I sat on my bed, reading the hunger games, mainly because I had nothing to do with my phone being destroyed in the fire. Jake or Michael would be here, but the play is tonight, so they are busy. I feel a tear slip down my face as I reach page 235. I start sobbing, unable to stop.

"How dare she?" I scream, throwing my book at the wall as hard as I can. "How could he just kill her?"

After a few minutes of intense sobbing, I start to calm down, regretting throwing my book, because I couldn't get out of bed to get it, "Thit."

I glare at the book, "you're gonna regret thith." I whispered to it, "You killed my daughter, and I'm pretty fucking upthet, so you better run." I continue whispering deaththreats to the book, not noticing someone enter my room.

"Woah, Rich, you good?" Michael sits down in the chair next to me, "You seem pretty upset.'

"I don't give a thit, Michael. He murdered my child. I will dethtroy him." I glare at him, and he looked amused,and we both simultaneously broke out in laughter.

Soon, our laughter died down, and I was less mad. Still mad, but less than before.

"So, what got you so mad that you were threatening the wall with death?" He asked, clearly joking.

"I jutht got to chapter eighteen in The Hunger Gameth." I say, completely serious.

He starts pretending to be mortified, "Oh, no, not chapter eighteen." He laughs, "What happens in chapter eighteen?"

"You mean you've never read The Hunger Gameth?" I asked, shocked.

He stands up, walking over to the book, picking it up and looking at the cover. He looks back at me and shakes his head.

"Dude!" I yell, "you need to read it. It'th only the best book therieth in the hithtory of bookth."

He raises his eyebrows at me, putting the book on my lap, and sitting back down in his chair, "You never seemed to enjoy reading."

I laughed, "Yeah, My th'QUIP told me reading ith for nerdth and lotherth, tho I thtopped reading when I got it. But I read it all the time before frethhman year."

We sat in silence not really talking.

"Tho..." I say,

"So..." He repeats.

"Why do you look tho tired?" I say, noticing the bags under his eyes and the dirt on his sweater.

"Oh, " He looks down, "I just came from the play."

"Oh, yeth, thitting in the audience doing nothing mutht have been tho tiring for you." I roll my eyes, but he just sits there.

"I wasn't in the audience." He says completely serious.

"Then what were you doing?" I ask, really curious.

"I was getting rid of a shit ton of SQUIP's."

My eyes widen, "You were doing what now?"

"Oh, Jeremy just, kind of, maybe, gave all the actors and Mr, Reyes SQUIP's, so I got rid of them all." He says casually.

"Umm... care to expand?"I asked, still surprised.

"It's a long story." He says.

"We have time." I respond.

"Actually we don't," He looks at his phone. "visiting hours ended three hours ago. I snuck in here." He says, slightly laughing.

"Well you're already here."

Silence.

"Pleathe, Michael?" I beg.

"Ugh, fine,"

ooo

*insert chapter 6.0*

ooo

"Holy.thhit."

"I know."

"Holy. Mother. Fucking. thhit. "

" I know."

Tears spring to my eyes. "I'm thorry."

"Don't be." He smiles, grabbing my hand, "It's not your fault."

"But it is. Who gave Jeremy a th'QUIP? Me. Who brought hundredth of SQUIP'th into the thcool? Me. Who hurt literally the whole catht of the play? Me. who-"

"Shut up." Michael interrupted, running his thumb over my knuckles, "You didn't do that. The SQUIP did. You wouldn't have. From what I know you're just someone who got pulled into the wrong stuff. You took the SQUIP because you wanted to be seen. If anything it was my fault."

"Why in the everlatrhting fuck would it be your fault?"

"I let Jeremy get the SQUIP, and I noticed you Freshman year, I could of stopped it."

"Michael, It'th not your fault," I say, giving his hand a squeeze, "Jeremy wath jutht being a thtubburn bi-"

"Boys, visiting hours are over," A nurse with blonde hair came in, "You need to go," she pointed at Michael.

"Thorry, Mithth Hanthen," I release Michael's hand, "Thee you tomorrow?"

"Of course, " He smiles, making an exit, "Bye, Rich."

I smile as I watch him leave, "I am totally bi." I whisper to myself.

000

word count:717 words

madison, posting? more likely then you might think.

sorry, not sorry, i'm a busy person.

ok, have a good day.

-madi

6/28/2019