"WHAT IN THE WORLD are you doing?"
Michael looked up at me, like a deer caught in headlights, and he glanced behind him before looking back.
"Uh.."
"Well?" I tried looking over his shoulder and was able to spot an oven mitt lying haphazardly across the countertops, ingredients littering the island counter messily, and a milk carton lying on it's side, it's once full contents now dripping into a puddle on the floor.
Cracked eggs and their shells were in a small pile near the sink on the floor, and the sink was stacked with dirty dishes, granted it was only 9am.
In a path leading from the sink to the cupboards was a trail of broken glass, which looked to have been 4 bowls, 3 plates and 5 or 6 glasses.
Just as I opened my mouth to demand another explanation, a burning smell entered the atmosphere, smoke beginning to appear, and Michael whipped around to turn off the stove and shift the pot off the burner before the alarm could go off.
"What the f*ck did you do in here?" I coughed, opening up a nearby window.
"I was... I was just, you know..." he turned around and picked up a plate holding a piece of burnt toast and the scrapings of what looked to be scrambled eggs, "Happy birthday?"
That's right.
I was 19 today!
"So... because it's my birthday, you trashed the kitchen?" I took the plate from his hands before setting it on the small countertop of clear space that was left.
"I was trying to make you something," he looked down and rubbed the back of his neck, blushing ever so slightly, "I can't cook to save my life, remember?" he chuckled nervously, not looking at me, but surveying the mess that he had made.
"Thank you... for trying," I giggled, reaching my hand out for his when he flinched away from my hand.
"Sorry, I just," he looked down and turned over his hands, showing me the fresh cuts patterning his palms, "I really can't cook to save my life" he chuckled again, looking up at me.
My heart swelled in my chest, something inside of me feeling slightly different, "You didn't have to do this, Michael. I mean I wouldv'e been fine with breakfast from some fast food place" I shurgged, trying not to smile to widely.
He shrugged as well, "Happy birthday," he glanced over his shoulder, observing the mess he had made and then he looked at his bloodied hands, "Would you mind..?"
I rolled my eyes, still smiling, "Sure"
I led Michael to the foyer's restroom and he sat on the counter as I grabbed the first aid kit from one of the cupboards.
I tended to the cuts on his hands as he began to speak, "So. Anything you have planned for today?" he asked, slightly awkwardly.
But the tension wasn't thick. Sure, Michael and I made out last night, and he took off my clothes and gave me an immense amount of hickeys, but I knew he didn't mean to hurt me.
"I was going to hang out with Julia today. Maybe go to the spa and get a massage"
He crinckled his nose at that, "Ew. A massage?"
"What's wrong with that?"
"Even the thought of having some guy have his hands all over makes me cringe. I could just give you a massage" he suggested.
My cheeks reddend, "Then you would be giving Julia a massage too" I chuckled lightly, but his expression darkened.
"Why are you friends with her again?"
I paused. The distaste in Michael's tone wasn't hard to miss. But I always did assume that he didn't like her that much. But I never knew why.
But at his questioning of my friendship with Julia, I jumped to defend her.
"She started being there for me when you stopped" I quipped.
"Look, I'm not trying to start a fight or anything, I was just wondering why you're friends with her. I don't like her-"
"Well you don't have to. She's my friend-"
"But I don't think she's right for you," he slid off the counter as I finished tending his wounds, "I have doubts about her character. You know I'm just trying to look out for you. You always used to take my opinions into account-"
"That's before I grew my own spine and realized that you were always manipulating me" I snapped.
This wasn't how I wanted to be spending my birthday. I thought my fights with Michael would be over, but I guess not.
He had no right at all to question Julia and I's friendship or her character. That was for me to do. And seeing as I'm the one whose been friends with her for two years, that was my call to make, and I had already made it.
"How could you even say that? I've never tried to manipulate you" he defended, his eyes dark and hooded.
"That time I finished our school project by myself because you told me you were sick, remember that?" by the recognition on his face, it was easy to see that he did remember.
