Chapter 31

I turned on the heater.
“Thank you." She mumbled.
"It's nothing. Are you okay now?” I asked.
"I'll be fine.”
I tried to turn onto the road that leads to her house but stepped on the break when she called my name.
"I don't… I don't want to go home." She mumbled.
“Where do you want to go to then?" I asked her.
“Anywhere, I just don't want to go home." Her voice sounds so distant.
“Would you love to come to my house?" I've said it out loud before I thought twice about it.
“I can… come?”
"If you'd like to,” I mumbled.
"Okay, I'll come, thank you very much.”
"You're always welcome, Michele.”
I started driving once more towards my own house, the rest of the drive was done in silence, the only sound that was heard was the soft purr from the engine.
Just when I turned into my street, I heard soft snores beside me, Michelle had slept off already with her head hanging off slightly.
I soon got to my own house, stopping the car's engine. I was lost on whether or not to wake her up. She looks so peaceful while sleeping.
I tapped he gently on her arm, she only jostled a bit and then went back to sleep. I tried again and her eyes opened up this time.
“We're here," I said.
Her eyes widened and she sat up, she unbuckled her belt and I moved aside so she could pass.
I locked the door with the keys and turned around to see her frozen on the spot. She looked like she wasn't even here anymore.
“Is anything the matter?" I asked.

She jumped up as though she was startled, "Uh, nothing. Your house is really big.” She said, wrapping her arm around herself.
"Thank you. Let's go in, it's getting really cold out here." I said.
I started walking towards the house, her soft footsteps made me know that she was following. This is probably the craziest thing I've done this year; it feels so wrong and right at the same time.
I used my fingerprint to unlock the door and she followed in right behind me.
I heard a gasp behind me as soon as we both got in. It was from Michelle.
She was looking around the house with a marvel on her face. “Your house is really beautiful." She mumbled.
“Thank you," I said for the second time tonight.
Most of my guest rooms are cleaned every weekend by a temporary cleaner I employed so I won't have to worry about that.
“Come, I'll show you to your room."

~
POV- Michelle
My head felt was banging so hard, I just can't seem to even do anything. It was a hassle walking on its own as my heart ached with each step I took.
I was mute after complimenting his house as it just looks like I used my last energy to do that. He walked towards a room on the ground floor, opening the door himself.
“This is it. There's everything you might need for the night in there." Even this one room is almost as big as my entire house.
“Thank you." I mumbled.
He didn't reply me, he just walked away. I sighed and entered the room.
I'll think about everything that happened later, for now, all I want to do is just sleep, even though I'm in another person's house and I shouldn't be here.

I walked over to the bed and slept off immediately.
Before it was even morning, I had ran out of his house. It was kind of hard opening his door as I didn't know the way around it.

I sent him a text when I got home though. When I got back home, I took in a deep breath before opening the door.

I didn't even need to open the door before it gave way for me. They didn't close the door at all. I wasnt even surprised when I saw them paseed out on the floor with bottles of alcohol surrounding them.

I had a huge fight with them earlier yesterday that I had to just get out forcefully. It's one of the biggest ones I've had with them while they're sober.

“Look, the b*tch is back.”

I ignored them, going up the stairs. At this point, I'm considering getting my apartment first before going to college.

It's getting all chocked up here that I don't think I can stay here any longer. I was trying to be considerate since I'm the only sane one here before, but at this point, it's me before anyone.

“Hey." Evelyn said when she parked in front of my house one hour later.

She had insisted on knowing my house since it's not so far from hers and no matter how much I resisted, she got it.

“Good morning. You're early." I said as I got in.
“Yeah, I'm meeting up with someone before work." She chirped, looking really happy.

I looked at her suspiciously, but I didn't push her for any question. I just looked out of the window, my mind isn't in the car anymore, it's so far away.

How I went from being mad at Vincent then ended up in his house at night. Anxiety churned in my stomach as i realized that I'll have to face him today again.

“Michelle?”
Just like almost every mornings, she broke my chain of thoughts just when we got to the office.

"I'm tired.” I didn't even know when the words tumbled out of my mouth.

“You can talk to me, Michelle." She said softly.

This is the kind of time I need someone to talk to, share my thoughts and worried with someone as it looks likemy chest is going to explode.

“Family issues and all. I feel like I'm just meant to be alone in this life.” I summarized.

The worst thing is not knowing how to express yourself when you badly want to talk to someone. How do I explain to her that I'm the major cause of this.

Maybe if I hadn't caused the death of their favorite child, we'd have no problem now and I'll just be in the shadows like I've always been.