Lost For Words, chapter 2
Mike shook his head, as tears began rolling down his face.
‘Mike I’m so sorry’, Steph told him, while trying to giver her brother a hug for comfort. He stayed with the idea of comfort for a while, before he pushed her off and walked out of the hospital away from his friends leaving them speechless and lost for words.
-A Year Later-
‘Mike wake up, I need you to walk me to school’, Steph screamed from her side of her brothers bed, pushing him to wake him.
‘Mmmm’, Mike moaned from under his covers.
‘Mike come on, I need you to walk me to school, I’ve got a weekend detention that I got for no reason and I don’t wanna walk there alone. What if I get attacked or something’, she yelled, pushing the bed, making the whole room shake.
‘Piss off, I’ll walk you later’, Mike mumbled to her. Steph shrugged her shoulders and walked for the door.
‘I’ll get Tre to get into bed next to you and hug you’, Steph teased him turning back.
‘Me hug who?’, a sleepy Tre asked, walking down the hallway. He put his arm around Steph to help keep him-self up.
‘Just jump next to him and hug him or something�, She told him. He did as he was told, and lay down with flattering eyes, looking up at the guy next to him.
‘Mikey, wake up�, Tre said flatteringly, stroking Mike’s hair flirtingly. Steph started to laugh hysterically again.
‘Tre, why didn’t I get this while we were going out’, Steph asked teasingly.
‘Shit, Tre get outta my bed’, Mike said, noticing what was happening whilst pushing the smaller man, out of the bed, and onto the floor.
‘Ouch, Mike that hurt, you meanie’, Tre yelled, before running out of the room.
‘What was that for?’, Mike asked his sister.
‘Well you didn’t wake up, and you have to walk me to school, cos my goddamn teacher gave me a detention for no reason’, Steph told him. Slowly he got up, and rubbed his eyes.
‘Come on Mike, we haven’t got all day’, Steph yelled again. She walked out of his room, and went down stairs to the kitchen, where the other boys waited.
-15 MINUTES LATER-
‘Now, come on, I’ll take you into school’, Mike mumbled, picking up his skateboard.
‘What I’m not taking that’, Steph protested.
‘Well then I’m not taking you to school, now pick up your board and let’s go’, Mike told her sternly.
‘Mike why do you always have to put on the big brother part, when I’m around’, Steph asking him. He looked down at her and frowned. He hated it when she asked questions that he couldn’t be bothered giving a reason why too.
‘Just because, I’m the older brother and you’re the younger sister, that’s how our world works, not grab your board, and lets go’, Mike told her. Steph resistant for a moment, in the end, picked up her board and walked outside. She started following Mike down the street, holding the board by its wheel trucks.
‘What are you doing?’, Mike asked, turning around and skating back to her. She looked up at him.
‘Mike I haven’t skated in almost two years’, she told him nervously. He rolled his eyes and put the two boards back in the house.
‘Come on we’ll walk it instead’, he told her, putting an arm around her, as they walked down the street.
‘So, you got anything planned for tonight?’, Mike asked casually.
‘Well I don’t know, I feel like I’ve totally forgotten something, but no one seems to be reminding me, so I guess it will just be a night at home again’, she whispered under her breath. They were coming closer to the school. Mike started to talk to his sister, about the times they had shared as kids. Their relationship was pretty strong, and one based on trust, since their parents had left them. This started to bring tears to Steph’s eyes. The last thing Mike wanted was for her to be teary today. He had set up everything perfectly, for this one special day for her. *he even planned the detention*, and now he didn’t want anything to ruin it. As they approached the school, Mike stopped her and gave her a hug, gently rubbing her back.
‘You, remember the time, you were 4, and I got you an ice-cream for your birthday, but then that kid came along and knocked you over, so I gave you mine?’, he asked her. Steph sniffled a little before replying.
‘Yeah I remember’, she told him. Her tears continued to run.
‘And then remember how I gave you mine and then I pushed the kid over when I saw him again?’, he asked her, looking down at her.
‘Yeah I remember’, she mumbled. From behind them came up Tre and Billie. Tre put his arms around her and lifted her up into the air.
‘And, remember when you were like 10, and I did this, and then threw you into the pool, and Mike bashed me up behind the shed?’, Tre reminded her.
‘Tre, put me down, I remember it too well’, she squealed.
‘And remember when I did this to you, and Mike told me if I ever touched you again, I would be dead’, Billie said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. Steph blushed brightly and smiled.
‘Yeah, I remember that’, she told him, showing the affection back. Mike and Tre both glared at them.
