Words (Muke)

Four: Waves

"My mum's home, but she won't mind, Jack and Ben used to skip loads of times," Luke told Michael.

His mum? Well sh*t. Michael thought. Parents hated Michael. It could be the clothes or the hair, maybe a bit of both, but he could never get along with adults. I'm f*cked, Michael thought. So very f*cked.

"She loves everyone," Luke assured at the expression on Michael's face. It was true, but Luke had also never brought home anyone like Michael before. In honesty he didn't know how his mum would react.

Before Luke could reach the door handle the door flung open and Michael hung his head low.

"Why aren't you at school?"

If you didn't already know Liz you would think she was angry. Michael didn't know Liz and his blood ran cold. What a great way to start out. He thought. Hi I'm Michael I skipped with your son. Way to win her over.

Luke shot a pointed look at Michael and Liz's eyes landed on the hunched over boy in black and her eyes softened. She didn't know what was going on in this boy's life, but she had a good idea that it wasn't anything good. She hoped this boy knew he could always come over.

"Mum this is Mikey, I mean Michael, Mikey this is my mum," Luke introduced.

Liz smiled at Michael, "Call me Liz, dear," she said kindly.

Michael glanced up at her through his eyelashes and tried not to look afraid. Adults terrified him. He hadn't exactly had great experiences with them in the past.

"Michael,"

Liz wouldn't have known what he said if Luke hadn't mouthed it for her.

"Come on in boys, poor Michael's standing in the rain still," Liz laughed lightly and Luke smiled, but Michael just followed Luke into the house shuffling his feet behind him.

"Do you want to change into something dry?" Luke asked Michael.

Michael nodded and Luke dragged him up the stairs to his room. The stairs in Luke's house weren't broken like in Michael's and they didn't creak under the weight of the two boys.

Luke passed Michael black skinny jeans and a black hoodie. Michael managed a small smile for Luke's sake and stepped into the bathroom Luke told him he could change in.

Michael found himself staring at his body in the mirror. He had discarded his own soaked clothes and stood simply in his boxers. His skin was pale, bruised and scarred. His bones stuck out oddly, but Michael still felt fat. His wrists were wrapped in gauze and his face was half covered in bruises. His hair was greasy and wet from the rain. Michael stared into his own green eyes and hated every inch of the boy in the mirror.

"Hey, you alright?" Luke called through the door.

"Yeah," Michael muttered moving closer to the door.

He pulled on Luke's pants and sweater and hated how they hung awkwardly off his boy and how the pants kept slipping down a bit.

Luke smiled when Michael opened the door at the sight of the smaller boy in his own clothes. They were far too big, but Luke thought the boy in black looked cute in his clothes.

Michael kept his head down and shifted under Luke's gaze. "Um," Michael hummed.

"Oh, so do you want like hot chocolate or something?" Luke asked. Michael looked up and Luke saw something in his guarded eyes. "I'll take that as a yes," Luke chuckled.

Michael blushed and bowed his head again following Luke down the stairs and to the kitchen where Liz was busy at the stove.

"I'm making hot chocolate, I thought you boys would be interested in some," she said turning around.