Hate to love you [Jeremike]

Chapter 9:Roots

[A/N:I regret absolutely nothing. Also special extra long chapter to cope with the fact that I have been extremely lazy but good news is that spring break is coming up and so will more updates!]

Mike's P.O.V
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I sighed as I watched Jeremy leave, he was really banged up...I should lay off him for a bit. And by that I meant until he was either healed or maybe rumors started going around that I was becoming soft. Honestly, right now I was more worried about him than myself...maybe I should go check on him...? No, he was probably fine right? I rubbed a hand against my head and I began walking away towards the bus stop.

-Time Skip-

It had been two hours...where was he? Scott and Fritz were already here but Jeremy was still missing...was he okay? That's when I saw him, and by the looks of him I'd say he was attacked after he left the pizzeria...but what had happened? Did he get jumped? Did guys from school find him in his frail state and attack him? Questions raced my mind and I found I couldn't move my eyes from him.....

"Yo Mike, you okay?" Scott asked drawing my attention back to our conversation, was I okay? More importantly was JEREMY okay? He was the one who was busted up and broken and they wanted to know if I was okay? To be honest, no. My heart and pulse had been racing only a few hours ago and now it was starting again. Why had Byron started him off in the middle of the week? He should have just been trained properly (most likely by me), started at the beginning of the week, and had one of us with him.

But of course Byron was a cheapskate and would do ANYTHING to save money...even if that meant loosing a couple of lives like mine or Scott's or Fritz's or even Jeremy's now. So getting back to reality I just answered with a simple "Yeah...fine." But I wasn't, when I looked over at Jeremy he was shaking like a leaf...I can't believe I hadn't noticed it before, cuts littered his arms along with bruises....usually I knew some kids that had issues like self-harm and stuff but I never thought Jeremy would do it.

That's when I realized...he was probably doing that when I started bullying him....I felt a lump in my throat and it was hurting like crazy. Okay yeah I know big strong Mike is a wuss deep down in his hollow shell that he calls a heart right? But this was different, after I left him he was going to be okay right? He was patched up, no broken bones, and a little bleeding- okay a lot! But these bruises were in places that shouldn't have been.

There were some on his face...when he told me what happened he didn't say anything about his face. So what could have happened between then and now?

-FLASH BACK TO A COUPLE OF HOURS AGO-

Jeremy's P.O.V
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I scowled slightly at the bruises already forming along my body, why had I taken that job? The pay was bad, the hours were bad, I had to do homework while I was there, the animatronics tried to kill me every time, and most importantly that voice! Who was it and why did it sound so familiar...? I wanted to scream out that I was frustrated so much. But that's when this happened...I felt something hit my back, something hard and metallic. It was a pipe.

Oh remember when I said I used to run with gangs so I could get some extra cash? Yeah well they came back...my balance faltered and I hit the ground harshly, scraping my chin along the way. "Well well well, if it isn't the neighborhood rat!" That was Vincent, he was the leader of a horrible gang, they were bigger, buffer, and much stronger than anyone here so this whole cul-de-sac had to watch out for him. "W-What do you w-want?" I managed to ask.

He only chuckled darkly in response, what was his issue? Suddenly his hands grasped the front of my work shirt and picked me up roughly, involuntarily I flinched...this only caused him to laugh again, I couldn't hear anyone else so I thought he was alone. That was my mistake, two people grabbed my arms and held me down against my will. Vincent cracked his knuckles loudly. Words can't describe how much I hate him, "What do we want? Well why don't I show them boys!" He exclaimed to everyone around him. That's when a sharp kick hit my side and I cried out in pain.

He stomped on my chest and the air rushed out of my lungs, I couldn't cry for help...I couldn't make them stop...I was weak...my body hurt so bad when they were done,and before they left I could hear Vincent speaking...what he said made my blood run cold. "Next time I'll make sure to bring a knife and to get more intimate with you~"
No, no, no, no, no...th-that meant...oh god I didn't even want to say what that meant....sobs racked my body as I managed to get home. My father was on the couch in a drunken sleep, so I slipped by him and into the bathroom.

After cleaning myself up I got dressed, sadly the shirt didn't cover up all of my arms so some...not so beautiful blemishes were left...I grabbed my bag and went down stairs and I quietly slipped out the door, could this day get any worse? Oh wait it could! I was nearly late for the bus since Vincent and his gang spent and hour beating me up and I spent and hour hiding all the cuts and bruises, along with wiping all the blood away. Mike wasn't going to be any different...at our job maybe but not school, he has a reputation there.

I still don't know why he attacked me and then apologized earlier, was it because he felt sorry? Or did he not do it? I don't know anymore...the one thing I do know is that I am alone in the world. Everyone has someone and I'm just...alone...heck even my real father hated me so much that he killed himself! Yeah, I blamed myself for it. Who else was there to blame? No one that's who. My mom is dead, my real dad is dead, I'm practically dead to my adopted dad, and to everyone else in the world I'm dead meat! I just wanted one person who cared...was that too much to ask for?

-BACK TO THE PRESENT-

Scott's P.O.V
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I watched Mike with great curiosity, he was acting different from what I know...maybe he was coming down with something. His girlfriend, Doll, arrived and happily sat next to him, leaning on him, trying to kiss him. I turned away with disgust. I never knew why he liked her so much-she was a cheating slut. How do I know this you might find yourself asking? Well, because I used to date her.

When she was with me she cheated on me with my best friend Vincent, I called her out on it and she told me everything. After that I told Vince our friendship was over and he could have the slut...I miss him though...I never enjoyed my time with her because deep down inside I was gay. And I loved Vince, but then he dropped out and I never saw him since then. However recently I've heard his name come up in chats in the halls and classes while the teachers aren't looking.

Maybe he's still here...