new beginnings // michael clifford

Chapter 9: The Past

Michael's POV

*2 years ago*

"You're lucky they're letting you back in the school after what you've done. Don't mess this up," my dad was telling me on the drive home. I had just spent six months in a juvenile detention center.

"Yeah, dad. So lucky." I honestly could care less about school. I was glad to be out of juvie, but school was just as much torture.

"You messed up Michael, so you better be thankful your mother and I worked so hard to get you back into that school so we didn't have to move."

"I get it, dad. You don't have to keep telling me," I said, annoyed.

My mom looked back at me from the front seat. "Michael, honey. We care about you. This is his way of showing it." I rolled my eyes. My mom sighed and turned back around.

They didn't even know the whole story. They wouldn't understand why I did what I did anyway. I thought back to that day 6 months ago and the memory was so vivid in my mind that it felt like it was yesterday.

I was walking hand in hand with my girlfriend of the time, Tabitha down a neighborhood street. I cared about her a lot and I think I might have even loved her. As much as a fifteen year old can love their girlfriend. Tabitha had a troubled past and an ex boyfriend that followed her around. Tabitha kept telling me not to worry and that he would never hurt her, but sometimes I would see marks and bruises on her and I knew for sure they didn't come from me. Whenever I confronted her about it, she said she could handle herself.

On this particular day, I noticed someone following us. I'd never seen her ex, but I had a bad feeling and Tabitha kept glancing back. She held my hand so tight that her knuckles turned white.

"Baby, is that him?" I whispered in her ear. He was far enough back that I knew he couldn't hear me. I didn't know what he was doing following us or how he knew where we were. She nodded and I could tell she was terrified. "I'll take care of you. Don't worry."

I wasn't sure what to do, but he was getting closer. I stopped walking and turned around and held Tabitha close, my arm around her waist. "What do you want?" I demanded when he was close enough.

"I think you know," he said with a smug look on his face.

"Tabitha isn't your girlfriend anymore." I was getting angry. "Stop following us."

"Tabs is mine and always will be." He grabbed my shirt and almost lifted me off the ground. I pushed him off of me.

"No she's not," I said as he gripped her wrist. "Don't touch her," I threatened.

"You don't own me or her. And she's coming with me."

I noticed a baseball bat sitting in one of the yards and grabbed it. "Michael, don't," Tabitha pleaded, knowing what I was going to do.

She couldn't stop me. This guy had to be stopped. I brought the bat behind me to get more force and then I hit him. I heard a loud noise as he hit the ground. Once he was down I kept punching him. He needed to know that Tabitha was mine and he needed to leave her alone. I stopped knowing that if I kept going, I might kill him. I stood up and walked a few feet away from him.

"Why did you do that?" Tabitha yelled as she kneeled down beside him and checked his pulse. "He's bleeding a lot, but at least he's breathing. We need to take him to the hospital."

"Seriously Tabitha? You're worried about him?" I couldn't believe it.

"He needs help Michael." She was in tears now.

"Baby we can't take him. We'd have to explain what happened."

"Then we explain." She came over and grabbed my bloodied hands in hers. I nodded. I knew she was right. She took out her phone and dialed 911.

The ambulance came and took her ex to the hospital and then the police came and questioned us. I could've lied but they spoke to us separately and I knew Tabitha was going to tell them the truth. I only got an assault charge and the 6 months in juvie, but my parents were furious.

Tabitha came to visit me for the first few months every chance she got. Then she just stopped coming. I started to write her letters thinking she would write back, but she never did.

"Did you hear about Tabitha, honey?" my mom asked, taking me away from my memories.

"No. What happened?"

My mom wore a sad expression.

"She's ok, right?" I asked.

My mom shook her head. "She killed herself, son. I'm sorry." I felt like my whole world stopped. "Her parents said they found this in her room." My mom handed me an envelope.

Dear Michael,

I'm sorry if this hurts you, but I feel like this is my only escape. I do love you and I probably always will but I need to do this. He keeps coming. He haunts me in my nightmares as well. My life is hell. Please don't hate me. I know that someday you will find someone much better than me. Someone that can love you without leaving you like this. Someone without so many problems. Someone who isn't broken. Please leave me behind.

xx Tabitha

*present day*

Luke had me thinking about the past and Tabitha. I hadn't thought about that in a long time. I missed Tabitha, but I knew now that things would never have lasted with her. I don't regret what I did to her ex. I would do it again in a heartbeat because I was protecting her and I cared for her. Tabitha committing suicide put me in bad place and it made me not really care about my relationships with girls. That's why until Summer, I hadn't really wanted to be serious with anyone. I didn't want her to know I was in juvie that's for sure. I have no idea how she would react to that. I just hoped Luke kept his mouth shut.

Thank you so much to everyone that has been reading this. It means so much to me! I really like writing this so I hope you're liking it. anyways vote and comment please (: xx zoe