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Chapter 8:

"How long has she been here?" I heard a far off voice asking.
"She's been here all night, Jesse wanted to stay, but he made sure we all got home okay." Another voice replied.
"You should of made her go home, she doesn't need to see me like this." The first voice sounded. I slowly opened my eyes taking in my surroundings. I could see Aria standing over a body in a bed, but I wasn't sure who it was. I could feel the itchy blanket on my skin and I kicked it off.
"Oh Nikita! You gave me a shock, didn't realize you were awake." Aria commented causing the boy in the bed to turn towards me, Blake? That's when I remembered why I was here, Blake was hurt.
"Are you okay? Are they treating you well?" I asked rushing to Blake's side.
"I'll give you guys some time." Aria laughed kissing Blake on the cheek.
"I'm fine. You should go home though, get some actual sleep." Blake reassuringly said.
"No, I'm not leaving you here alone!"
"Aria's here, I'll be fine. Plus you need a shower!" Smelling myself I agreed.
"My cars at the mall, I can't go home." I replied.
"Jesse bought your car here last night, he thought you'd need it. Now go." Blake said in a protective big brother voice.
"Fine, but if anything happens call me alright?"
"Yes, just go."
"You just want to be alone with Aria," I laughed walking out the door, "He's all yours."
Aria smiled gratefully and rushed to his side, I made smoochy faces at them causing Aria and Blake to blush.

Mike:
How u holdin up? x

I smiled, I had arrived home an hour ago, had a shower, grabbed a bite to eat and sat on my couch for a good ten minutes. All I could think was that it was my fault Blake was hurt, if I hadn't replied to A, if I had followed A's wishes back home Blake would be fine.

