wanted | mystal

we're not the same

Fifteen

Rowan

"Knock, knock," I looked up from my book to see Michael.

"You didn't knock,"

"You didn't respond when I did," he said.

"Oh,"

"All good, your mom asked me to check on you,"

"She's late,"

"Had some more people to check on," he explained and I nodded. "I think it's a good thing she's late, you're still reading,"

"I could be reading ahead,"

"Are you?"

"No,"

"I never did either, so I just assumed you weren't,"

"I'm not like you,"

"You're right, sorry," he apologized. Silence fell over us as he sat on mom's deck, fidgeting with the plant she kept on the desk. I tried to focus on the book again, but I knew I wasn't going to.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

"You didn't do anything,"

"Yes I did, I know you don't like me," I looked up at him, seeing his face filled with shock.

"That's not true,"

"I'm pretty mean,"

"Not mean, overprotective of your mom," he corrected. "I get it, I'm just a stranger in your life,"

"I've only had mom and Aunt Sierra, that's it,"

"Well, I hope one day I can be apart of your life, and maybe my friends as well, they're all great," I didn't respond, there was no way I wanted him in my life, or any of his friends. Anytime people came into my life, they just left. I didn't want anyone else to leave, and mom and Aunt Sierra were the only consistent people in it.

"Hey you two," I looked over to see mom coming in. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah,"

"Did you do your reading?"

"Uh,"

"She was working on it and asking me a couple of questions," Michael quickly intervened, covering for me, "kind of a difficult read,"

"Oh, well, I'll leave you guys for a bit, I was going to talk to Ashton for a bit," she said before grabbing the papers off her desk and walking out. Silence fell over Michael and I as I opened the book and began to read in my head, though that never really helped. The only way I could process things is if I read out loud, but I didn't want to in front of Michael.

"Do you want help?" he asked after a bit.

"No,"

"You sure? I wasn't the best reader, but I got better," he said, "used to read with my mom, it was pretty bad,"

"That's what I do," I mumbled.

"Hey, we have that in common," he smiled.

"We're not the same,"

"No, we aren't," he agreed with me before moving over to the couch. "But I think between the two of us, we could figure this chapter out,"

I huffed, but nodded and leaned back on the couch, "Fine,"