He turned around and ran towards me, wrapping me up in his arms.

"I know. I've always known" He said. I started crying again.

"Tony I'm so sorry" I sobbed holding onto him.

"No no no, nothing's going to change with us. You're my best friend, you hear me?" He lifted my face up by my chin so I would look at him while he spoke. "I love you more then anything Victoria you're my best friend. I mean it. I'm ne ver going to leave just because of Mike. You need him. I know that, I knew it from the second I met you." He pressed his lips against mine. I felt his sadness in the kiss. When he oulled away from my lips and smiled even though his eyes showed how much it pained him to let me go.

"Tony, you're the greatest guy I know" I managed between crying "You are gonna find someone so much better then me Tony I promise" He nuzzled his face into the crook of my neck and I could fell him crying. "If you snot on me I swear to god I'll kill you"

"I'm not snotting" He laughed through his tears "I'm gonna miss kissing you though" He gave me another soft kiss and held me close to his body. I nodded, my cheek rubbing against his chest as I did.

"Hey, you're not losing me, we'll still have Star Wars marathons every thursday. Plus, Mike, Jaime, Vic, and I are in a band together now and you HAVE to come to practice" He smiled, trying to make me stop crying. It helped a little, I wasn't grossly sobbing or anything, just a little tear here and there. "Now go"

"Tony, you're the best friend I'll ever have"

I pressed my lips to his for the last time and ran off towards the school. I walked through the huge front doors to an empty main hallway. It was at least half way through seventh period and I knew I couldn't miss my last period class. I bit my lip and tried to think of an excuse as to why I was so late for class. I had none.

I walked down the hall and turned to the door of my English class. When I walked in I could feel Mike's eyes on me. Thank god I looked like a troll today, wearing yoga pants, one of Mike's t shirts, and no makeup. Otherwise, he'd be able to tell I was crying, which he probably knew anyway. He always knew.

"Welcome to class Miss. Giorianni, where were you?" The teacher said as I took my seat at the empty desk farthest from Mike. I couldn't talk to him now, or next period for that matter.

"I had an issue I had to take care of at home. I lost track of time, sorry" I answered quietly. She just nodded and continued with her lesson.

I didn't know how I was going to talk to Mike at all really. What was I going to say? 'Oh about this morning when I said I hated you and to never talk to me again? yeah forget that'. I felt like an idiot for what I had done this morning. I walked around all day like he was the one that fucked up. Don't get me wrong, he shouldn't have said what he did, but he looked destroyed when I said that. All of a sudden, the bell rang, signalling the end of the period. I got up and caught up to where Mike was in the hallway.

"Hey" I said awkwardly.

"So is forever now like five hours or what? How did that work?" he said flatly.

"I don't wanna fight right now" I grabbed his hand and stopped him. His eyes looked so dead.

"Me either" He sighed lacing our fingers together. I smiled lightly.

"Can we talk on the way home?" I said as we started walking to our last period class.

"No we can never ever talk" He shook his head. "yes of course you goof, what time does Danny come in tomorrow?"

"Five, you still wanna come with me to pick him up?" I questioned as we got closer to our class.

"Mhmm"

"Okay but you have to leave when we get home because I need time with that loser before you guys get the chance to pry into my New Jersey life" I laughed.

We walked into the classroom and took our seats in the back of the room. All we did was sleep in this class, I had no idea how we were even passing at all. Mike scooted his desk over to mine so they were side by side. He layed his arm across both desks and rested his head ontop of it. I placed my arm curled up over his and layed my head down too. The next thing I knew, the bell to end the day had gone off and Mike was shaking me gently.

"No I don't wanna" I grumbled

"Let's go short stack we've got things to do today" I heard the small laugh he gave

"Like what?" I said standing up and stretching.

"Like not being here hellooooooo" He said motioning to the classroom around us. I heard the teacher laugh at him too. "And I have band practice so you get to see me destroy on the drums today"

"I'm not ready for all that noise I just woke up" I groaned and leaned against my locker once we got there.

"Noise?" He laughed as I put all my books in my locker. "You mean beautiful music! No but seriously we just finished a song you have to hear it"

"Okay okay, right now?" I questioned pulling a cigarette out of the pack as we walked out the front doors of the school.

"Yep right here right now" He plopped down in the middle of the field and started drumming on his lap with his hands.

"Mike c'mon I need to talk to youuu" I grabbed his hand and pulled with all my strength, lifting him off the ground a bit. I stopepd pulling and he landed on the ground again. "Mikeeee"

"If you can get me up I'll go" He stated, crossing his arms over his chest.

"But I can't! You're like a foot taller then me! If I got you off the ground I wouldn't be able to get you all the way up!" I complained, grabbing his hand.

"Alright you big baby whiner" He pushed himself up off the ground and laced his fingers between mine.

I felt a smile spread across my face and butterfiles rush through my stomach. We walked towards my car and got in after I unlocked it. I put my cigarette in my mouth and lit it before pulling out of the parking spot. Mike did the same with his own, blowing the smoke out the window. I inhaled from my cigarette and blew the smoke out at him. He scrunched up his face.

"You said you wanted to talk" He said as I stopped at a red light.

"Yeah" I mumbled.

"So?..." He said motioning for me to go on.

"I talked to Tony at lunch today" I said pressing my foot onto the gas pedal.

"Great how'd that go" He answered sounding annoyed.

