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The school day was almost over and Mikey and Bob had not talked. Bob knew that Mikey had not meant what he said last night; he had not meant to be so short with Bob. The two of them sat in social studies, learning about some war. They were supposed to be taking notes...
With the last names Way and Bryar, they never ended up sitting next each other in class, in most cases this would be disappointing, but today it was a gift. It wasn't that Bob didn't want to talk to Mikey, he just didn't know what to say after Mikey's surprising outburst the previous night. As for Mikey, the last thing he wanted to do was talk to Bob, he had been carefully avoiding the hallways in front of Bob's classes and avoiding eye contact all day. He was afraid that he had lost his only friend. At the moment he was staring at the back of Bob's head. Bob could feel his eyes, but he didn't turn around.

Mikey jumped, startled, as the bell rang, signaling the end of the day. Mikey shoved his spiral notebook into his backpack and tried to make it out of the classroom door before Bob got too close. Mikey escaped with a few people in between him and Bob.

"Mikey!" Bob called.

Mikey pretended not to hear him, even though it was obvious that he could. Mikey did not want Bob to talk to him. He did not want to hear Bob said that they shouldn't hang out anymore. Maybe if he gave Bob some more time before they talked, he would get over it. Mikey weighed his options, looking out the window he saw it was raining and all he had on was a t-shirt. He could go to his locker and get his jacket, Bob would undoubtably follow him there and try to talk to him. His other option was to book it out of the front doors and try and run to the bus stop without getting too wet.

Sighing he made his way to his locker, moments later Bob was at his side.

"I know you heard me," Bob told him.

Mikey felt bad, he really did. Bob was his best friend and probably the only person other than Gerard to really understand him.

Gerard.

Mikey shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts of his brother. He thought back to the previous night, he knew he had acted a little nuts, biting Bob's head off.

"Yeah, what do you want?" Mikey asked.

He didn't mean to sound so harsh. "Sorry," he added.

Bob nodded, "It's Friday,"
Mikey shrugged.

"You wanna do something? We could catch a movie," Bob suggested.

Mikey would've gone with Bob to see the movie, but he had plans. Just now, he had decided that he had plans.

"I have plans," Mikey told him.

Bob looked surprised.

"Oh, alright..." Bob said warily. Bob had no idea what plans Mikey was talking about. Did he have plans with his mom? Because Bob couldn't think of anyone else that Mikey might have Friday night plans with. But he didn't think that now was the time to pry.

"Maybe tomorrow then," Bob continued, slightly convinced that Mikey was lying and blowing him off. "Bye," Bob said, putting up his hand in a small wave before turning around to walk away.

"Wait," Mikey said. Bob turned around to look at him. Mikey looked around and then at Bob's face and then away.

"You're my best friend."

Bob smiled, "I know. I'll see you later, Mikey."

Bob turned around and made his way out of the school. Mikey turned back to his a locker, the faintest smile on his face, knowing that him and Bob were once again okay, not knowing that Bob never had the slightest intention of not being friends with Mikey.

Mikey opened the door to his house to see his mother watching TV on the couch. He was surprised because his mother usually didn't get off of work until six and it was currently only four. Mikey's mom looked at him as he kicked off his shoes.

"I got off early," she told him, "I was thinking we could go out to dinner tonight," she suggested hopefully.

She had felt so lost lately. She had lost her oldest son and now she was losing her youngest son as well, albeit in a different way. Mikey had been so shut off from the world, coming home everyday after school, going to his room and only coming down for dinner. She hoped to get him out of the house for some reason besides school, even if that was only going to dinner.

Mikey saw the hopeful looked on his mother's face and felt bad knowing that, one, he didn't want to go out to dinner and two, he had plans.

"Uh," Mikey started, "I actually have plans."

His mother looked surprised, she raised an eyebrow.

"Plans? With who?" She asked.

Mikey rubbed the back of his neck.

"Bob was telling me about this youth therapy group that is tonight, I was thinking I might check it out..." Mikey said.

