More than friends (Michael Afton x Reader)

27 - a friend to hug

- (y/n)'s pov -

In a loose top and tight shorts, I found myself alone and in a meaningless state of emptiness with full attention on what I was doing to feel better. No thoughts on anything, No attention to any feelings that I may be feeling. I let it all go when I a state of relaxed mindlessness.

I never found time to start painting again, a mindless hobby that meant nothing but a reason to escape whatever was around me. All of the bad. I got out tubes of paint and began painting mindlessly. No plan. My raw emotions let me loose on the paper, freely painting the feeling of being alone and trapped. Sadness stretched across the page. A platter of weakness and fear and a massive amount of wanting to escape. I didn't know, I just felt like painting like I used to with my dad when I was a little girl. I would make a massive mess and laugh about it. Mother was never impressed by the mess but she always manages to deal with us.

My dad wasn't so impressed when I painted the couch. It was one of the few memories I had of him that wasn't so happy. He was like a child, fearing that my mother would be angry at him for letting me have paints near the couch. We both cried when together when my mother came home from visiting her auntie for a week. She wasn't too happy with the mess but she wasn't too angry like my dad thought he would be. She never was angry at him and found a way to find the upside to every he did that rattled her nerves.

I really wish Michael was around to keep my company. I didn't miss him but I wanted him around to talk to and hug. I wasn't allowed out of my room for slapping my uncle. I was given a warning, next time it will be a belt. I wanted my mother back. I missed her and I missed Fritz. It felt unfair that was being bullied by life for no reason. Did I do something to deserve this? The rape, then a missing brother has caused my mother to not returned home. Was she ashamed of me? Ashamed of herself? The dirtiness that I felt for not stopping what happened to o happen.

I felt worse for focusing on making what happened to me seem small and like nothing, and a little less on my brother's disappearance. It was all too much and I couldn't forgive myself for not being around to protect my baby brother. It was all my fault.

I jumped out of my gaze at the sound of my bedroom door opening.

"Fritz-" I was about to yell at him for walking in without asking or knocking but he wasn't there. It was my uncle, looking at me with soft eyes.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you. This whole situation is difficult for both of us. You have a missing brother and I'm not being paid enough to care for emotional teens, so I'm sorry about what I said about your mother. Listen, there is a boy at the door wanting to see you, I'm letting you see him this one time. That is it." He firmly said.

"Okay." I cleaned my hands before heading down to see Michael standing tiredly at the front door. He wore two tops, his black leather jacket and baggy trousers. His face showed discomfort with his back arched forwards as if he was in pain.

"Hey!" I rushed over to him and hugged him tightly. I kissed his cheek and snuggled into his chest for comfort. His presence gave me great comfort and safety, knowing he will always be there for me. Even if I didn't deserve his support and love. I didn't deserve the time and effort he put into keeping me happy. I felt guilty for not doing anything nice back.

"Hey, nice to see you better and still beautiful as ever I see." Michael kissed my cheek, hugging me back with his arm slipping around my waist and another arm up my back. "Did you see your room? It's amazing thanks to Roselyn."

"Yeah, thank you. It's beautiful but too much. I'm surprised that you and Roselyn could work together without killing each other." I ruffled his hair, proud of him.

"It was Roselyn's plan. Since I needed her to go into a women's section in the shop to get your stuff. The note was funny because we didn't know what to say. She wanted to one-up me. She kept scribbling out and I would say anything cheesy or say something that was going to put me in an awkward situation." He scratched the back of his head with a childish grin.