Because You Need Someone: Book 1 in the Need Trilogy: The Pack: Merome

Chapter One: A Visitor [Edited]

(So this started out as an assignment for one of my classes, but it has now turned into a book. So enjoy! Update day for this is on Sundays!)

Mitch lies still in his bed with his back to the door, his blankets wrapped tightly around him as he listens to his phone go off almost every ten seconds, indicating a new text message or someone calling him. The room is dark and the only light entering is breaking through the curtains and his phone lighting up from a text or a call. His eyes are closed and his fingers trace scars on his right forearm. The room goes dead silent, the only noise being his breathing, and the cars zooming down the street outside, but then his cell phone rings making him groan, annoyed. He pushes himself sit up, wincing at the pain emerging from his forearms. He turns halfway to look at his phone on his desk where he last left it. He pulls himself out of bed, pushing his blanket off him making them almost fall off the bed, he then picks up his phone off the dark oak desk. He looks at the caller ID to find that it is her. He grips the phone a little making the plastic creak in his grip. He turns towards the wall and goes to throw it, but the phone goes to voicemail making him stop in his tracks with his hand in the air, grasping the phone. Then Jessica's shaky yet strong voice fills the silent room through the phone.

"H-Hey Mitch, it's Jessica. I know you are ignoring me, and I deserve it. But we need to talk about this. You have been locked up in your house for two weeks now and we all are worried about you. I was the jerk here and I would love to hear your voice again because I miss it. So please, call me back." Jessica says before she hangs up. Mitch lowers his hand and then stares at his phone feeling the rage in him sizzle away. He unlocks it and sees he has 53 messages and eleven missed calls. He clicks on his messages and sees Jerome, his best friend, has been texting him. Mitch goes to answer Jerome, but the phone rings again and Jessica's number pops up on the screen. Mitch gasps and then throws the phone at the wall, making it shatter into pieces on the floor and leaves a mark in the wall. He clenches his fists, making his nail dig into the palms of his hands and stares dead at the floor, his stomach than growls in protect. He sniffs and crawls into bed, pulling the blankets back up around him and putting his arms around his empty belly. He tries to go back to sleep, only to be interrupted by the doorbell going off. Mitch does not make any effort to move, he stays in bed hoping for the person to go away. But after a few minutes, he gets up. He slips on his black and red checkered sweatshirt and walks up to the front door and opens it. Once he opened it, a pair of arms engulf him into a tight hug which is accompanied with a cheerful and familiar voice.

"Hey buddy. Sorry it took me so long to fly on over here." Jerome said. Jerome lets go of Mitch and walks inside. Mitch stays still, staring at the spot on the pavement where Jerome once was for a few seconds and then he turns halfway to look at Jerome, who has already made himself at home. He hesitates to speak and once he does, his voice sounds gravelly, like he has not talked in days.

"Wh...What are you doing here? Why aren't you in Florida?" Mitch asks. Jerome looks at Mitch and then loses his smile, the cheerfulness lost from his voice.

"I heard about what happened." Jerome said. Mitch looks away from Jerome which gives Jerome the chance to see what he is dealing with. Mitch's skin is paler than last time Jerome remembers seeing him and there are tear tracks running down his cheeks from his red and puffy eyes, and he has lost some weight. But what really catches Jerome's eye is Mitch's left wrist that is showing a little. Jerome then looks at Mitch's face. He puts on a smile and claps his hands together suddenly making Mitch jump. "I thought you could use some cheering up. So here I am!" Mitch shuts the door. Jerome lowers his hands and puts them in his pockets. "Well I'm starving, got any good? I haven't eaten anything since I got off the plane." Jerome turns away from Mitch and goes into the kitchen. Mitch follows Jerome. Jerome opens the fridge to find a pizza box with two slices of pizza with green mold growing on both of them and a few empty beer bottles. Jerome stares at the bottles and then loses his smile once again. "Okay. Ummm...Oh! I got it!" Jerome shuts the fridge door and turns to Mitch who is standing behind the counter. "Since I just lost my appetite for pizza all of a sudden, how about we order some Chinese food? Mitch, you okay?" Mitch meets Jerome's eyes with his tired and puffy ones.

"W-Why are you here?" Mitch croaks. Jerome takes a step towards him, resting his hands on the marble counter that is between the two. 

"Haven't you been getting my texts? I've been trying to contact you for two weeks now, and you haven't answered once. I got worried. Jessica told us what happened—" Mitch takes a step back staring at the floor with this look of dread forming on his face.

"S-She told you?" Mitch asks. Jerome moves slowly around the counter as if Mitch might bolt if he goes any faster.

"Yeah, but—" Tears form in Mitch's eyes making Jerome stop moving towards him.

"Why would you believe anything that snake has to say? She probably made herself look innocent in your eyes when she's the one who is at fault foe all this," Mitch says.

"Mitch—" Mitch then bolts out of the kitchen and runs up into the bathroom. He locks the door behind him, breathing heavily. Jerome tries to open the door but can't. Mitch sinks to the floor with his back against the door and covers his face with his hands as he starts to cry into them. Jerome knocks softly on the door. "Mitch, please let me in."

"G-Go back home." Mitch said through his tears.

"I can't....I won't." Jerome says.

"W-Why not?" Mitch asks.

"Because you need someone." Jerome says. Mitch is silent for a few moments, trying to come up with a response. 

"I don't need anyone. I don't want anyone." Mitch says. Jerome sits down on the floor and he puts his forehead against the door to listen to Mitch crying on the other side. He looks down at his hands.

"Then why did you let me in through the door? I know that you can just as easily kick me out." Jerome says. Mitch hugs his knees resting his head on his arms. "Come on, benja. I'll order some food, you can pick out a movie. We'll eat and hang out, just like we used to." After a few moments, Jerome heard the door unlock. He gets up and opens the door. He kneels down next to Mitch. "I don't expect for you to talk about what happened, but I do expect for you to start taking care of yourself again. Starting with throwing out that moldy pizza in your fridge because it looks like you are starting science experiments in there." Jerome sees Mitch smile a little. Jerome smiles too. "Sound good?" Mitch nods a little.

"Yeah." Mitch says quietly. Jerome smiles again.

"Good, do you have a pizza place or something on your phone?" Jerome asks. Mitch looks away from Jerome.

"Um...I don't have a phone.." Mitch said. Jerome rises an eyebrow at him, confused.

"What? Yes you do, what happened to your phone?"

"I-I threw it at the wall...it broke. She wouldn't leave me alone, I'm s-so—"

"Hey." Jerome said before his hands touches Mitch's arms. Mitch looks at Jerome, Jerome gives Mitch a smile. "It's fine. I's fine. I'll order you a new one next chance I get. Come on, let's get the day started shall we?"
Mirch looks at Jerome's smiling face, his eyes drop to the floor.

"O-Okay."