//Strip club lights\\ Michael X Noah

~94~ "Meeting."

~POV: Michael~
I unhappily sat in Noah's office at the crack of dawn as we waited for the others to wake up and come to start the meeting. "Why so early?.." I groaned, laying down on the sofa and covering my eyes with my arm. "Because the mission is tomorrow morning, so we have to have this meeting as early as possible to have time to prepare." He grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet, just so he could place his hands on my waist and kiss the tip of my nose. "It won't be long, but pay attention because you're needed too." He ruffled my hair like he always seems to do when he backs away from embrace before going to his desk to sit down and open his laptop. I slumped onto the couch just seconds before everyone started strolling into the room, yawning and rubbing their eyes. "Who hurt you enough to compel you to have a meeting at 7:30 in the morning!" Posi groaned, somehow she was brought in on this mission too, I think Noah was looking for anybody willing to come. "Probably our dad." Lia snickered as she also walked in the room, I was a bit confused since I thought she hated every part of this mafia stuff, I mean, she cut contact with her brother for 5 years because she hated it so much.

"I can't even deny." Noah mumbled with a small laugh as he grabbed some papers from a desk drawer. Posi plopped down on the sofa beside me and laid her head on my shoulder. "Your girlfriend is literally right here." Lily rolled her eyes as she sat down beside us, Posi shrugged, "His shoulder is comfortable. But he always smells like Noah's cologne and that shit is way too strong." She scrunched her nose up in disgust and lifted her head off me. Untrue opinion but whatever. In compromise she just laid her head on the back of the couch.

Then three other men walked in the room and i immediately got a sense of déjà vu, "Do I know you guys?" I pointed at them, crooking an eyebrow and sitting up probably to stair at them. "We've literally worked here longer than you've been dating him." The shortest one with blonde hair in the middle said, "No, I know that, but like from somewhere else. What are your names?" I swear I know them, my brain is screaming at me right now but it almost feels muffled and contorted. "We don't really have time for this-" Noah was about to speak but I was too focused on these people now, I shot him a look telling him 'just a minute' and he shut up. They all began to state their names.

"Mark Brown."

"Fredrick Jordan."

"Simon Williams."

Suddenly those names awoke memories in me, like I finally opened the door to a whole memory of people I blocked from my mind. "Holy motherfucking shit.." I mumbled, fully sitting up and staring at them with a completely shocked expression. I knew them because they helped me kill my fucking brother. "What in the absolute fuck happened to you guys!? How the fuck did you get from being pathetic motherfuckers to this!?" I stood up and found myself shouting at them, no, I didn't not like them because they killed my brother, that was all my fault and I knew it. I hate them because after that happened they completely ghosted me, no comfort, no calls, nothing, just silence after my fucking brother died.

"I dunno. Just kind of happened, I guess." Simon shrugged, wow, very helpful. "Are you still assholes or did you grow up?" I tilted my head, everyone basically just watched in amazement of the free entertainment they were getting. "Are you still a murderer?" Mark chimed in, oh so they do recognize me, they just didn't want to deal with consequences. Everyone widened their eyes at what he said, I practically gritted my teeth in anger. "YOU WORK IN A FUCKING MAFIA!" I screamed, digging my nails into my palm, I fucking hate them, god I hate them so much. "You killed your own brother!" Simon seemed to be doing most of the talking- or well screaming right now, I wondered if it was always like that.

"Okay enough!" Noah stood up, slamming his hands on the desk, I flinched, the sound of the bang echoing through my head, fuck, PTSD again. "Either of you fight anymore and I'm kicking you out. Sit back down." He glared at us, I felt my heart beating in my chest and mind, I could hear every sound around me ten times louder than usual. "I- I need to go- I'm sorry." I walked out of the office, slamming the door behind me. I don't even care if Noah doesn't want me on the mission anymore. I feel like I'm dying- I can't breathe. I slumped down on the floor by the office door and placed my hand on my chest, I could hear everything. The squirrels loudly outside, everyone talking about me in the office, I could hear literally anything.