He called me, saying he was sick. And when I offered to come over to take care of him, he hastily declined, claiming that he didn't want to make me sick as well. I later discovered that he had lied to me and went to a party instead, being dumb enough to be in pictures that had been posted by the other people whom had went.
"Okay, so I lied"
"Looks like you lied alot when we were together"
Another jab at him cheating on me.
"I've already apologized! I told you that I don't do that anymore. I thought we were done with that" he groaned, and I crossed my arms over my chest.
"Fine then. We're done" I turned I left the confines of the bathroom and high-tailed it up to my room, closing the door behind me with a resounding slam.
My words had somewhat of a double meaning to them, and I knew that he could tell.
Julia has always been there for me after Michael wasn't. Was he jealous of that or something? That's the only logical explanation that I could think about.
My phone buzzed and I sat on the edge of the bed and picked it up.
'Happy Birthday </3
;-)'
It'd been quite some time since the last message I had gotten from this stalker. A little under a week at the most, and I had honestly forgotten about it with everything going on.
Luke's face immediatly came to mind, and I forced myself to think otherwise. Evidence pointed to him. The noses on the faces, the texts coming from his neighbourhood. But he helped us. To throw us off? Maybe. But why would he tell us that they were coming from his area if it were him?
I thought back to what Michael had said. About how he thought it was Julia. Seeing as he didn't even like her in the first place, I could see why he would want me to think it was her.
And then there was the note of my dad. No one but Lydia Marks, a childhood b*tch, knew about him. But where was she? It had been years, and I'm pretty sure she had moved away.
But now another suspect had moved to the list.
Victoria Holmes. The slut who slept with my ex-boyfriend, which made him my ex-boyfriend in the first place.
Until now, I hadn't even considered her. Mostly because I never knew that she was a suspect in the first place.
But how odd is it that she just happened to turn up? To marry Michael, at that. Looking back and knowing now how much she wants him, it's not exactly hard to connect the dots.
I had discovered recently that whoever this was, was a girl who wanted Michael. So far, Lydia (if she's even a suspect) and Victoria or Tori or whoever, fit that bill.
But the noses. So far, Luke was the only one. And how the texts came from near his house.
There was a little bit of everyone mixed in there.
Or maybe it was someone who I haven't thought of yet.
Calum?
Absolutly not.
My phone buzzed again and I reached for it again.
From: Julia🌺
'Heading 2 the spa place in 30min. Meet u there, cnt wait! Happs glo day girly <3'
I smiled and typed back a reply.
From: Miles🎂
kk, cnt wait either! c u there!
*
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-Michael-
I stradeled the waist of the blond and pinned her arms above her head, hearing her moan loudly in my ear at the roughness.
Screw Miley.
She didn't want me. She probably never even thought about me like that anymore. Seeing as she said we were done, I knew what she was really saying.
She didn't want me. She doesn't want me. She's never going to want me.
The pain in my chest returned sharply, causing me to accidentally bite down on the blond's neck. But she didn't mind, she enjoyed it this way.
She freed her arms and tangled them in my hair, but I didn't pay it any mind. I felt her tug slightly at the roots, and my breath hitched for a short second, thinking that this girl was Miley. She let out another moan, reminding me that it wasn't her, and I shut my eyes harder, trying to block out my thoughts. I peppered kisses up her neck and met her lips again, groaning as I did.
This didn't feel right. Not in the least. I didn't like this. I didn't want this.
But what else was I supposed to do? Miley was supposed to be it for me. That was the only thing I was sure of. But not anymore. Everything with her was ruined.
I ruined it again.
I sped up my pace as our bodies became coated in sweat, and I kissed her shoulder before leaving her a hickey.
"Mmm, baby, I'm close" the blonde murmured into my ear again. I buried my head in the crook of her neck.
My mind was going back to Miley again.
How I kissed her last night, how she kissed me. The goosebumps she caused to rise on my skin when she touched me.
Stupid f*cking chest pain.
When we were both finished, the blonde lay her head on my exposed chest, tracing circles on my abdomen.
Miley always used to do that.
I closed my eyes and took a steady breath.
Something is f*cking wrong with me.
