the Apple store. All of a sudden I feel someone jump on my back.

"Michael!!" Ina yells, drawing attention to us. "I got your new phone!"

"Thanks Ina." I say, sadly, as she hands it to me, "Can we go home now?"

Ina and Mom look at each other, sharing one of those Mom looks the they have, before Mom nodded, "yeah, let's go home."

I walk out with them, in silence, to the car. I sit in the back seat, holding the new phone and headphones they bought me. Mom and Ina are quietly talking in the front, so I listen, ignoring my pounding headache.

"-It's not like Michael did something to him, He loves Jeremy to much. Besides, Jeremy hasn't really been around in a while." Mom says softly, and Ina nods.

"Yeah, Michael still has been going to his house," Ina says, grabbing Mom's hand, "But he is coming back later than usual."

I mean, They were half right. I left the house, but didn't go to Jeremy's. I normally met up with Connor, to smoke and talk, sometimes with Jared, sometimes with Evan, their other boyfriend, but I only smoke with Connor. Evan, Jared, and Connor are the only one's I've told about this whole issue.

I realise that Ina and Mom had stopped talking, and we were almost home.

We pull into the driveway, and I step out, walking to the the side door, and opening the unlocked entrance. I go straight into my room, and collapse on my bed, falling into a deep sleep.

ooo

word count: 1296

haha, i finished this at school, not sorry. i'd rather write then do gym, also DEH crossover, because yes? also sincerely three, because yes? i probably added that because i was listening to sincerely me, because yes? okay, i'll stop, but honestly, who excited for friday? iT'S THE REALEASE OF THE NEW BE MORE CHILL ALBUM AND I'M FRICKING HYPED. I CAN'T WAIT!!! SSKSKSKSK!! also i'm seeing end game later today, and i'm so excited because i've been bottling stuff up for over about i month, and it's a good place to cry, and just let out all the stress, so, yeah, i'm happy, but also really scared, because yeah? death might happen? yeah, okay, byeee, have an amazing day, lovelys.

-madi <3

may 1st 2019