apartment 23 // mitchel cave

14

mitchel's p.o.v.

"what do you mean you dropped out?" angeline's mother seethed at angeline as tears began falling down angeline's face. i sat in silence, extremely uncomfortable at the situation that was unfolding. i felt like i shouldn't be sitting here watching this happen right before my eyes but there was nowhere else i could escape to. plus, i needed to stay here and support angeline the best that i could.

"it means i don't go to college anymore, mother." angeline retorted back at her mother. the once calm and happy mood that filled the happy had gone sour; the air was tense and angry, which put me on edge. i could sense all of the anxiety in the room, including my own.

"how could you do this? your father and i spent so much time trying to raise you to grow up and have a successful career and then you do this? you think you can just throw everything we've given to you right out the window?" jane questioned angeline, the tone in her voice bitter and harsh. i was beginning to realize who had the pants in the relationship, and it definitely wasn't angeline's father.

"i wasn't enjoying it. my heart isn't in psychology. it has and always will be in art." angeline replied defiantly.

"oh don't even start with this whole 'painting' bullshit. that's not a career, you won't ever make anything from sitting in your room and painting. you're wasting your time." jane snapped back. angeline simply stared at her, unable to come up with any words to say back. i could see the hurt on her face.

it personally hurt me that angeline's own mother wouldn't even support her art. angeline was amazing; far more amazing than anyone i had ever seen, and the fact that her parents were blind to this fact was mind-boggling. at this moment, i felt as if i couldn't just sit there and watch as angeline's mother practically verbally abused her daughter. i had to step in, even if it meant that it would damage my reputation amongst them.

"forgive me, but i think you're missing the point here, jane. your daughter is amazing. her art is beyond beautiful. i don't understand how you can sit there and openly criticize your daughter like this? at least she's trying to do something she's passionate about instead of getting stuck in a dead end job that she hates." i said suddenly. angeline, her mother, and her father all looked at me with shocked looks on their faces.

"mitchel, you seem like a nice kid, but i think it's time for you to go." jane said as she sighed loudly, rubbing her temples with her fingers.

"i'm not leaving without angeline." i said stubbornly.

"mitchel, please. it's okay. you can go. i'll find a way back home." angeline leaned over to me and whispered to me.

"no, i'm not leaving this house without you. we came here together so we will leave together." i said again.

"then both of you go." jane interrupted suddenly. angeline looked up suddenly, tears in her eyes.

"mo-" angeline was cut off.

"no. leave, now." her mother said aggressively. i grabbed angeline's hand and helped her stand up off the sofa, to then lead her out of the house and into the cool air without a single goodbye. the sky had darkened; thick clouds covered the sun that once shone upon us and gave us warmth, only to now leave us with a brisk breeze that chilled our skin. angeline sniffled beside me, tears streaming down her face, as she held onto my hand tightly.

"love, let me drive." i said quietly. she definitely wasn't in the right headspace to be driving. she nodded and handed me the keys, allowing me to unlock the car and for both of us to step inside, out of the breeze. tears continued falling down from her eyes.

"i really fucked up, mitchel." she mumbled as she tried to wipe away the tears that were staining her cheeks.

"shhh, don't say that." i said to her, trying to calm her down.

"no, i really fucked up. i shouldn't have ever dropped out. i should have stayed in class and become a psychologist like they wanted. but no, i always fuck up everything." she said as she began sobbing harder. i placed my hand lightly on her thigh.

"baby, calm down. you didn't fuck up anything. you're doing what you want to do, and that's the only thing that's important. how could you even say that you fucked up everything?" i asked her finally.

"because i always do, mitchel! all i ever fucking do is fuck things up! i drop out of college, completely destroy my relationship with my parents, and neglect the people i care about most. fuck, i even fucked you up. i can't ever do anything right, mitchel. cant you see that?" she said, looking up at me with bloodshot eyes.

"angeline, listen to me love. you did not fuck up anything. if anything, i was the one who fucked up. i was the one who let you walk out when i should have been there to help you. i'd kill to go back to that day and beg you to come back and stay with me. you didn't fuck me up. i fucked up myself. please stop blaming yourself for that. you were going through some tough shit. it's not your fault that you distanced yourself from people." i told her gently.

"i can't live with this guilt, mitchel. i feel like everyone hates me." she said, her voice cracking.

"angeline, i love you." i said quietly. she looked up at me again, her eyes wide. "i mean it. i fucking love you. everything you do has me entranced and i can't get enough. you're like a drug and i want more than anything to have you back as mine. only mine. it kills me seeing you bash yourself when i know that you are one of the most beautiful and strongest people i have ever had the pleasure of sharing my time with. i never want you to leave me again."

it was almost like the faucet in her eyes had been shut off; her tears began to cease from escaping out of her eyes as she rubbed away any wetness left over on her face. she sniffled a little before speaking.

"do you really mean that?" she asked me, her voice sounding weak.

"yes, i mean every last bit of it." i told her truthfully. after what felt like forever, she broke the silence again.

"i think i'm ready to make this work again." she told me.

"wait... really?" i asked her in disbelief as i turned towards her in the driver's seat.

"i mean, i've been thinking about it. a lot actually. the only time i've ever been truly happy was when we were together. i don't think i want to be alone anymore. i want you in my life." she said.

"i want you in my life too."

although the mood was previously somber and emotional, i couldn't have been happier and more ecstatic that she was willing to let me back in. maybe this whole situation would work out after all. we could fix each other; help rid each other of all of our problems and finally be happy again.

just like it used to be.