SOTC : The Irony of Chocking on a Life Saver - All Time Low
"Myla?"
"Yeah Michael?"
"You're my best friend, you know that right?" Michael smiled.
"Of course." I nodded
"I'm going to be very real with you right now. Mom's been gone for almost two months, and bills need paid. The house payment hasn't been paid and we're behind on a lot of bills. My paycheck barely pays for food, and I told the bank I won't be able to pay for like five more months. Mom was trying to catch everything up from dads death. She didn't do very well, I mean she was a grieving woman trying to run a household of 4, and plus herself. She was very stressed." He spoke.
"So what does this mean?" I asked.
"The bank wants to foreclose on the house. I've been looking for a smaller house, but the only thing in my price range is a two bedroom apartment. I feel like I'm failing you guys. Danyelle is out of control, and.." He trailed off.
"What?" I mumbled.
"We won't be able to afford therapy anymore, we're going to have to drop it if we want to be able to own somewhere to live." Michael spoke quietly.
"What?!" I squeaked.
"I'm so sorry, I know how much you enjoy going there, but I can't afford it, and Danyelle isn't helping by not picking up a job. I really wish she'd grow up." He replied.
"Of course she has a job, she's a prostitute." I muttered.
"Myla! Don't say stuff like." Michael hissed.
"Why? She basically called me a waste of space and worthless yesterday!"
"I know she said all that rude stuff to you, and I know she says shït when I'm not around, but don't fall for her games. We're all grieving differently."
"I don't care, you don't call you're sister stupid and worthless!" I yelled.
"She won't be like this forever, I promise." He pleaded.
It was then, I really realized Michael was falling apart just as much as I was. His face was so thin and sank in. He looked like he hadn't slept in months. He's only 19, what is he doing?
"I'm sorry," I mumbled. "I'm trying my best to understand you and where you're coming from."
He wrapped me in a tight hug, and rested his chin on my head. He let go and kissed my forehead and smiled at me.
"Thank you," he smiled. "You're trying and I can tell, I'm sorry I have to take you out of therapy you're really doing well, you've made so many friends. You have Landon, and Lilac, and Harlyn."
"Don't forget Jai as well," I giggled.
"Jai Yamaro?" He mumbled.
"Weren't you downstairs yesterday when he came over?" I laughed.
"No.."
"He was here yesterday," I laughed nervously. "His mom is my therapist and I hang out with him."
"He's in college with me.." Michael replied.
"He's 19.. So what?" I laughed.
"Nothing." He muttered.
We went downstairs, just as the front door opened and Calum, Michael's other best friend came in.
"Hey Cal!" Michael called.
Michael and I made eye contact, meaning we'd talk about everything later. I went up to my room, and went onto my phone. I played a few games and decided on texting Jai.
Myla
Heyyy
Jaidon (jai)
Hey what's up buttercup??
Myla
Got some bad news
Jaidon (jai)
Wanna come over?
Myla
Yeah :)
I quickly changed from my jeans to sweats, and a loose hoodie from Michael's college. I brushed out my hair, and removed the eyeliner from my eyes.
I clicked onto the address Jai sent me and searched for directions. I made my way downstairs slowly. I heard Calum and Michael talking in the living room.
I looked in the room and Michael was leaning against Calum, almost crying. It hurt in my chest because no matter what, I'd never understand what he went through.
I made my way over to Jai's house, I got lost along the way a few times, but I made it. The house wasn't huge, in fact it was pretty small. It looks adorable. I crutched my way to the front porch, and knocked on the door.
Miss Yamaro answered the door. She smiled and pulled me in for a big huge.
"Hey sweetie! Jai's up in his room, it's down the hall and to the left." She said.
I nodded, and slipped through the door behind her. I crutched down to Jai's room, and knocked on the door.
"Come in!" He called from the other side of the door.
I opened the door and closed it behind me. He looked up and smiled at me.
"Hey, wanna talk?" Jai smiled.
I nodded and plopped down onto his bed. The door was left open a bit, a sign of respect from me to his mom.
Jai climbed out of bed and walked over to the door, and pulled it open long enough to shout down to his mom.
"Mom! I'm shutting the door, is that okay?"
The sound of soft footsteps pattered up the hallway, and Miss Yamaro appeared in the door way.
"Whatcha gonna do?" She giggled.
"I got stuff going on at home, like a lot has come up. I'm so stressed and my condition is obviously worse." I mumbled.
"Do you want me to sit in, for professional advice? It's not that I don't trust Jaidon, just I want to make sure he doesn't say the wrong thing." She replied.
"Besides he thinks because he sits in after all of my appointments he knows everything." She whispered.
Jai glared at his mom, and she chuckled.
"Actually, that'd be nice." I told her.
She pulled up a chair and sat in front of Jai and I. I felt like we were at a therapy session for couples. It felt weird because this was basically an unofficial appointment and Jai is sitting in on this one.
"So what's up?" Jai turned to me.
I let it all out, ranting about how Michael's stress was stressing me out. I ranted about what happened in the bathroom, and the sudden reappearance of my twin cousins.
I went on about no leads from the police department on my mother. Miss Yamaro held my right hand, as Jai held my left. They both comforted me.
"Miss Yama-" I was cut off.
"Please call me Stephanie or Steph, either one doesn't matter." She told me.
