"Who the hell are you!?" Kemal burst out while kicking away a young looking Mike.
"He's with me, I guess." Mikel approached with a calm expression.
"I guess?! That has nothing to do with me."
"He'll be your friend too, just, try to you know.." Mikel whispers incorrectly to a certain someone's ears.
—
"Don't even touch me, weirdo." Kemal frowned, skimming through his book with a deadly glare.
"What can I do to make you like me!" Mike whined, his legs kicking around impatiently on his chair.
"Nothing! You're useless! Make you my friend? Seriously? For what?" He responded harshly, eyes sharpening, it was less of a question, more of a statement.
"I don't know…" His voice cracked.
—
"The hell is this." The smaller man rolled his eyes while poking at a tray of freshly baked goods.
"I thought maybe you'd like me more if I learned how to cook." Mike lowered his head, presenting his tray like an offering.
"That's baking, not cooking!"
"I know how to do both!! Just please give it a try!!!" He moves closer only to be shoved back.
"No! Fuck off!"
—
"Why are you wailing like a dog? Don't run to me if you're acting hormonal." Kemal frowned, despite his harsh words he was looking at the crybaby already inside his bedroom.
Mike sobbed into the cushion, fingers flicking back and forth on his phone.
"Seriously!" His phone suddenly got snatched by the other boy.
He scrolled through in silence, refusing to mask his disgusted look.
"All these friends? And you're whining to me?" Veins were practically growing on his hands. .
"I'm sorry.."
Despite his apology he couldn't help but lie down, making his stay clear.
—
"Why are you bleeding?"
"None of your damn business!!!"
It felt like I was making no progress with him.
Until…
"Hey, we're sorry… Just don't send your friend like that again next time! We were just joking.."
Friend?
—
"Give me that damn phone!" Kemal demanded.
"I've decided to fix your friend list."
Blocked. Blocked. Blocked.
"All of them?" Mike tilted his head while scrolling through all his now unreadable numbers.
"Everyone except Mikel." He corrected, but I couldn't feel his confidence.
A blurry mess leaves only one name and number standing out.
Kemal.
"You gave me your phone number!?" I couldn't breathe.
"You want me to take it back!? Give it back! I'll delete it." He immediately chased Mike across his room, an unnecessary game of cat and mouse.
"NO TAKE BACKSIES!"
"Hold still already!!"
—
"Watch this." Mikel proudly announced, only to suddenly snatch up someone's wallet without much effort.
Mike gasped, eyes wide at his uncivil behaviour.
"Why would you do that? And how did you do that.."
"Yeah, why would you only get one wallet!" Kemal suddenly interrupted while showing off two watches he just pocketed.
"Oh you think you're big don't ya?" Mikel suddenly smirked.
"Oh I'm more of a short tempered guy!"
"Alright then! Till someone gets caught!"
"Now you're talking!"
Just like that both young teens were snaking their hands left and right, stealing as much as they could carry. Mike who had been following with his eyes grew bold, he's never seen anything like this.
Maybe I should…
"HEY! DID YOU JUST TRY STEALING FROM ME!?" A man roared at the frightened little boy, amused by his helpless cowering.
"OH YOU WANNA GO!?" Kemal suddenly burst out stepping in front of Mike with a fury that he didn't bother containing.
"Yeah, let's go.." Mikel whispered in his ear while pulling Mike away from the future crime scene.
"I'm sorry I.." His voice shook, unsure what he was even thinking.
"Come on now, don't try to steal, that's no good!" Mikel reassured with a head shake, despite that his eyes were void of any sincere emotions.
"But you both.." Mike sobbed to himself.
"We already tolerate you, there's no need to impress us anymore." The boy smirked while taking out a large sum of money.
"Let's go buy some bandaids, candy, and some expensive jewelry to top that!"
"But what about!"
"That's what we'll have bandaids for. Let our little guy tire himself out."
You're so..
—
"AHAHAHA YOU GUYS ARE SO LAME!!" Mikel boasted so proudly, towering over a pile of pained teens armed with knives yet still groaning and spitting blood.
Mike watched from afar when suddenly a straw poked against his lips.
"For me?" His eyes began glowing.
"Just a few sips, no one gets between me and my shake after all."
"Thank you so much.."
"For a sip?"
I remember that confused look so vividly.
—
"So he's into tarot?" Mike hummed while running after Mikel.
"Totally! It's super creepy, but he's our friend."
"Then what are we doing out here instead of him?"
"Because he said tonight is a fortunate moon or whatever! So I thought to bring you out with me!" Mikel smirked while taking the boy's hand.
"Or whatever? I thought you have perfect memory."
"That's exactly what he said, and since we're friends, you gotta follow me into the forest no matter what!"
Okay!
—
"Those are some pretty good grades." Kemal peeked past his paper.
"Yeah.."
"Why aren't you satisfied? People would kill for that kind of mediocre talent."