"Really?" his mother asked shocked. She had heard the argument between Mikey and Bob the night prior.

"Yeah,"

"I heard you and Bob-" His mother began.

"Yeah, I feel bad about that. I figure I should at least try it. I know Bob was trying to help," Mikey said quietly.

His mother smiled. "Do you want a ride?"

Mikey thought for a second, "No thanks, I think I am actually going to ride my bike."

His mother nodded at him, she watched him go into the kitchen. Mikey grabbed an apple out of the fridge. He felt slightly better, although he was more than a little nervous about the group he was going to attend. He felt better because he was now more than 100 percent sure that he could count on Bob to be the great friend that he should have always known he was.



Mikey was early. He had overestimated the time it would take him to get to the community center that the youth therapy was held at and now he was sitting in a chair, alone. He was sitting in a gym, a circle of chairs set up in the middle and he was the only one in the room. Slowly, one by one, the chairs were filled but Mikey was looking at his feet and not at anyone who came in. He was scared and inside his head he laughed at the fact that Bob had been right. He was scared and he was nervous. He could feel the butterflies in his stomach and he had the urge to run out and find the nearest garbage can to throw up in. How was he going to share anything with this circle of strangers when he didn't even want to talk to his mom about his feelings.
Out of Mikey's peripheral vision he saw a man stand up. Unknown to Mikey, this man's name was Dan and he was the group leader.

"This is a safe place," Dan began, "this is a place to share whatever you are feeling, big or small..."

Mikey tuned him out, not on purpose, but all he could think about was how he was sitting here and how no one else knew him. Everyone else probably knew each other, they probably came here every week, they were probably best friends! They probably all went bowling together! Mikey didn't dare look up into the faces of his circle-mates, but he knew that they were all looking at him, wondering what he was doing here, what his story was. But in reality, only one pairs of eyes was on Mikey. Those eyes belonged to Brooke Peers. She smiled to herself, almost hearing Mikey's inner monologue. She could see him fighting himself, trying to decide whether or not to leave. Brook twirled her purpled streaked hair in her fingers as she watched this interesting boy fight with himself.

"Brooke," Dan said, "would you like to start us off this week?"

Brooke nodded and began to speak.

Back in Mikey's head he had decide to stay, it would be too embarrassing to get up and walk out now. Coming back to reality Mikey heard the voice of a girl and looked up for the first time.

"...they still don't know who killed my sister and I just wonder how many people this person will kill before the cops find him," Brooke said.

Mikey was intrigued, she had also lost a sibling?

"It's only been two weeks since her death but I am not too sad anymore. It's not that I didn't love my sister, but we weren't that close. She was ten years older than me, so we didn't really grow up together. Everyone else at my house is so depressed though and it makes me feel bad for not being as sad as they are."

Brooke paused, she opened her mouth to speak again and then closed it. She nodded, signaling that she was done. The person next to her began speaking. Everyone's eyes moved from Brooke to the new speaker. Everyone's eyes but Mikey's. Brooke could feel his eyes on her and she could see him staring out of the corner of her eye. She looked over at him, catching him in the act, Mikey quickly looked away. Mikey was confused, he didn't mean to stare at her, really, he was just forgot he wasn't supposed to be looking at her...he felt like he should always be looking at her.

When it was Mikey's turn he opened his mouth and some words fell out, barely. He was talking so quietly that he was sure that only the people next to him could hear him, but no one interrupted him to tell him to speak up and Mikey appreciated that. Dan thanked everyone for sharing and told them that he hoped to see them next week.

Mikey walked out of the doors of the community center, confused, and not really feeling any better. He walked over to his bike, only to find his bike tires stolen. He sighed, unlocked the frame of his bike and picked it up, preparing to start the mile and a half walk back to his house. He wouldn't bother his mother with asking her to pick him up, truthfully he didn't mind the walk. But he couldn't help but wonder what he had done to deserve this.