Just my imagination

3

"Can't I just stay home from school today?" Michael asked. His first week was hell, the weekend was hell, Evelyn was still pretty pissed at him; nothing was going well at the moment to say the least.

"Michael, I understand last week was rough, you just have to adjust. Your second week will be better, trust me." She said moving the curtains to reveal the sunlight.

"Mom, I don't feel good. My head hurts and I feel dizzy, please just let me stay." He covered his head with his pillow.

His mother removed the pillow from his head and felt his forehead.
"I guess, you do feel warm. I'll be back with some juice and pills in a few."

" You know those pills don't work right?" Evelyn said.
"Well you're still here, so that's kind of proof of it." Michael said. Evelyn sensed a bit of hostility from him every since last week.
"What do you mean by that?" Evelyn rolled her eyes. "It's like you want me to go away or something."

Michael sighed and closed his eyes; he didn't feel like arguing with her today, he honestly didn't feel well.

He called Maya, just because he was sick didn't mean he could fall behind in his grades. Missing a day worth of school work is a lot.

"Hey would you be a doll and pick up the work from my classes on your free period." Michael said.

"One, why are you not at school, and two I'm not wasting my free period on that because-"
Michael cut her off with a loud sigh. "One, I didn't feel well. Two, why do you have to be so difficult, it's not like you do anything but terrorize teachers during your free period anyways." He joked.
"Well if you'd let me finish, Jackass, you'd know that it's the teachers responsibility to sync your missing work to your iBooks in pdf form sweetie." She said sarcastically adding the sweetie part.

"Oh." He said quietly. "Thanks, smarticles. You still didn't have to yell at me though."

"You're welcome, now get some rest so you can feel better, jackass." Michael laughed and hung up the phone.

"What's so funny?" His mom asked bringing in his juice and medicine.
"Nothing just talking to Maya asking about homework." His mom nodded. "Take your pills, both of them." His mom said.
"Why, it's not like they work anyways. They just make me feel sleepy." Michaels protested. He was done with all these stupid pills.
"Well it's a trial and error process until we find out what works." His mom sighed.

"Mom I'm not crazy, how many times I need to tell you I don't need them."

"Well obviously you do Michael, I don't call some imaginary friend you've had since you were 5 quite normal." She snapped not quite realizing what she said. Evelyn looked upset, it was a normal for these conversations to come up so Michael didn't see why she looked so bothered today.

"Ask her if she still leaves for the business trip tonight." Evelyn said through gritted teeth.
"What? No." Michael replied quietly. She wasn't going to let her little attitude lead to some bigger problem.
"Just do it, I'm curious." Evelyn said.

"Hey mom, you still going on that business trip today?"

If Michael could change anything about his life, it's how much his parents worked. His mom thinks that the reason Michael is so reliant on his "imaginary friend" is because his father and herself weren't there enough for him when he was younger. She couldn't be more wrong. But Michael does resent his parents jobs. Yeah, it brings a ton of money in them to live off of but, a traveling business entrepreneur and a truck driver doesn't exactly for the category as "parents that will always be there for you." It was quite annoying honestly.

"Yeah, I leave in about two hours actually. Why?"

"Just asking, also when do you think dad will be back because I'm probably going to have to make my own dinner."

"I don't think he'll be back today, I think he gets back at about 7am tomorrow." She sighed.

Michael returned the sigh. Most kids love being in the house alone but Michael was alone quite often, he's gotten bored with it.

"Call me if you need anything." His mom said closing his door.

"Michael," Evelyn started.
"No, Evelyn." Michael's voice laced with annoyance, he already know what was going to happen. Evelyn would go on another one of her rampages and Michael would have to calm her down and clean up the mess.
"My mom doesn't want to get rid of you, she just worried about me. Now before you get out of hand-"

"Your mom is sending you to a mental institution." Evelyn said nonchalantly."

"I have the papers here. This time it's not a business trip. It's her going to make sure everything is finalized before shipping you half way across the country." Evelyn said. "If you ask me I have a right to be pissed." Evelyn got louder.

She tossed the papers on his bed. "It's in California, heard the place is a wreck too." Evelyn said. Michael flipped through the papers in shock. Schizophrenia? Michael knew there were a lot of things wrong with him but schizophrenia wasn't one. He didn't belong there.

"Either you take care of her or I will Michael. I'm not letting her ship you to some insane asylum in God knows where California when nothing's wrong with you."

"Mental institution." Michael said quietly.

"Michael you're not getting the point here darling." She sat next to him and watched the tears fall to his lap.

Michael hates crying, but the person he felt most comfortable with crying is Evelyn.

"I'll talk to her about it." Michael said.

Evelyn wiped the tears from his cheeks and sighed. "Babe, this is past talking it out and we both know that." She said quietly.

"I'm not killing my mom." Michael spoke through his gritting teeth. "Maybe I can just pretend you're gone or something." He said.
Evelyn sighed, "We have until she leaves, if you're not ready by then," she paused thinking about how she could put this in a better way. "Then I have to take matters into my own hands."

She watched as Michael cried and realized she was being cold hearted. But what else do you expect from a demon.