L I S T E N

3

Michael huffed, struggling with his uniform. The damn tie would never go the way he wanted it to.

"Alia!" He called out. Almost instantly her head poked through his door, wet hair clinging to her face. She'd just had a shower and was in a dressing gown.

"You called?" He didn't even have to say anything. She took one look at his thumbs tangled up somehow in his tie and laughed, stepping forwards to help. "Every time." She shook her head, a smile still gracing her lips.

"Oh shush." Michael frowned. It wasn't his fault he couldn't get the damn thing to obey him.

"You take your pills this morning?" Ali's asked suddenly, a serious tone bleeding into her voice.

"Yeah." Michael said softly, looking down at her as she finished with his tie. He stepped back and patted his shoulder.

"You look great. Better hurry up or we'll be late." said Ali's before dashing out of the room to put her own uniform on.

Michael looked at himself int he dusty mirror he had and it his lip. They said there was something wrong with him and that he needed to be closely watched. He hated admitting it. He didn't want to admit it. There wasn't anything wrong with him, there couldn't be. He was perfectly normal to him. Although he couldn't listen to other people's thoughts. He didn't know what was and wasn't normal.

Maybe there was something off. After all, nobody else in the house took the same pills he did. They made him feel better sure, more energetic, but they hushed up a part of him. The part of him that really spoke to him in the long, boring hours.

Those were the dangerous moments apparently.

Michael wasn't so sure. It seemed harmless enough to him.

With a noncommittal shrug he turned away. He had another long day of school ahead of him.