Michael Afton x Reader (The Return/Stay By My Side 2)

Chapter 12: Stay

"But would you be okay?"

"Probably not, honestly."

He sighed.

"But what about you?" I asked. "What if something happened to me? Would you be okay?"

He scoffed, resting his head back on my shoulder. "Are you kidding? I'd be miserable without you. I'd be anything but okay."

I sighed. "Me too."

"But... even though it'd be hard without me... you'd take care of yourself, wouldn't you?"

"I... don't know."

"I'd want you to."

"Well, I guess I'd have to continue living life. But that doesn't mean it'd be easy. It'd be a lot harder."

He took a deep breath. "That's... understandable."

"Are you sure there's no specific reason why you're asking me about this?"

"It's nothing. Just wondering."

I was so sick of that answer. I was so sick of him telling me that all his worries, all the things that were going on were all "nothing." I wanted a real answer. I wanted to know what was going on so that I could help him. Because he needed my help. I could tell.

I sighed. I couldn't help but think about what he said about how we're "never promised tomorrow." What was the real reason he asked me that?

"You okay?" He asked quietly.

"Yeah... I'm okay."

My thoughts continued drifting, and eventually, he ended up falling asleep. He really was exhausted.

I tried to fall asleep as well, but I couldn't. His question just kept lingering in the back of my mind constantly. What was going on that he wasn't telling me about? Because clearly there was something going on.

A part of me wanted to wake him up and beg for him to tell me what was going on until he finally opened up to me and told me what was going on. I desperately wanted to help him. I wanted to somehow put an end to whatever was bothering him. Or for all I know, whatever was putting him in danger.

The more and more I thought, the more and more my mind started spiraling out of control like a tornado. I had this horrible feeling in my gut which told me that there was a reason he asked me that. Like something bad was soon going to happen; something very bad.

Gosh, why couldn't our lives be normal?

Our lives had never been normal. Not back when we were teenagers, not when we were young adults, and not now.

Because right now, there was something going on.

Something abnormal.

And I was going to find out what it was.

•••

Michael's POV:

I woke up to an empty bed. Just like I always had this past week. I always wished I could still wake up to y/n by my side.

Well, it had only been a week. But it felt like a lot longer than that.

I groaned, pushing myself up so that I was sitting up. I grabbed my phone that was on my nightstand to see if I had any notifications. And sure enough, I had a notification from Henry.

"Just texting you to remind you about work. Make sure not to come tonight. Got it?"