"Steph, I don't know what to do anymore, like what am I supposed to do? I can't come to you anymore-"
"I don't mean to interrupt but why can't you just go to her?" Jai asked his mom.
"Yeah, yeah. Everything is going to work out, I promise. We'll figure something out but you don't have to stop seeing me." She patted my hand.
"I'm gonna go make some cookies, you children do whatever you do best," Steph spoke softly, "no babies or weddings while I'm gone."
She placed a soft kiss on Jai's forehead, stepped out of the room, and closed the door behind her. Her footsteps could be heard heading down the hallway.
Once we were left in our silence, and just our breath. Jai turned to me, and moved off the bed to grab something.
He handed me a piece of white paper, almost like sketchbook type of paper. I turned it over and on the other side a beautifully drawn image, and words in a different language I couldn't read.
I glanced over to Jai, the symbol was kind of familiar to me. The writing was making me angry because I couldn't read it.
"la vita è bella," Jai spoke graciously. "It's Italian."
He grabbed the paper and traced the drawing and letters. Jai glanced up at me and down to the paper and pointed at the drawing.
"The Cherokee symbol of strength." We both spoke at the same time.
We both smiled at each other.
"I remembered you mentioning you were part Cherokee when we played 21 questions." He smiled.
"But the writing? I'm not Italian." I half whispered.
"No I am," he spoke, and glanced down at me. "Life is beautiful."
"Huh?"
"la vita è bella, it means, life is beautiful." He smiled.
I nodded, "that's sweet, thank you."
Jai's smile grew wide, as if he'd appreciated my comment so much.
"I altered it just for you," he whispered.
By now I had realized Jai and I were very close. It was making me anxious because I'd never been this close with any boy ever, besides when comforting Benjie and Michael.
I don't know how things happened so quickly, but Jai leant in and before I could blink his lips were on mine.
I couldn't decipher whether I had enjoyed the kiss or not before Jai pulled back very quickly.
"I'm sorry," he mumbled quickly. "I shouldn't have taken advantage of you in your vulnerable state."
I sighed, and gave a small smile.
"You didn't take advantage of me, I promise that much."
A ding was heard from the kitchen followed by Steph's squeals.
"Wanna go get some cookies?" Jai laughed.
I nodded, and latched onto his arm. We headed into the kitchen and sat at the small island.
All three of us, Stephanie, Jai, and I, munched on soft, warm cookies and drank milk. Steph glanced back at the clock and then to me.
"It's getting late, tomorrow is Thursday and you have school. I'll give you drive back home." Steph spoke up.
"I'd appreciate it very much, thank you," I smiled.
She nodded and slipped out of her chair. I followed behind her and hugged Jai bye. He told me to text him when I got home so he knew I was safe.
On the way home we stopped at a stop sign and I saw a help wanted sign in front of the familiar ice cream parlor.
"Hey I'm gonna run in there real fast," I mumbled.
Steph pulled off into the parking lot and I made it to the front door just as a girl was turning over the closed sign. When she caught glimpse of me and opened the door for me.
"I just need an application," I spoke out of breath.
She nodded and ran behind the counter and grabbed one for me. She ran back and quickly gave it to me.
She apologized for her rush and I just swept it to the side. I crutched back out to Steph's car and we continued the way to my house.
When we reached my house I thanked Steph for the ride in slipped in the front door. It was a chaotic sight. Danyelle was yelling at Benjie over something stupid, and Michael was screaming at Danyelle for yelling at Benjie and making him cry.
Eventually she gave up her fight and walked past me, and she didn't forget to shove me. I scoffed, so she backed up and picked a fight with me.
"I see you're slutting it up with a 19 year old when you're only 16." Danyelle chuckled.
I ignored her comment and went into the kitchen.
"Fückïng listen to me when I'm speaking." She hissed.
"No I don't have to 'fückïng listen to you' when you speak! My god, my life was never your concern before, so why does it suddenly interest you? Because I'm actually working to become stable unlike you! Jai's 18 turning 19, and in case you haven't realized I'll be turning 17 in two weeks. But everything revolves around Danyelle! Did you realize that Michael has lost almost 10 pounds in one month because he's 19, turning 20, and stressed! You want to run off to a country club with some asshölê, who treats you wrong, and swim in their fancy pools, while Michael is swimming in the debt our mother left behind for us! Find someone who won't leave you marked in bruises, someone who won't give you bloody lips." I screamed.
"Oh like you know anything about love." She muttered.
"You're right Danyelle, I don't know anything about falling in love with someone romantically. But I fell in love with my family and my friends." I rebutted.
"And who are you to give me life advice when you can barely fückïng smile a real smile. Or when you can't even stand up for yourself when someone is beating you up." She spit.
"I am standing up for myself. Because those girls who beat me up, aren't the ones that damaged me the most, you are. I mean look at this, look at you! You're tearing me down verbally because you don't know how to talk about you're feelings. You're about to be 19 and you've repeated 12th grade twice already. Danyelle, we're actually graduating in the same year. Grow up would you? Help around the house, get a dámñ job and help with the debt. We're gonna be homeless because you're so immature and careless. And that's all I have to say." I spoke calmly.
I left her to her thoughts and finished my trip into the kitchen. I felt no pang of guilt at my words towards her.
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I didn't get to edit this so hopefully it was good
Oops
Update: I did get to edit this after I woke up😂