My eyes snapped open at the sound of a resounding knock on my bedroom door. Without any time to think straight, the blonde was up, slipping on my t-shirt and pacing over to the door.
I sat up, about to call out and stop her. I knew who was going to be on the other side of that door. I knew what she was going to come face to face with and see.
This was going to blow up in my face.
But before I stop her, she had the door swung wide open, purposely wide enough for the both of us to be seen.
Miley, the girl I was so f*cking inlove with, stood on the other side, her eyes wide as she looked at the blonde.
Her posture went stiff, and I could feel her blood going cold.
"May we help you?" the blonde, I seriously had no clue what her name was, leaned against the door frame casually, and Miley looked over her shoulder and at me.
My breath stilled.
I think I was going to have a f*cking heart attack.
She bit down on her bottom lip and her eyes turned glossy. Her features grew stone cold and the look she gave me was causing a much more painful stab to erupt in my chest.
I couldn't look at her. I was too ashamed. Guilty.
I looked down at my lap, biting my lip as well.
She turned back to the blonde as the blonde cleared her throat.
"Tell Michael that I'll be going out now. And that I'll be moved out by Sunday," I looked back up at her, "Tell him I said thanks for the amazing birthday, and make sure you give this back to him" She had slipped off the engagement ring, giving it to the blonde. I was able to detect every single crack in her voice, making the wieght on my shoulders increase by a tenfold.
She turned and left quickly, so quickly that I didn't have time to formulate a response to her and the blonde had shut the door.
She came back over to the bed, placing the ring on the side table before she climbed ontop of me, stradeling my waist. But I pushed her off.
I feel so f*cking dirty.
"Baby let's go again" she smirked, but I tossed back the covers and got out of the bed, placing on my boxers and looking around for some sweat pants.
"What are you doing?" she asked me, and I glanced over my shoulder at her.
"You need to go"
"Excuse me?"
"Get out!" I snapped harshly, and she quickly got up from the bed.
"Give me my f*cking shirt back and hurry up" I growled, more angrily.
She removed my shirt and quickly dressed, pacing quickly out of my room. I put on a new shirt and followed behind her.
In a haste to put on her shoes, I rolled my eyes and opened the front door, pushing her out and tossing out her shoes before I slammed the door shut.
I banged my head against the oak door and took a couple deep breaths, rubbing my knuckles over my heart, where the pain in my chest was coming from.
Why can't I learn? I love her so much, and I've already learned that hurting her won't help either of us.
My mind wandered back to last night again, how we had kissed, the way we both held eachother. That's what I wanted.
That's what I needed.
I walked through the house, making my way to the kitchen where I found my phone, and I picked it up and dialed.
"Hello?"
"Hey Cal"
"Hey Mike. What's up?"
"Uh, I need some help"
"I'll be there as soon as I can"
*
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*
"Does she like that stuff?"
"Yeah, she loves it"
"Are you sure or are you guessing?"
"I'm guessing"
"Well then we're not doing it if you're not sure" I removed the large jar full of glitter (don't ask why) from her dresser and placed it by the door so that I would remember to throw it out.
With help from Calum, we had managed to stock Miley's room full of balloons. With a f*ck ton of blowing them up and tieing strings to the ends, we had managed to finish in 4 hours.
Granted, we had also filled her connecting bathroom first.
And with a final surge of hope to tell her how I really felt abour her, I had decorated a secluded nook in her room aswell.
It was safe to say that Calum and I had to take a long break to supply our lungs again once we had completly finished.
A pile of gifts filled the her walk in closet, all pre-wrapped (since there was no f*cking way I was going to do it) and ready to be opened once she got back from being out with Julia.
I heard the three chimes of the doorbell echo off the walls and I glanced at the time on my phone.
6:45pm.
She had been out since 11 this morning, and I felt my heart stutter knowing that she was finally back.
I was really doing this.
Calum glanced over at me, giving me a sly smile and we both made our way down the hall and the stairs to the front door.
As I reached it, a thought suddenly occurred to me.
Why would Miley ring the bell if she had a key, and knew where the spare one was?
