Cigarettes [Bennoda] ✔

Chapter 39

Mike's POV
I was running late. Very late.

I woke up at noon and that was when I was supposed to be at Chester's house. I had stayed up late the night before working on lyrics and slept right through my alarm the next day. When I saw that it was noon, I quickly jumped out of bed, cursed myself, and got dressed without showering or anything. I had to be there for Chester. I was going to be there if it killed me. He came to my award show, so it was only right if I attended something that meant a lot to him too.

I already had an outfit layed out to wear, so I didn't have to dig in my closet for anything. I wore a plaid button up shirt and those jeans that actually fit me since Chester had wanted to see me wear them so badly. I had a bit of a beard going because I hadn't shaved in a while. When Chester said I'd look good with a beard I was like "Pfft whatever", but I was actually starting to like it. Everytime we video chatted he complimented me on it so I decided to keep it for a while.

After getting dressed, I quickly brushed my teeth, fixed my hair, put on some deodorant, and grabbed my things before sprinting down my stairs out to my car.

It seemed like everything was slowing me down that morning. There was so much traffic and people being idiots on the road. Then to make things worse, I had to stop to get gas before I made it out of LA.

"Come on. Come on. Come the fuck on." I mumbled as I pumped gas and nervously tapped my foot on the ground. The guy at the pump in front of me kept giving me weird looks, but I didn't care. The gas would not hurry up and get into my car. I thought mumbling for it to hurry would make it go faster, but instead I just looked like a crazy person talking to himself. Finally it was done, I paid and got back on the road.

I had my Californiacation CD playing and Right On Time came on. I had never been so annoyed hearing a song before.

It's right on time
It's right on time
It's right on time

"Yeah well I'm not right on time Anthony, so shut the fuck up." I said as I switched the song to Road Trippin', which was just as annoying at that moment. I just sighed and tried not to curse Anthony Kiedis anymore for serenading me on my journey to Arizona that was filled with anxiety and was five hours off track.

I eventually made it Chester's house fifteen minutes before the graduation was supposed to start and saw that he and his family already left. I panicked a little bit, but got back in my car and went to the school. They were having it on the football field so I went out there and found his family in the stands.

Even his dad was there.

"Hey Mike! We were getting worried you wouldn't show." His mom said. "I wouldn't miss this for the world." I said, a little bit out of breath from jogging to the field. She smiled. "Glad you could make it Mike." His dad said. I just smiled and nodded politely. I was still kind of pissed at him for the way he had treated Chester and his siblings. He was acting like everything was fine, but it was not fine. A dad just doesn't leave and not call for several weeks. I wasn't going to ask about it then because the ceremony was about to start, but when I did ask him, he had better have a good excuse for the way he had been acting. Sure, I was half his age, but that didn't mean anything. He was in the wrong and needed to be informed of that.

The graduation ceremony eventually started and I soon saw Chester. He had his head down and looked like he was about to break down. My heart was hurting for him. I guess he didn't know if me or his dad had showed up and was probably heart broken.

He finally looked up though and his face lit up when he saw us. I gave him a little wave and he waved back. They finally called his name and he walked across the stage and got his diploma. We all cheered for him and he just kept smiling.