That's What You Get

Chapter Twelve: Shadows in the Silence

The sunlight filtered softly through the curtains, casting a muted glow across the living room. Mikey sat on the couch, his legs tucked underneath him, trying to make sense of the strange tension still hanging in the air. Last night, he had thought he'd simply be spending time with Patrick and Dani, maybe just a few beers and some conversation. Instead, he'd found himself standing in the middle of a quiet storm, with Pete's unexpected arrival stirring up something neither Dani nor Patrick had been prepared for.

He hadn't said much after Pete left, but neither had Dani or Patrick. It was as though the unspoken weight of everything was too heavy to put into words.

The sound of the kitchen faucet running drew his attention, and he glanced over to see Dani moving around, her back turned to him as she prepared breakfast. She hadn't spoken much either, her eyes skimming the room, avoiding his gaze whenever he tried to meet hers. Patrick was already up, sitting at the table, nursing a cup of coffee. He looked tired, drained, even.

Mikey shifted uncomfortably, trying to piece things together in his mind. His thoughts kept returning to Pete's words last night, to the way Dani had so carefully tried to keep the peace. It felt like there was more. Something more between them, something unsaid, but Mikey wasn't sure he was ready to hear it. He didn't even know how to ask.

Dani placed a plate of eggs and toast on the table, trying to keep her hands steady. She sat across from Patrick, and Mikey followed, sitting beside her. The air felt thick between them, but no one spoke.

Mikey finally broke the silence. "I didn't expect... I mean, I didn't know that you and Pete were... still friends." He trailed off, glancing between them, searching for some clue, some sign of how they were processing the night before.

Dani's eyes flickered up to him, but she didn't say anything at first. It was Patrick who spoke, his voice low, almost too casual. "Yeah, we've known each other for a long time. Since high school."

Mikey nodded slowly, processing the information. "I didn't know that. I guess I didn't really... ask."

There was a pause, and Mikey could feel the undercurrent of discomfort between them. Patrick's hand wrapped around his coffee cup, his fingers tightening just a little too much, and Dani was still avoiding Mikey's gaze. She was trying to smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. Mikey could tell something was off.

"I'm sorry about last night," Dani said, her voice just a little too soft. "I didn't mean for things to get complicated."

Mikey's stomach twisted. "It wasn't your fault, Dani. I just... I wasn't prepared for Pete to show up like that. I thought we were just hanging out."

"I know," Dani murmured. She sat a little straighter, pushing her hair behind her ear. Her movements seemed deliberate, like she was trying to appear normal when everything inside her wasn't.

Patrick shifted in his seat, setting his coffee cup down with a quiet clink. "Pete's unpredictable," he said, his tone lacking the usual warmth Mikey had come to expect. "Always has been."

Mikey's gaze flickered between the two of them, his chest tightening with unease. The more he thought about it, the more it felt like there were layers to this situation that he wasn't seeing.

There was a pause, a beat of silence. Dani cleared her throat, her eyes locking onto Mikey's for the first time that morning. "Mikey..." Her voice was soft, but it carried a weight that made Mikey stiffen. "You don't have to worry about him. I won't let him hurt you again."

Mikey swallowed, his heart beating harder in his chest. Her words felt like a promise, but it wasn't a promise he felt entirely safe in. There was something in her voice, something that hinted at a deeper history, a history that Mikey didn't understand yet.