"Gerald..?" Tori's father stood on the other side of the door, nervously fiddling with his fingers and glancing over his shoulder every two seconds.
"May I come in? She doesn't know that I'm here. Please? There's not alot of time" he rushed, and I stepped aside and allowed him to enter before shutting the door.
"What's this all about Mr.Holmes?" I crossed my arms over my chest and shared a look with Cal before looking back at him.
"She's gone mad!" he fisted his greying hair in his hands, his body inadvertently trembling and he was still continuously looking over his shoulder.
"What are you-"
"You're girlfriend is in serious danger-"
"Calm down sir" I tried to keep him stable but he wasn't listening.
"She needs help, boy, serious help" he muttered.
Sharing a look of bewilderment with Calum, we led Gerald to the lounge room. I fixed him some black coffee and gave it to him once it was ready. After a couple sips, he had calmed down, and he looked at the two of us.
"Mr. Holmes-"
"It's Gerald" he gave a small smile and I nodded.
"Gerald, what is it that's the matter?"
He set the mug on his lap, tracing the rim with his index finger.
"My daughter has been crazy for a long time now," he began, and my posture stiffened, "She needs serious help, but won't take it"
"If I may interrupt," I started, "What exactly does that mean?"
He looked towards the TV wistfully before taking in the surroundings of the lounge room, "She was very young when I noticed something odd about her. My wife and I, we had adopted her after she had been born. She was a wonderful daughter—we gave her everything.
"When she got to middle school, something about her wasn't quite right. Around the time she started wearing makeup and changing up her look to attract boys, is when. I mean sure, a girl wants to look pretty and sometimes they'll change for the likes of others. But not her changes. Identity and personality changes. Dying her hair all sorts of wacky colors and changing her name. Changing her clothes and cutting up her old ones to upcycle them. All of it was just too odd.
"She told us about you," he looked at me, and I sat up straighter, glancing at Calum, "She told us alot about you. Stuff that you might not even have known about yourself. She became good with computers and I think that's how she got so much information about you, Michael"
I shifted in my spot, my mind blown. I didn't like Tori—not in the slightest—but I didn't actually think she was batshit crazy.
And all this time that I had thought she had been gone, she had been someone else. Spying on me and I didn't even know it.
Holy shit.
She was the physco behind all the notes.
"Are you telling me that she's been obsessed with me for years?"
"Her entire life since middle school, my boy" he took a sip from his coffee as Calum looked at me, bewildered.
"And she doesn't know that you're here?" Cal asked, and Gerald shook his head no.
"That brings us to the reason that I'm here, actually. Miley, she's in danger"
"Danger? Danger how?" my heart was starting to beat fast at the possibility of her getting hurt.
"My daughter, she has planned to lure Miley out. To get her alone before she'll hostagize her and take Miley's life. That's what she thinks will get you to be with her. If Miley's not in the picture"
"F*ck!" I got to my feet, "Miley's been gone since this morning!" I panicked, Cal and Gerald also standing.
"I-I'm sorry I couldn't come any sooner"
"Do you know where she was planning to take Miley?" I asked him, and he shook his head no.
"I'm sorry Michael. I wish I could be of more help"
Help.
We need more help.
That's it!
I turned to Cal, "Drive me to Luke's place. Now. He can track Miley's cell" I was more than relieved to say that Luke as a suspect was officially off the table, even though I wasn't the one who considered him one. I knew that he was being slightly framed to throw us off, but now was not the time for an 'I told you so'.
"Alright then we best get going," I turned to Gerald, "Thank you again Mr.Holmes, for attempting to stop Tori"
He furrowed his slightly bushy eyebrows at me in a frown, "It's not Mr.Holmes. And Tori?"
"Victoria" I clarified as we all walked towards the front door, yet he shook his head once again.
"That's not my daughter. That's not who she really is" he explained as Cal and I got our shoes on, and I tilted my head in confusion.
"That's one of her personalities, boy"
I scratched the back of my neck in anticipation, "Then who is she really?"
"She's—" his phone rung from his pocket and he stiffened, his face going pale, "She knows I'm here"