Pancakes and Paper Planes || ✔ || Under Revision

12|Confessions and Crime Scenes

When I finally reach home, it's 10:30 at night. I push open the door to witness quite a scene. 

Alex is seated on the couch, clothed in his usual combat jacket and dark jeans. Crouching beside him is Miles, scratching his cheek. He's wearing a dark grey t-shirt with a considerable amount of sweat stains. He must have been working out. My mother stands in the middle of the room, her eyes wild and her hair in a mess of tangles. Beside her are two police officers looking particularly dazed, and Kevin, who appears to be completely comfortable with the whole situation. Despite the fact that he's wearing matching blue and white striped pajamas.

I come to a halt in the middle of the doorway, extremely confused by why there are cops in my mom's living room.

"Micah....Elizabeth...Tanner," my mom says, clearly stating each word as if she is trying to force me to remember my name.

"That's me."

"I've been worried sick about you!" she explodes. "Where the hell have you been? I was about to send the police to go look for you!"

"It looks like you already did," I say, gesturing to the two officers. 

At her returning glare, I shrink back and take a seat on the couch beside Alex. "I went for a walk," I explain, crossing my legs and resting them on the coffee table. "I'm not 5 years old."

"You were gone for 6 hours!"

"Three," I correct her. 

She exhales loudly, continuing to stare me down. 

I glare back, taking in her appearance. She is dressed in a particularly heinous nightgown that covers about a fifth of her body. Her toenails appear to have just received a pedicure, most likely done to calm her nerves. Black eyeliner perfectly frames her eyes, which have been topped off with shimmering purple eyeshadow. Her lips are left dry, to my surprise. Whatever lipstick she had on them must have rubbed off.

"It's not like you never go anywhere at night," I say. "You're off partying until 4 a.m. while I'm stuck here having a panic attack."

"Micah," Kevin says calmly. "I don't think you should talk to your mother like that."

I breathe out deeply. "Why are you still here?" I demand, turning to glare at Miles.

He put his hands up in a sign for surrender. "I got a frantic call from Lauren saying you were missing. I was worried so I called the cops and came to see what I could do." He looks at me seriously. 

This man could be an ax murderer for all I know and care.

"It took you this long to go looking for me?" I throw my hands up in the air in disgust. "And you call yourself parents." 

Shaking my head, I trudge upstairs to my room without a single disdaining glance. I lie on my bed in perfect silence and oblivion to the world. Fatigue consumes me, and I quickly fall asleep.

Perhaps a half hour of peace passes until a knock on the door wakes me up. Sighing, I crane my neck to see Kevin standing in the doorway. Groaning, I collapse back onto the mattress.

"Fine," I say, not looking at him but at my wall. "I really don't give a shit if I'm in trouble. "

"Micah." Kevin breathes out heavily. "You're not in trouble. I'm here on the pretense of explaining everything."

I sit up. I've been told only the most plucked details, so maybe now I'll get something more. My bet is that it was Alex's idea, since my mom would never tell me the whole truth of a situation when a few fragmented sentences would do.

Kevin pushes open the door, moving the barricade of my bed along with it. Once he has made enough space, he slips into the room and sits down on the foot of my bed, causing it to rock slightly with his weight.

"Do you remember the story your mom told you," he begins, "about the one-night-stand that created you?"

"Yes , I do," I say, trying to hold back the sarcastic in my voice. Really, Kevin? I've tried numerous times to get that story out of my head, so I think it's staying.

Kevin sighs. "Well, it's not completely true," he says. "Lauren and Miles knew each other before they had you. They were best friends in high school, and they happened to get into the same drama university. That was when they fell in love. One night, after a party, they..." He trailed off, expecting me to fill in the rest.

I consider feigning confusion, if only to make him more uncomfortable, but decide against it. "They slept together," I say instead. "Got it."

Kevin smiles, then continues. "A week later, when Lauren tested positive on the pregnancy test, they had a huge fight. Lauren accused Miles of taking advantage of her, and that she was just another hit-and-run. She told Miles that she never wanted to see him again and that she would raise the child by herself. But Miles begged to see his child so much that she finally gave in. He was allowed to give you Christmas presents under Santa Claus' name."

I stare blankly at him. "W—wait, what?" I stammer, my mind filled too many things for my mouth to say at once. I turn around on the bed, facing the wall, my mind racing. My mom and Miles were together, I think. I could have had an actual father. Someone that would have taken care of me when I had anxiety attacks, instead of locking me in my room and going off to some party.

"Why would she do that?" I suddenly shout, letting it all out.

"Micah, please—" Kevin starts, but I cut him off.

"WHAT KIND OF MOTHER WOULD DEPRIVE ME OF A FATHER! ALL SHE EVER DOES IS THINK ABOUT HER SELF!!" I am full-out screaming now, my eyes shut tight as tears threaten to burst out. 

I hear Kevin stand up, but I ignore him. The door closes, and I slide off the bed, collapsing to the floor.

Wiping the tears from my cheeks, I scoot over to the beanbag in the corner and grab my laptop. I open it up and type in the password. I have some searching to do. In the browser app, I open a new tab and type Miles Lachowski into the search engine. I click on the first result—a link to a Wikipedia page—and begin reading. 

Miles Lachowski is an American model and actor from Manhattan, New York. He has appeared in several magazines numerous times and has starred in dozens of TV shows. His most popular shows were Life With Sally, The Resonator, and The Cat and The Man. Miles had a recent appearance on Blessed and Cursed with Hollywood star Lauren Tanner this past month. He was once convicted of a DUI.

Authors Note: I'd like to thank my friend Stella at  stellamcg for her wonderful text quoting our book. It's beautiful.

Love you Stell. You're awesome and thank you for reading and commenting your feedback and for your quoting via text. Although you didn't ask for permission. I probably should sue you. But it's too much effort. So #Holla to you. Love you.
Kat
& Mia. I'm sure she appreciates.