The Major Lift. Rewrite one.

Michael.

Aurora heard the knock on the door and jumped absurdly, comically almost. "Yeah!" She asked, irritable at being dragged out of her funk and sitting up on the bed. Michael came in and closed the door behind him with a tactful click.
"Oh, hey. Sorry, Mike" said Aurora, adjusting herself on her bed and looking him up and down expectantly.
"What are you sorry for?" he asked knitting his eyebrows together. "I'm here because I think Mum's onto that letter you kept from your ex, either she snooped or you didn't find a good enough hiding place" he added, cutting straight to the chase as he seated himself on her desk chair and leaned back in it.
Aurora sat bolt upright, alarmed. She turned to fix her horrified eyes Michael.
"That letter from Alyson? You mean to tell me she has it?" Aurora asked as if she hadn't heard correctly. As she listened, she could feel a sensation like a bowling ball falling heavily into her stomach. Michael nodded gloomily. "It's down in the kitchen and Mum is cooking something, so it's a good bet that she's read it. And it's also a good bet that if your ex has sent you any other letters, a better hiding place may be in order". He warned, sending a horrific chill running right up Auroras spine.
"There aren't any. I burned them, remember?" Aurora reminded him, fighting to keep her tone measured and calm. Inside her soul, a black hole had opened and had begun to eat away at her world. She could feel her breathing and heartrate quickening. She slid off the bed and began to pace on trembling legs. 'As if the evenings charade would end any time soon' she thought to herself with scathing sarcasm. Michael faded to the periphery of her senses along with his voice.
"What am I supposed to do? You have any idea how exhausting this is? Every day, eventually and inevitably having to come home and put on yet another mask?" She blurted out, waving her numb arms about manically.
"Aro". Michael began, but Aurora carried on.
"And I am tired Mike! Exhausted! And if I can't trust mum, which let's be honest, I can't then who? And yeah, I know I can trust you. But you're an anomaly Mike! You ..."
"ARO!" Michael shouted, making Aurora stop in her tracks. "It's mum that's the anomaly. It's this house. Come on! You can do this. You have to do this. This is about your dignity and your ultimate safety. I want this to go well for you too. And it can if you get onto it now". Michael urged her, leaning forward so his elbows were on his grubby knees. She turned to fully look at him, tears coming out of her eyes, unbidden.
"I can't, Mike" She squeaked, letting her breath catch in her chest.
"You have to" Michael said, his monotone voice low and hushed.
Aurora turned away and ran her hands through her hair, pulling at it in fistfuls. a hot bubbling sickening ball of rage and frustration swelled inside her chest like a malignant mass. Michael got off from the chair and advanced as Aurora retreated to the bed, climbing onto it and assuming the foetal position. She felt the reassuring weight of her brother climbing on the bed to sit beside her, his hand on her shoulder as she tried and failed to get a hold of herself.
"I'm sorry Aro. I don't wanna be a tool. I just don't underestimate the blindness of some people. Mum included". Michael said as he patted Auroras shaking shoulder.
Aurora dug her nails into the skin of her arms as she tried to make herself as small as possible, feeling the sting of her nails and savouring the tiny amount of relief this brought. Michael stayed for a while while Auroras attention faded from the outside world and began to fill out her inner world.
After an amount of time that eluded her, Michael too had left the room. Night had fallen and Aurora was still wide awake, still holding herself together only by the skin of her teeth. The hours flew past Auroras unheeding mind and blurred together in the background of her senses as she stared down the prospect of showing her dear mother the reality of who she was. A stark contrast to the person whose body she inhabited. She wondered perhaps for the millionth time whether any other queer people shared her experience in the home they grew up in. Whether any other queer people would also say that the reason why they were not out everywhere was their parents. The answer must be more than one. Surly.