STAY

20.

I was standing at the window in Michaels hospital room. I hadn't moved an inch while Michael was telling the whole story behind everything, but eventually I couldn't sit still. I didn't have anything to say. I was speechless. Everything he had said shocked me in a way, but at the same time it didn't. I knew something was different with him. I just didn't know that it would be as serious as it was. And this David guy seemed completely obsessed with the idea of doing anything to annoy Michael. Michael wouldn't tell me exactly why though, only that they had a past that he preferred not to talk about. He said that he would eventually tell me. But he never did. All I knew was that it was something he wasn't proud of. What Michael told me did however give answers to questions I've been asking myself lately; such as Michael's weird behavior, his bruises and the wounds he had sometimes.

It still took me some seconds to digest the fact that Michael was involved in a criminal gang, which made the whole situation more serious. But it didn't take long for me to realize that if Michael would've been a normal teenager, this situation would've never happened. My instincts told me I was right. Michael might not even be here. Or maybe he would. After all, his parents were the once to move here. Or was that a lie as well?

He told me that it was true that his parents moved to this town. But Michel also told me that he used to spend time in this town anyway, to be close to the gang. His parents didn't know much, only that they were friends. Or at least they never told Michael if they knew anything anyway. They were just happy that things hadn't turned out serious yet.

"Olivia", I heard a voice from behind me. I jumped at how close the voice was to my ear, but when I realized that Michael was standing right behind me I tried to relax. "I'm really sorry I didn't tell you everything earlier, but I did kind of feel that you had the right to know, now that you are so deeply involved in it..."

"Yeah... I think I even deserved to know a bit earlier, before I became this involved", I said and didn't turn around.

"I know... I'm sorry"

I turned around and took one quick look at his face. It was filled with regret. Honest and sincere regret.

"So...", I started carefully. "What should we do about him?"

"You mean David?", he asked me, his eyes filled with worry. I nodded carefully.

"You don't get it do you?", he asked me. "There is no way to solve this problem. When he gets a certain idea of something, he won't stop until he completes it, or has no possible chance of achieving it. That's how much I know about him."

Michael took some lumping steps towards the hospital bed and sat down.

"I also know that he is capable of doing almost anything...Usually when he doesn't get what he wants he can... loose it sometimes"

I stared at Michael, and before I knew it, tears were running down my cheeks. I don't know if it was the lack of sleep, the anxiety that I had been having lately or the fact that what Michael had told me scared me. I had already seen that David wasn't scared to appear and look for me in public. I had seen that twice. But the way Michael said it, there were worse things that he could do. I didn't know if that was the case, but that's how Michael made it sound.

Before I broke down completely, I felt a couple of arms around me. They were pressed against me, and my face landed in towards a warm chest, with a heart beating calmly against the ribcage.

Michael led me towards the hospital bed and we both sat down on it. I couldn't help it, but the more Michael tried to comfort me, the more worried I became. How bad was it really? And what was going to...

"Olivia please calm down", he said as he held me close to his chest and the other hand was stroking my hair. When I didn't stop crying, his hand took a firm grip under my chin and raised my face to his.

"Olivia... I swear to God...", he started, his voice sounding forced. "I won't let him touch you again okay. I won't let him hurt you in any way, and if he does, I will go after him..."

"But...", I started but he wouldn't let me finish the sentence.

"I know we haven't know each other for that long, but since the first time I talked to you... I knew there was something special with you... I just never knew what. But now I know...", he pressed his forehead against mine, and to my surprise, I had stopped crying. Instead my pulls started to raise.

"You know what...", he said as he took away his forehead from mine and looked into my eyes. "I've been wanting to do this for a long time..."

And before I knew it, Michaels soft lips were pressed against mine and the feeling that came with it couldn't be described with words, not even today. But you know that feeling, when you're kissing someone and everything just feels right? Everything falls into place? And all the worries that you have just magically disappear for a couple of seconds?

That's what happened when me and Michael had our first kiss.