The love project(perrentes)✅

Chapter 7

~Tony~
When I awoke, I found a crimson stain on my pillow, although my head had stopped pounding as ferociously and I felt a great deal less drowsy. I rolled over, ignoring the dizziness that hit me, to look at the clock. It was already nine thirty, so I was already over an hour late for school. Honestly, I didn't see the point in going and most of all I didn't want people to see the cut on my face. Just then, a text buzzed through on my phone, so I reached out and grabbed it from my nightstand. It was Vic asking why I wasn't at school. I scrolled through my messages and found I had three from Jaime, four each from Kellin and Vic and five from Mike.
Jaime's were:
Are you mad at me?
I bet you're mad at me.
Why aren't you in school?
Kellin's read:
Apparently you left early.
Everything okay, Tone?
Call me okay.
Where are you today?
Vic's were:
Mike said you ran out.
How are things between you two?
Tone, Kellin's getting all worked up.
Why didn't you come today?
And finally Mike's said:
What's going on, Tone?
Are you okay?
Everyone's worried about you?
You're not in class?
We still on for experiment tonight ?
I quickly responded to each telling them I was fine and told Mike he could still come over.
Finally, I stretched before getting up. I decided there wasn't much point in going to school because I was already beyond late. Firstly, I went to clean myself up in the bathroom. Pale morning sunlight washed over the bathroom, creating enough light to easily see the red gash on my cheekbone that had spread to my jaw. I was still wearing the same red and black crinkled flannel shirt from the party. It was coated in a thick layer of dirt and there was dirt smeared across my chin. Gently, I lifted my shirt to real my torso, particularly my ribs, covered in bruises, like violent watercolours, spreading from purple to blue to green.
All of a sudden, I couldn't bear to look at myself much longer and hurried out of the bathroom, my eyes watering.
I spent most of the day on the couch, eating cereal and watching old episodes of Full House on Netflix. I was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell echoing through the large house. I made my way over to the door, having forgotten about my extremely disheveled appearance.
Mike stood on my front porch, holding one of Jaime's question packs in his hand and a shocked look on his face.
"Tone," he breathed, stepping towards me.
"What happened?" He asked, brushing his thumb under the red cut under my eye.
"I tripped and fell," I lied, fumbling with my fingers and looking at my feet.
"Tony, no you didn't. Please just tell me the truth, I've never judged you before," he coaxed me, sensing the lie.
"I'll clean you up and you can tell me," Mike said, leading me into the bathroom. He patted the counter and motioned for me to have a seat next to the sink. Slightly reluctantly, I obeyed and sat on the counter.He pulled out the first aid kit and began dabbing my face with antibacterial soaked cotton wool to clean the cut. I winced at the stinging sensation and Mike leaned closer to get a better angle. His minty breath fell against my face and his elbow rested on my knee, whilst his right hand held my cheek.
"So what really happened?" Mike persisted, continuing to clean me up, despite my discomfort.
"Well, I had just left the party and I was waiting to get the bus back when some guys from school walked over. They usually give me trouble, but nothing too bad. They pushed me to the ground and I hit my face on the bench and then they bruised my ribs," I finished, finally looking up at Mike, who had stopped cleaning my cut. He looked livid and it frightened me somewhat.
"Who?" He uttered simply, as though he was trying to suppress his anger.
"W-what?" I stuttered nervously.
"Who did this?" He elaborated in the same way.
"Joel Whitman and his friends," I told him, shuffling back a little.
"Will you show me what they did to your ribs?" Mike sighed, stepping closer.
I nodded and pulled the hem of my shirt up all the way to my neck, shivering at the slight coldness.Mikes hands immediately glided against the bruises littering my rib age and he brushed his thumb over each.
"Tone, this isn't okay, why do you let them push you around like this?" Mike asked, helping me down from the counter.
"They make me feel pathetic," I mumbled, almost inaudibly.
Mike said nothing and simply pulled me into his arms, resting his chin on top of my head. I couldn't help but notice how perfectly we fit together and I closed my eyes so that I could know nothing but his arms.
"Mike, do you think I'm pathetic, for not standing up to them?" I sighed awaiting his reply.
"What? No, of course not Tone, I think they're pathetic for beating someone up who didn't deserve it, especially in a group," he responded, pulling me with him into the living room to sit on the couch.
"Thanks, Mike," I smiled, giving him one last quick hug.
"Okay, let's get started on the questions, share with your partner an embarrassing moment in your life," he read aloud then sat back awaiting my response.
"Well, there was one time when there was a school dance and this really cute guy asked me to go, but it was just a setup. The entire school laughed at me when he told everyone and I just ran home crying," I replied, looking down at my hands. If he didn't think I was pathetic before, now he definitely would.
"That's horrible, mine isn't as bad. One time I accidentally kicked a football at this girl I liked and gave her a black eye," Mike admitted with slight amusement.
"Next card, Your house, containing everything you own, catches fire. After saving your loved ones and pets, you have time to safely make a final dash to save any one item. What would it be? Why?" I asked.
"Probably my drum kit if I could do that," Mike replied, cheerily.
"I'd save my notebook because of all the drawings in it," I confessed.
"Okay and for some reason this is the last card so let's see what it says," Mike declared, picking it up.
"You do the honours," Mike suggested, doing a fake grand bow.
"Okay," I said clearing my throat. I looked down at the card and before I could stop myself I read those three words. "Kiss each other," I read, awkwardly, but Mike didn't seem especially fazed.
"Well, it is part of the experiment," he spoke, inching closer to me so we were facing.
Slowly, he wrapped his arms around my waist, pulled me toward him and placed his lips on mine. I felt an immediate rush and nervous excited energy within me.
I responded moving my lips with his. It suddenly ended all too quickly and he sat there, staring at me, panting for air, looking like he was going to cry.
"Mike, I," I began, but he was running for the door before I could leave.
"Mike, please don't leave, I'm sorry, please don't hate me," I called after him, frantically following him, just in time to hear the door slam shut.
I slid down against the hardwood door, tears welling in my eyes. I brought a finger to my lips and recalled that moment when I felt so happy. I knew Mike would never fall for me like I did for him. After all, he was straight.
A/N: hope you enjoyed. 🐢✨