Mike lowered his head, his grades were good, above average even.
"Just don't feel it." All he could do was sigh out his weak response.
"You know what makes me feel? A good shake! On me. Maybe beat up a classmate or two, wanna join me?"
—
"You wanna work out? Why?" Mikel tilted his head while sorting some weights back in their designated racks.
"It's just! You two are always so battle ready, and I keep watching from the side lines…"
"Kemal hides behind me, you hide behind Kemal, I hide behind you, everyone keeps hiding behind everyone, that's how we show trust in this friend group!" He explained but that didn't seem to cut it.
"You wanna work out? Fine! Let me show you how it's done!"
They care for me…
He cares for me.
Where did it go wrong?
"DON'T DO IT!!" Mike screamed at the top of his lungs, arms extended towards a messy figure.
Before him was a madman with an axe aimed at another man's throat.
"I CAN'T LIVE LIKE THIS ANYMORE!" Kemal screeched hysterically.
"NO DON'T!!!"
I don't remember who that was..
He wanted to kill him, but only I managed to stop him, me! He stopped for me.
"I'M GONNA..!!"
You'll what?
And then I was alone, I don't remember what it looked like, but I was clutching onto a pillow.
Something Kemal gifted just to me.
'Are you okay?'
A message buzzed his phone.
Mikel..
'I wanna die.'
My words, they meant that much to you?
"Why the hell would you wanna follow me to another country!" Mikel frowned while packing his bags in a frenzy.
"PLEASE!" Mike begged while Kemal took a sip from his cup.
"If he's coming I'm coming." He hummed emotionlessly.
His eyes lacked light, or maybe they never had any to begin with.
"Just take me!"
Wherever you go!
Take me wherever you go!
"You want me to take you where?" Kemal raised his eyebrow.
"To an amusement park, I heard you never attended one.. So I thought if I buy the tickets for us both.."
He unfurled his hands revealing three tickets.
"And another in case Mikel is interested too.."
—
"Haha! You wanna follow my nightly stroll again?" Mikel grinned yet he carried dry tear stains just below his chin.
"I just wanna be with my friends.."
—
"Hey why did you block me?"
"Yo Mike! It's me!"
"Where are you going?"
"Honey!"
You're not my friends.
"Wanna study together?"
"This exam is sooooo boring!"
You're not my family.
"You wanna watch this together?"
You're not something I worked for..
"Why are you out in the rain like a dog!?"
Someone who…
"That's not cooking! That's baking!"
—
"Let's go." His voice was firm, since they ran through the forest that was nothing but a blur.
"Why so late?" Mike hummed as Kemal dragged a little cart along.
"I don't know.."
Ah, you didn't know.
I wish I did. I think?
Would it have changed anything?
"Are you crazy!?"
"I'm sorry!"
If I was strong enough.
"MIKE GET DOWN!"
Would I have been able to…
Do something other than closing my eyes?
"Let's go home.."
Would we have gotten home?
Could I have saved us, like those big monsters you admire?
What if I never befriended them to begin with?
"You're a true model student! Keep improving!"
"My son! The master of all trades!!"
"You don't mind borrowing us some money, do you?"
Would I still be happy?
Am I happy?
"Don't cry! I'll beat up those bullies!" Kemal smiled while a smug grin.
"We can always steal the ice cream to spice things up!" Mikel grinned.
"I don't lend my shit out, so I guess you'll have to read it at my home." Kemal huffed.
"What workout routines are the best? Mine of course! Come over!"
"You suck at this." Mikel and Kemal spoke at once.
I suck.
You make me feel like shit.
Her soft hum echoed through the quiet room. A woman was carefully brushing through Mike's hair with some comb. I was so quiet watching my reflection get groomed to perfection.
—
Watching my best friends throw knives at each other. Yet the moment I entered the room everyone ceased fire.
He did that!
I did that!!
"I don't like it when you just bruise up people.."
"You don't?"
I made a difference.
"You're such an obedient boy! Mama's proud!" A woman smiled.
"Can we use a comb that's.. I don't know, not blue?"
"It's just a comb."
I don't make a difference.
"I prefer lemon.." Mike lowered his head.
"Ugh, whatever!!" Kemal groaned.
But the next day there was lemon tea.
"You like it? Papa got it for you!" She cheered with an empty smile.
"You know my favourite colour is green.."
"Don't be so ungrateful!!"
I'm being so ungrateful.
Mikel loudly snapped the controller in half.
"Why would you!"
"Blue is such an ugly colour." He waved while taking out a green one instead.
"What will I explain to my mom.." Mike struggled to hold back his tears
"Tell her that you got something better, and if she asks any questions you tell her that we explain with our fists, consider it small talk, or something."
I get it now.
Mike cried into the shoulders of a man who had been tolerating him since the day they met.
A friend who had been holding him close one way or another, something he wishes he realised sooner.
"Ah, don't worry, he already accepted you as a friend, he's just stubbon."