I Know What Sin Is

Chapter 8

Ben

There were roses everywhere.

Broken, lying in pools of water, looking like something you'd see on Tumblr. All over the kitchen floor, and some in the bedroom too. A wasted mess. "Guess buying the flowers didn't work, huh?" I called as I stepped carefully over them.

I got silence in response. So he's being moody.

"Seriously, dude, what happened?" I said. Michael was lying facedown on his bed. "She go nuts or something?"

He lifted his head just to glare at me. "You stupid kid, the fuck do you know?" he snapped. "Just stay out of it. My life has nothing to do with you."

"Got it," I said harshly. "Goodnight." I marched over to my bed and climbed in. His damn pillow was lying there on top of mine. I snatched it and threw it across the room.

"Fine, sorry," he sighed before I could even close my eyes.

I sat up. "Are you fucking bipolar?"

"I'm not really mad at you," he said. "Today was just awful. I shouldn't take it out on you."

"Mm. Thanks for that," I said, still holding onto the bitterness in my voice. "Feel so much better now."

"Yeah, I... I know," he said. "I'm childish and egotistical and... and I'm a really horrible person to be around and I think everyone's probably better off away from me-"

I leaned up on my elbows and turned my pillow over. "Remind me why you're telling me?" I said, and he shut up. I smiled at first at the prospect of a good night's sleep, but I couldn't do it. I couldn't get him out of my head. "Michael?" I said to the darkness. "Okay, you're... you're okay, right?"

"No," he said mournfully. I think I heard a small sniff, but that was probably for attention. "But you don't really care." I conjured up a mental image of Eeyore.

"You're right," I said. "Goodnight."

"'Night," he said tightly, and that settled it.

I still couldn't sleep. I wrapped my arms tightly around myself and stared ahead into nothing. I cursed myself for throwing the pillow. I wondered if I could go get it and Michael would not say anything. That'd be nice. Maybe, I thought, in the dark and his depressed-over-Kitty state he wouldn't notice at all. I could just sneak over and grab it and go to sleep and all would be well in the world.

I sat up and pushed the sheet out of my way, then slowly got to my feet and started the silent trek across the room. I made it maybe a yard before my bare foot came down on something sharp. Rose thorn.

"Fuck!" I shouted. "Fuck!" I limped over to the light with about a hundred other curses and switched it on, then immediately squeezed closed my eyes.

"What happened?" Michael asked, rolling over to face me.

I ignored him and sat down on my bed and twisted my foot around to inspect it. The thorn pierced the fleshy part and there was a bead or two of blood, but that was all.

Michael got up and scurried over in excitement. "Wait, lemme see," he said and I sighed as he neared. He grabbed my foot and pulled it close to his face. "Oh, it's fine. You're such a baby."