Unsteady (COMPLETED)

TEN

Then- Carmella

"I can't believe you turn seventeen tomorrow," I say as I look up into the starry sky. Mike sits beside me on one of the highest branches in our tree and I can feel his eyes on me, but I'm too shy to look at him too. 

"Yeah, I guess." He says, sighing. "It's no big deal, just another birthday."

"What?" I ask in disbelief. "Just another birthday? You are turning seventeen, Mike, you will practically be an adult!" 

He chuckles. "I have another year yet for that." He says. 

"I shake my head before a thought pops into my mind. "You will be seventeen," I say. 

"Yeah, I thought we already established that." He jokes. 

"You won't want to hang out with me anymore. I'm only fifteen. I'm two whole years younger than you!" I exclaim, flinging my hands around haphazardly.

"Jesus woman, calm down before you fall out of this tree!" He says, grabbing onto my shoulder to steady me. "Ella, I would never not want to hang out with you."

"Pssh. I doubt that."

"No, really." He says, placing a hand on my cheek, making me look at him. "I will always want to hang out with you." 

A goofy smile forms on my face. "Really?" I ask.

"Really, really." He says with a smile. "Besides, your birthday is in two months. You will be sixteen."

I giggle. "Yeah, I suppose you are right," I say as I turn to look back at the stars. "Just promise me something, Mike?"

"Anything."

"Promise me that you will always be there for me. Promise me that we will be together forever?"

"It sounds like you want to date me, Ella." He taunts and I can see the smirk on his face out of the corner of my eye. "Is there something you're not telling me? Do you have a crush on me?"

I scoff. "As if!" I say, playfully slapping him in the chest. "I just really value you...as a friend. And I don't ever want that to stop."

"Well that, Ella, is a promise I can definitely keep."

*****

I'm sitting in our tree, alone, the sounds of my mother and dad screaming at each other surround me. Tears roll down my cheeks and I feverishly wipe them away. One arm is desperately hugging the trunk of the tree, trying to seek some kind of comfort. 

It's just another Friday night here in the Matthews' household - dad did something stupid with his paycheck - as usual - and mother is screaming at him about it. I wish she would realize how pointless it is. I mean, he's trashed. He won't remember this conversation in the morning. He never does. 

And it will be the same thing next week. 

Rustling in the tree below me captures my attention and I look down to see Mike climbing up to me. 

"What are you doing here?" I ask him, surprised to see him since he is supposed to be at a party in his honour. 

"Move over, Ella. I want to sit next to you." He says, his words slightly slurring together indicating that he has had a few too many to drink. 

"What are you doing here?" I repeat as I slide over, allowing him to plop his butt beside me. 

"Is it a crime to want to see my favourite girl on my birthday?" He asks, a large grin on his face. 

My heart skips a beat and I stutter, "N-no."

"Good." He says, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. "I've missed you. Wish you could come to the party."

His breath smells like beer and smoke, something that I've never smelt on him before and it makes me crinkle my nose in disgust. "You stink," I tell him and he laughs. 

"Yeah, sorry. I decided to celebrate." He says. "And it was wonderful" He shoots his arms up into the sky and leans back slightly, his eyes close. 

I quickly grab him before he loses his balance. "Be careful, Mike. You could fall."

He turns to me, his amber eyes looking into my green ones, and he whispers, "I will only fall for you."