Thick and Thin [l. hemmings]

twenty-four

There's a knock at the door, and I know it's Michael. I smile at the thought, heading towards the door.

It's been hard being in Seattle without anybody from back home, though I haven't been here long. Seattle makes me anxious, but I've done my best for Kiana. But Michael being here the next few days is such a great help for me even though I was initially nervous for Michael to ever know about Seattle.

I open the door, a smile still across my face, but when I look up at him, he looks the complete opposite of happy.

"What's wrong? Where's your stuff?" I ask, Michael not even entering the room right away.

"I'm staying at a different hotel." He states, clearly angry with me as he pushes past me into the room. Though, he still takes the extra key from me, that I was trying to hand to him.

"Wha- why?" I ask, watching the door close, not even turning to face him.

"Kelsey, what the fuck is this?" Michael asks.

My eyebrows furrow in confusion as I turn around to see a diamond ring in Michael's hand.

My wedding ring.

"Oh, that? It's nothing." I jokingly roll my eyes, trying to play it off.

"Don't lie to me, Kels. I trust you. Who is Luke?" He demands as he approaches me slowly.

"Michael, relax. It's just a ring." I tell him, nervously chuckling.

"What are you hiding from me? Is the wedding the real reason you're here in Seattle? You said you'd never come back."

"Okay, you're being ridiculous. And a little creepy."

"I found a fucking wedding ring in your shit! It says some guy named Luke and your name on the band! You had it hiding in your shit! I need an explanation!" He yells, throwing the ring at the wall out of anger.

"Michael!" I shout, picking up my ring off the floor.

"Fuck!"

"I don't understand what you're so upset about! And why the fuck are you going through my shit?" I scream, confused why he's being like this, and how he found the ring.

He groans, "I was cleaning your room, Kels, like I said I would. The box fell, and out came the ring."

"So you decided to come all the way here just to scream at me over a ring that you just found? It doesn't mean anything!" I tell him, completely upset with how he's acting.

Yes, I know I am hiding something from him. I'm not in the right. But he shouldn't be yelling at me for a ring, when he doesn't know the story.

"Well? Is this your wedding ring?" He questions, though it's clear he knows the answer. After I reply, he won't be so calm. I can't continue to lie to him.

"Yeah, it's mine." I choke out, staring down at the ring I'm holding between my fingers.

"Fuck!" He yells again, running a hand through his hair.

"It really isn't a big deal-"

"You were married, Kelsey! That's kind of a big deal!" He exclaims, pacing around, "I wouldn't have judged you! You don't keep things like this from the people you love! You were fucking married this young, you just turned twenty-two, oh my god. When did you even have time to be married!"

"I am married." I mumble, deciding that I should just come clean. There's no good time for this conversation. I might as well get it all out now.

He pauses in his spot, looking up at me, "Excuse me?"