Me:
U know, not at all x

I replied, wiping away a tear that had splashed on my phone. I hadn't even realized I was crying.
"Anyone home?" I heard a voice call from the entrance to our house. Crap Mom and Dad were home. I did not need them right now.
"In here." I called wiping away my tears.
"Where are your brothers?" Dad asked as Mom made her way into the kitchen.
"Jesse's at Spencer's." I replied, hoping they wouldn't ask about Blake. He wouldn't want them there, showing fake love, playing role of loving parents when they couldn't care less.
"And Blake?" Mom asked, joining Dad on the couch opposite me.
"He's, well Blake's in hospital." I shifted uncomfortably on my seat watching them, they looked confused and a bit shocked.
"You should of called us!" Mom faked emotion.
"Why? So you'd have more time to practice caring?" I retorted, not caring about what I said. Mom gave me a wide-eyed look.
"We should go see him now dear, do you want a ride?" Dad asked.
"Why are you going to see him? So you can pretend you actually care, maybe other people will believe you. Or do you think people will expect it of you? It's not like either of you have ever cared about us! Remember when Jesse was in hospital for ages, oh wait you wouldn't. You didn't come see him, not even once. Didn't even send a card, now we're in a new city you have to get people to believe you actually care. You're pathetic! Both of you." I screamed, they deserved every word I said.
"Nikita! Of course we care about Blake, we care about all of you! How dare you say such things?" Mom seethed.
"I speak the truth bitch!" I yelled before running out the door. I had no idea where I was going, but I needed to get out of the house. A house full of false love and a charade of happiness. Mom and Dad knew we were all hurting, and now Blake was in hospital. He wasn't just a big brother to Jesse and I, he raised us, he was our rock. The one thing that kept me going. What was the point anymore though? If he was just going to get hurt if I came to close to him, I need to protect him now more than ever. I wanted to be with Mike right now. He would know what to say, how to make it better. I surely couldn't let out all my anger on Mike, but I had to talk to someone. I ran over to his house and fell against the door. Pressing on the doorbell, I collapsed to a heap on the doorstep, I was so exhausted.
"Hi Nikita, are you alright?" Ella asked, opening the door.
"Sorry, I thought... is Mike here?" I asked pulling myself up to face her. I could tell by her expression that she was worried for me, more feeling than my parents had ever shown.
"He's at his Dad's. I can take you there if you want?" Ella said pulling me into a hug. I gripped her tightly, I didn't realize how much I craved a hug from an adult, a motherly hug that I wouldn't be able to get back home.
"That would be great." I smiled when she released me.
"Nikita! There you are, we're leaving come on." Mom called from down the driveway as we headed over to Ella's car.
"I'm not going anywhere with you. Do you understand what I said before?" She was actually talking to me as if nothing had happened.
"We know you're upset about your brother, people say crazy things when they're hurting."
"I was telling the truth," I shook my head and entered Ella's car, "Drive!"
"If you don't mind me asking what was that about?" Ella said in a comforting voice.
"My parents are pretending they care about us, it's all a charade though. Just for the audience, if it had just been me before she would have called me a selfish little brat blah de blah de blah." I said coldly.
"I'm sure they care about you."
"I don't think so, I meant they're only going to visit Blake for you and all the other parents in Rosewood's benefit. Honestly I feel sorry for your daughter if she's there when they arrive. My parents wont know how to pretend they actually love him." I shrugged biting back tears.
"Aria told me about Blake, I'm sure he'll get back in full health in no time."
"It's my fault Blake's in there." I whispered, fiddling with my phone in my hand, ignoring the texts coming through. Ella looked at me as if to say keep going.
"If I had just been a good sister, not relied on him so much. Not been such a bitch! What if he doesn't get better Ella? I can't be there for Jesse like Blake, Blake's the only one who has ever cared about us Ella. He has to get better. I don't care if he doesn't want to talk to me ever again. I need Jesse to be okay."
"You care about your brothers a lot don't you." I like how Ella wasn't telling me I was wrong, or giving me some fake speech, I meant she didn't know me. It was comforting to be talking to somebody real.
"They're all I have. Without them... I'm all alone. They're the most amazing people in the world."
"You're not alone, you know that right? You may not have your parents, but you have me. If you ever need someone to talk to you know my door is always open right?" Ella finished pulling into Byron's (I think that's Mike's Dad's name) driveway.
"Thank you." I smiled giving her a quick hug before making my way to the front door and pressing the doorbell. What if he wasn't there? Or just didn't care? It would prove how alone I really am.
"Hi, can I help you?" A lady who looked to old to be Mike's sister and too young to be Byron's girlfriend answered the door.
"Is Mike home?" I tried to sound strong as if I hadn't been crying, but she could see right through me.
"Yes he is." The woman replied not moving an inch from the doorway. I didn't know whether to ask if I could see him, or just go in or what so I stood there in silence for a few minutes.
"I'm Meredith, Byron's partner, who are you?" Meredith seemed snobby, maybe that was why an old guy went for her.
"I'm Nikita."
"Oh, Nikita. I've heard a lot about you." Meredith said with a cheeky glint in her eye.
"Not to be rude, but can I come in or..." I asked, it was awkward standing on the doorstep, especially when Ella was waiting in the car to make sure I got in.
"Sure, Mike's room is the first door on the left." Meredith darted from the doorway into the depth of the house. I turned and gave a small wave to Ella before making my way up the stairs, towards Mike's room.
"Hay Niki, wondered when you'd get here," Mike laughed as I entered his room, "Mom text me a bit ago saying you were on your way."
"Hi Mikey." I replied taking a seat next to him and giving him a hug. We stayed in this place for a long time, it was comforting and it seemed to remind me I was human, it wasn't me who hurt Blake. It felt good to be accepted in the warm embrace of Mike who seemed so pure, when I was so tainted by all the bad.
"I thought you would still be with Blake by the way Aria was talking this morning." Mike said as we broke our embrace. I fiddled with his hand feeling the smooth skin beneath my fingers.
"I was going to go back there after I had my shower and breakfast." I replied pulling myself closer to Mike.
"And you didn't because?" Mike pulled my legs over his and wiped a tear from my face.
"My parents are there." I whispered.
"I didn't realize they were back, why is that a bad thing?" Mike inquired.
"Because they're full of shit. They don't care about Blake or Jesse in that case. They're only going so they'll seem like good parents." I finally replied after a pregnant moment of silence.
"Oh Nikita." Mike spoke softly and it was comforting. He pulled me closer to him still and my lips met his. It was softer and gentler than our other kisses, but it still had the same attraction. At that moment all I wanted to do was take off all of his clothes even if we didn't do anything. I wanted to prove to him that I liked him, that I wanted him. I felt Mike's hands slip under my white fitted top and come to a stop on my hips. I quickly broke our kiss and peeled my top off for crashing my lips to his again.
"Nikita. I'm not taking advantage of you. Nothing is going to happen while you're in this state. It would be unfair to you." Mike pulled his lips away, but kept his hands on my waist and kept his eyes on my chest. I could see him admiring my flimsy Victoria's Secret bra. It was a red colour and made of a soft lace revealing a lot.
"Can we just cuddle then?" I whispered hearing the sadness in my voice, sadness over Blake. Mike pulled me down into a lying position and wrapped his strong arms around me, placing kisses up and down my neck. Slowly but surely I fell asleep, feeling Mike's cool breath dance across my neck in between kisses.

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