"Don't give me an attitude or I'll punch you in the side of the head Mikey" I took another drag of my cigarette and looked over at the wonderful boy next to me. He had a bitter look on his face from me bringing Tony up. I just smiled, he had no idea what I was going to say.

"What did you and Tortuga talk about?" He rolled his eyes, tossing the cigarette butt out the window, I swear he could finish a cigarette in one drag, it amazed me how quickly he finished his.

"Well, I was outside by myself freaking out about what happened this morning" I began "Then it got to the point where I was just thinking about everything. I didn't know what to do about the whole situation with you and Tony, so I just started banging my forehead onto the table. Then Tony comes out of no where and put his hand under my head, stopping me." I made a left onto our street "And I just started pouring everything into him, he told me to go find you, and fix what happened this morning. He said I wouldn't be able to live without you. Then it hit me Mikey. I realized how much I needed you. You're the only person I want, everything about you is amazing. I told Tony that too. He just said he knew the whole time. He told me to go find you again, to tell you too. I ended things with Tony"

I parked my car in my driveway and pulled the keys out of the ignition, letting them fall into my lap. We sat in silence for a minute, then Mike got out and walked away from the car. I slammed my forehead against the steering wheel and felt tears streaming down my face. I felt panic rise up in my chest and I knew I made a mistake. My door opened and I was pulled out of the car gently.

"Baby why are you crying" I heard Mike say as he cupped my face in his hands.

"You didn't say anything!" I cried "You don't want me. I don't blame you of course, I'm fat and ugly, I've got this horrible panic disorder that I can't even deal with, I look like a slob all the time wearing yoga pants and your shirts, I'm a huge nerd all I want to do is watch Star Wars and read Harry Potter. There's nothing good about me. You'll just want someone like Marilese again. I'm not worth it Mikey"

"Stop that" He said, then he pressed his lips gently against mine "You are not fat, you've got a wonderful body. Just because you don't look like a tree branch doesn't mean you're fat. You are fucking gorgeous do you understand me? A bottle of water, a piece of fruit, and someone to hold you is all you need to control your anxiety, and I don't mind giving you any of those things. I'm glad I'm the one who can calm you down. I love when you wear my t shirts. You are a nerd, yes, but I love that about you. I love how you can watch all of the Star Wars movies in a row and never get tired of them. I love how you get so into Harry Potter, because you know what? I do too. Everything about you is absolutely perfect Victoria and I don't want to hear you say any of those things ever again. Okay?" he said staring into my eyes.

"Mikey-"

"Stop it" He kissed me again, only this time it wasn't gentle. It was filled with passion and I should have enjoyed it, but my anxiety wasn't going away like it should have.

"Mikey I need- I can't breathe- I have to-" I didn't know what to say. I felt like the entire world was closing in on me.

"Okay baby it's okay" He murmured to me as he picked me up and carried me towards my house. He somehow managed to open the door and shut it behind him before carrying me into the kitchen and sitting me on the counter. I sat on the countertop with my arms wrapped around my shaking body as
Mike rushed around the kitchen.

"Mikey" I cried out.

"I'm coming babe I'm trying" He turned around and handed me a bottle of water and a peeled grapefruit. I liked to eat grapefruits like oranges, he made fun of me the day he found out. I munched on the grapefruit after a few sips of water and Mike wrapped his arms around my waist. With me sitting on the counter, I was just at his eye level. My breathing slowed and returned to normal and I stopped seeing the little tiny lights that freckled my vision. "Better bubby?"

"Yes" I said shakily. He nodded and rested his head on my shoulder. "Mikey?"

"Yes baby"

"Thank you." I sighed.

"Anything for you" He grinned and pecked my lips. We stayed how we were for a few more minutes until I was sure I was okay.

"Where's practice?" I asked. He lifted his head up and went to clean up the grapefruit skins from the counter.

"Home. We've got everything set up in the basement. Are you okay to go over there?" He said making his way to the garbage can.

"I think so, just give me a few minutes to change."

I hopped off the counter and tested out my balance. I hadn't fallen yet, so I was okay. I walked into the living room and headed upstairs to my room so I could change. I kept Mike's Pantera shirt on but changed from yoga pants to shorts. I took my hair down from the bun I had it in all day. My loose waves fell all around my shoulders. I slipped on a pair of red Vans and made my way back downstairs to find Mike waiting by the front door.

"Are you just gonna keep that shirt?" He laughed weaving our fingers together as we walked across our lawns to his house.

"Are you just gonna keep my Atreyu shirt?" I fired back, smirking.

"Yep" He said opening his from door

"Then yes, I'm keeping your Pantera shirt"

"Poophead" He muttered as we made our way down the basement stairs.

"Buttface" I laughed. Vic, Tony, and Jaime were already playing little things on their instruments.

"FINALLY" I heard Vic yell over everything once he saw us.

"THAT!" Jaime yelled pointing to mine and Mike's hands. "What is that!"

"Love" Mike said bending down and kissing me on the lips quickly before he sat down behind his drumset.

The four of them started playing and I'm not going to lie, I wasn't paying much attention at first. But then Vic started singing and I was mesmerized.

"Like a rush shot through you
Everyone is watching you
Told you why I see no need for the sun
(I've found a reason to say)
A love you light is a love soon gone
If this is it
Don't bother cause this love is a lie
I'm a chemical kid
You're a mechanical bride"

I listened to every single word that came from Vic's mouth. I swear to god these boys are going to be famous one day.