After (UNEDITED)

Chapter 18

A/N I've decided that Crazy In Love is the official Michames song

James POV

I drive to Michelle's house to pick her up before school. I get to her door and her mum opens it with a frown.
"James" she sneers
"Morning ma'am" I say politely. I will get this women to like me. She stands in the doorway scaling me up. I feel awkward.
"It's cold isn't it" I say.
"Hm" is all she says. I rock on my heels an look around.
"Listen" she says sternly while shutting the door behind her. "I don't like you"
"Noted" I say
"But Michelle does. I do everything I can to keep her happy. I can't have her fall back into her old habits. You don't Michelle as well as you think you do. Just suffered a horrible childhood. Eldon was there to bring her back to reality. You will never beat him. They'll always have a stronger connection than anyone in the world. She's weak, she's not as strong as she looks. Eldon was sort of her anchor. That's why he always told me everything. That's why I don't like you. After her fathers death she took interest in drugs and alcohol. Eldon changed her. Now you come along and she's going to parties every weekend and staying out all night. I don't want to loose her. I just can't-"
She starts choking on her words and she tries to hold her tears back.
"I won't let that happen ma'am. Your daughter means a lot to me. I'd never ever let anything bad happen to her. I promise"
She sniffles and shakes her head.
"But you already have"
I furrow my eyebrows and Michelle walks through the door.
"Mum" she states "James" she beams and throws her arms around my neck and hugs me. I look at her mum and she has a concerned look on her face. I nod my head. I take Michelle's hand and we walk to the car.
I never knew any of those things about Michelle. I would never picture that life for her.
Maybe I'm not the best fit for Michelle. Maybe Eldon was the right person for her. Maybe she does need to go back to her original home for a week.
"Your awful quiet" she says smiling.
"Huh oh. Just thinking" I say.
"About?" She drags cheekily.
"You" I say looking at her briefly. She blushes.
"Gosh" she says Bashfully.
"Have you thought about Eldons offer?"
"What? About going back home with him over the holidays?"
"Yea"
"Yes"
"And?"
"I'm not going"
"Michelle"
"No. I'm not gonna leave you"
I'm silent. I'm holding her back from what's best for her.

We arrive at school, I take her hand and we walk together to the crew.
"Sup" West says. I nod my head and pull Michelle closer. I see Stephanie draped over Hunter. It sickens me. He's bad for her, he always tries to beat me at my own game.
We create small talk between the group as we wait for the bell to ring.

Michelle's POV.

James walks me to my English class.
"I'll see you at lunch" he says kissing me. I smile as he walks off. Something's different about him. I wonder what he and my mum were talking about cause it looked like she was crying.
"Ah Michelle" I turn and see Hunter. I have English with him?
"Hunter" I say flatly.
I take a seat and he sits next to me.
"Why all of a sudden have you started talking to me in English?" I ask. He never sits by me. Or make any sort of contact.
"Why all of a sudden have you taken interest in my bro?" He comebacks.
"It wasn't all of a sudden as a matter of fact" I say sassily.
"Ooh. Got some sass. No wonder James chose you"
Something in the way he said 'chose you' makes my stomach turn. What does that mean?
I focus on the lesson as much as I can although it is so very boring. I've got so many things bugging me.
Should I go stay with Eldon over the weekend? She I worry about why Hunter said? Am I changing?
It's just so much stress is building.

The bell rings an I jump a little in my seat.
"So class. It is due before the end on the term" the teacher says "Collect your book on your way out"
Wait, what's due?

I see James standing to the left of the doorway with a stern look.
"Hey are you alright?" I ask him and we walk to the lunch hall.
"Fine" he says stiffly "Just. I dunno thinking"
"What about?" I urge. I want to know what's wrong so I can help him.
"Michelle, let's not sit in there. Come on" he says leading to the bleachers.
We sit in our normal spot and he takes my hand into his and places in on his lap. I stare at it.
"Michelle?" He question
"Hm?"
"What were you like before you met Eldon?"
I'm confused. Why would he want to talk about this.
"Um. I don't really want to talk about it" I say. It's a sore subject and it makes me cry.
"Please. I think it'll help us understand each other. I'll tell you my backstory"
"You first"
"Alright. Well firstly when I was like 7 mine and Stephanie's parents split up. I moved in with my mum cause my dad was never home. But when I turned 10 my mum got sick. A incurable disease. She was then always in and out of hospital. I was alone. I never slept I was always worried. One night when I was alone I was about 13 i was relentless, hooking up with girls twice my age. Staying out all night. I never knew how to treat a girl properly, my mum couldn't teach me. I saw a bottle of vodka in the pantry. It was late. I was scared and I drank the whole bottle. I got sick but I loved the feeling. It made me feeling eccentric.
Four years later my mum died. I was twice as bad then. Except I didn't drink as much but I drank enough to be drunk every weekend. I sold the house ad tried starting a new life away from that house of misery. The girls helped me forget. That's why everyone called me a played. That's how my reputation started" his voice cracks at the end.
"I'm real sorry James" I say looking at him.
"It's fine. It's my dad's fault. He was never there me or her. He just sucked as a father. But he remarried before her death and I believe they have a little toddler"
There's silence.
"Now what's your story"
"Just like yours only a different ending. My dad died when I was 13. I convinced myself it was all my fault. For days I didn't eat sleep or leave my room. I self harmed, I drank I didn't drugs all up to the age of 16. Eldon was there to try and help me. He slowly started to stop it when I was 15. I eased back. But I never fully stopped. Like I stopped drinking and cutting. But not drugs. The ones I did weren't bad. I think the reason we moved was to start a new life for me" I'm silent as I think about my previous life. Most of it was a blur.
"So yea" I sigh. The bell rings and we stand up.
"Michelle, you know I'll never let anything bad happen to you, right?" He asks
"Of course" I say. He pulls me into a hug. I swear I hear him sniffle.
"You mean so much to me" he says.
I've never felt so wanted until then. Do I love James?