COLD LONELY NIGHTS
*

While his arms are firmly wrapped around her body, it remains freezing. Michael came to Alexis' house after school and has held her ever since. Not necessarily because she's feeling sad but just because it is cold. They double-checked if the heater was on, and to their surprise, it was. It is almost like it is snowing inside this house.

"Listen, there's a game Saturday. D'you wanna come?" He asks his best friend, softly raking his warm fingers through the brownish hair. A soft hum of comfort leaves her lips as his fingers cause her to feel tickles on her scalp. "Is that a yes?" Michael asks for clarification, needing a verbal answer. Another hum is hearable in the room they're in.

Honestly, Alexis has never really missed one of Michael's games. He keeps asking her if she wants to go there but also knows she'll be there. His games are pretty exciting; as much as she hates to admit it, she's grown to love soccer. Not to do per se, but to watch. Michael knows she's very fond of it, but he's never heard her say it. She closes her eyes as his fingers are now tickling over her arm. 

She doesn't want him to have a girlfriend if he's doing this to her now. 

He's had some girlfriends over the past few years. He has gained the looks as he grew out of puberty. The girls loved him. Don't all girls love a man that sports? As I was saying, he had a few relationships. Some were messed up. They noticed that he hung out with Alexis more than with them, accusing him of cheating because of that. Michael is not the cheating type, and nor will he ever be. Some made Michael choose between them and her; his choice was easily made.

Michael is like family to her and vice versa. He will never pick a girl over his family. He's loyal to his family, team, and Alexis.

"You're still freezing, Al." He whispers. "Maybe you should take a shower to warm up a bit. I have to leave for practice." Alex pouts as she sits back up on the couch. It was way too comfortable not to keep on laying there.

"I don't want you to leave yet." She remains to pout as he stands up from the couch.

"We'll see each other at school again tomorrow, and considering how late you were home and how long your day has been, I recommend you just go to sleep. I don't want you to get sick." He says, putting his coat on and grabbing his car keys from the table. "Love ya, Alex." He says, his hand messing up her hair. With those words, he leaves the house.

Alexis sighs deeply when she looks around her. It's still not sure when or if her mother will return home, but this house is too big for just two people, let alone just one. This house has been quiet, annoyingly clean, but mostly? It has been empty. Looking at all the corners of the house makes her feel several shivers.

This household had always been friendly, sweet, and kind. Anything you could ask for. Until my parents started to fight, it wasn't fun to watch at all, to hear them scream every night. Eventually, there was a time when they became quiet once again. All their discussions were blamed on her moms' use of drugs. She tried to deny and lie about it, but her dad knew.

Eventually, when her dad was out for work, and she was alone with her mother, she blamed Alexis for their fights. Alex never had anything to do with it. When her dad was still alive, he often said their daughter kept them together. Alexis' mother used her anger and drunken behavior on her kid. She abused Alexis, and what started with a simple corrective tap ended up in her beating the crap out of the little girl. But what was she supposed to do?

By the time Alex was legally an adult, her neighbor had complained about the many screaming noises from next door. That was me every night; she got beaten up and screamed so loud, not only because of the pain but also because she hoped someone would hear it. After all those years, they finally heard it.

Yet, that wasn't the only thing she was screaming about. Fuck, how she wishes that were the only thing.

When they saw Alex, her mother threatened her daughter if she told the police the whole story because they came by, checking for the noise. Her privacy with the cop was enough for them to thoroughly search the house, looking for all the drugs gathered in her mom's closet. Her mom got taken away and sent to a rehab center; after that, she had to stay in jail for abusing a minor. Yet, 'till today, she is still in rehab. 

She wasn't the only one who got arrested that day, though. 

Where was her dad in all this chaos? He did what men do best. They hid, they ran, and so did he. He ran away from the situation, not knowing what was happening to his little girl. He never saw the bruises because they were never on her face until he left. The first mail they got from him was divorce papers; her mother gladly signed them.

Alexis' grandparents have never believed the story, but they still wanted to pay the rent for the house because they are the only family she has left. There was no way in hell that she would live with them. They always ensured that they wouldn't give her money for shit if she ever went to live alone. But you know... Like a mother-like daughter, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. 

After all, she kept in contact with her dad. She had always been more fond of my dad anyways. Even though she was mad at him for leaving, she couldn't help but respect him. Maybe she should've done the same thing, but it's not her thing because she doesn't just leave. 

She doesn't give up.

They had several calls a week until suddenly he didn't call her anymore and did not answer his phone. A part of Alex was afraid he might have forgotten about her. What else should she have expected? He ran away; abandoning her could add up to the act. But within three weeks, he called again. He told her that something was going on and she needed to sit down for it. 

And the hell she did. 

He told her that he found himself with some vague symptoms he didn't trust, so he went to the doctor, and from the doctor, he went to the hospital. For weeks he went in and out of the hospital, looking for a logical reason for why those specific symptoms had appeared.

Then he told her he was dying.

Her mom was in rehab, and her dad was about to die. Her mother is dead to her, but this? This meant that she had no parents left and was ruined as if even all the happy things in her life were sucked right out of her.

She can still hear him say the exact words. The way he said he had Huntington's disease, to her asking what it was before asking how he was. He explained it shortly so she could look up all the information at night. She needed to know all about it because if there was no cure, she might as well make one herself.

There was no cure yet, yes. Internet was honestly too complicated for her to explain what it is, what it does. At that time, she called Calum. He wanted to be a doctor, and he already had a lot of knowledge, primarily because of his parents.

Huntington's disease is a condition that stops parts of the brain from working correctly over time. Eventually, it grows fatal to a person. 

From the months her father had left, it went from weeks to days to hours. He was gone incredibly fast, and before she even had the money to make her trip to his city, his time was over. So that meant she was all by herself, for real this time. She could only be so grateful for her friends who always stuck by and with her.

Their sunshine had turned into thunder, and she wasn't willing to return anytime soon. 

After a while, Michael arranged to talk to a therapist at home, totally covered by his mother. His mother has indeed been the sweetest. And Michael was right; Alexis needed to speak to a therapist. This might not be the worst-case scenario ever, but she couldn't handle it. Some people go through real shit, and this all felt like she were a burden, but she can be selfish and think of herself whenever the fuck she needs to.

Except for Michael, Calum, and Michael's mom, nobody knows what happened, and she tends to keep it that way. Nobody noticed she was so far gone, and she was honestly okay with that. The endless questions of how she is were not entirely appreciated. If people knew what happened, they would pity her, and that's the last thing she wants. Besides, if the question were asked, she'd cry and wouldn't be sure she could stop.

But now? She feels alone in this house, which hasn't felt like home in ages.

Sighing, she puts on her pajamas and wraps the towel tighter around her head. Yes, she retook Michael's advice to shower, which was well-needed. The very last thing she has to do now is cook. She has no energy to cook dinner, so her dinner will be ramen.

As she makes her way downstairs, she puts a tiny pan on gas after she'd put water in it. And so on; she makes the goddamn ramen. She's dying for some Mcdonald's. She hadn't been able to eat some in a while, and honestly, with the money she'd spent on that, she could buy a shit ton of ramen.

Once she sits on the couch, a blanket firmly wrapped around her body and the ramen in one hand, she starts up the tv. There's nothing on, but you know it's okay. She loves it when there's some noise.

MIKE [21:13]

ALEXIS [21:13]
always, but you have to bring a snack.

Michael often sleeps at Alexis' place when Luke brings girls over, and without exaggerating, that can take and last all night. And since they sleep next door, Michael will punch his head through any wall to forget the sounds. 

Nobody wants to hear their brother moan, whether directly related or not. Nobody wants it. And don't you dare change my mind with all that sweet home Alabama shit.

She puts her phone down again and waits for Michael to stand before her door. Michael's mom and Luke's dad never really hear the noises from Luke's bedroom. Maybe that's because they never wanted their kids to listen to the sounds they make. They made their room soundproof a long time ago. No noise leaves the room, and no noise comes in. It is a great room to scream in, whether it's pain or pleasure.

Yes, she'd tried. Not to fuck in his parents' bedroom but to scream in their room whenever she needed to. 

Firmly wrapped up in her blanket, finally comfortable on the couch after minutes of shifting, she groans, annoyed when she hears the signature knock on the door of Michael. With the blanket around her body, she walks towards the door to find a soaked Michael. The smell of sweat is noticeable, but she's nothing more than used to it by now.

After celebrating, he hugs her whenever he scores at soccer. He's been doing that for years. Most of the guys on the soccer team think they're either dating or fucking. No way in hell it's going to happen, though. They would friend zone each other without hesitation. Although, Alexis would.

But if you ask Michael if he wants to fuck her? He definitely would. He'd consider his best friend one of the prettiest girls he's ever seen. No, he's not in love, nor will he ever be - at least, that's the lie he's feeding himself with. But then again, he still gets a boner from listening to porn audios. He'd do anything to get his dick wet.

"Practice got canceled midway due to the weather. It's fucking pouring outside," he pouts, annoyed. "So I decided to shower here so I don't smell like chlorine the entire time. Ain't that considerate of me?" He smiles as a kid finally receiving their ice cream. 

"Very, now get your ass in that shower. You smell." He chuckles and shuts the door behind him. "And even if you had the choice, you'd shower here." 

She'd always hated the smell of chlorine. Michael doesn't smell it anymore until she points it out. He does play very high, and their whole club is very luxurious, except for the showers. They're showering in the pools little kids pee in. That's exactly what it smells like. Luckily, it is utterly disgusting, but she doesn't have to take her showers there.

*

hey guys! i hope you liked it and that you're getting to know the characters a little better. 

thank you for reading already, and lets make this a tremendous fucking journey. as to michael; he will be the cutest little bean. 

loads of love x