‘So do any of you know why I have a detention today, like all I did was walk down the hall and the teacher was like, ‘Young Miss, detention on the weekend room 408’, Steph said in the tone, most teachers used with her.
‘Ahh, yeah kinda. Well you know how your birthday starts winter break’, Mike told her.
‘Yeah’, Steph replied, back weakly, ‘Oh god what have they planned?’, she thought to herself.
‘Well.......’, Tre said, pushing the gym doors open.
‘Omg, you guys rock’, Steph screamed. Her eyes wandered around the room. The most massive party had been planned. Everyone was there. Music, lights, everything. It was perfect. She spun around and gave each of them a hug, squeezing all she could out of each-boy.
‘So I guess your happy?’, Mike asked her, being hugged last.
‘God yeah, I don’t believe you guys did this’, she said, still surprised that she had forgotten her own sweet 16th. Mike picked her up and lifted her off the ground.
‘Yeah, come on you’re my lil sis. I wouldn’t forget a day like this ever’, he told her. She gave him a last hug, before grabbing Billie’s hand.
‘Come on Bill, dancing time right now’, she told him pulling him to the centre of the gym floor.
-A FEW HOURS LATER-
‘So yeah, I guess I’m not that type of guy’, Mike said to a girl. She flicked her hair back behind her ears and smiled at him. Steph noticed from behind her and started blowing kisses at Mike.
‘Ahh would you excuse me, I have to go talk to someone’, he asked the girl politely. She acknowledged him and he walked off over to his sister.
‘Hey can I talk to you?’, he asked her. Steph restrained her self not to laugh at how blushed Mike had turned. She looked down at the ground, looked back up, smiled to him, and then walked him outside to the old playground in the junior section of the school. They sat down on the old swing set together, and started talking as they always did.
‘You know I love you sis’, Mike told her.
‘Sure you do’, Steph replied, rolling her eyes back at him. She started to push herself slowly backwards and forwards.
‘No I do come on, you know I do’, he told her, looking at her. She looked back at him and smiled.
‘Yeah, Mike come on, I’ve heard shit like that all my life, don’t you start now. So what was it you wanted to talk to me about?’, she asked him.
‘I had a dream about her last night’, he whispered into the cold, ‘All that day, all the blood’, he trailed off.
‘Mike you have to stop thinking about that, your just bring the past back’, Steph told him, acting as serious as he could. She knew how much Raina meant to him.
‘Why no though, I haven’t dreamt about her in years’, Mike asked. Steph, slowly stopped swinging and looked hard at her brother.
‘Well is there another girl?’, she asked curiously, trying to think of an answer.
‘Yeah, but no........I met her at work’, he managed to stumble out. Steph smiled, it had taken ages to convince her brother that he wasn’t the cause of Raina’s death.
‘She just looks like her, she talks like her’, he continued, ‘Even the way her hair moves as she walks’.
‘What’s her name?’, Steph asked intriguingly smiling.
‘Well that’s the weird thing, its Riana, like you just change the letter and you get Raina again’, he stopped.
Steph looked down at the ground. She didn’t know what to say. She was almost lost for words.
‘But, but I saw her die, and now this girl, its like she’s back’, Mike let out, before his eyes started to become teary.
Steph put out her hand and rubbed his back unhurriedly, and gently. ‘Mike its alright’.
‘Hey’, they heard a voice say from behind them. Steph turned around to see the girl Mike had been talking to before, out there standing with them. Steph took a close look, she sure could have been mistaken for Raina, but then again, Mike’s mind worked in a completely different way. Steph got up and let them, talk as she walked back into the gym.
-THE GYM-
‘Hey Stephie, come here’, Billie told her, grabbing her by the hand and spinning her into him, ‘I learnt how to dance properly’, he told her, impressing her. Steph let out a small, chuckle and put her head down into his chest. She closed her eyes, and they continued dancing, *or better still, turning round in circles*.
‘Billie can I show you something, but you have to promise me you wont tell anyone’, she asked him, looking into his eyes for trust.
‘Yeah sure’, he told her, looking back. She walked him to the back gym doors and stopped. This was as far as they could go, before Mike or Riana would notice them.
‘She looks so similar’, Billie let out, in a whisper.
‘I know, he thinks its her’, she told him, ‘If your quiet enough you can hear them talking’.
‘Aww its so cute, he’s inlove’, Billie said, smiling and putting an arm around Steph’s waist.
-Mike and Raina- *15 minutes later*
‘So, you working on Monday?’, they happened to catch Mike say.
‘Yeah I am, you?’, she asked back sweetely. Mike was inlove, but unsure. The look in his eyes gave this impression to them.
‘So I never got to ask you, when’s your birthday?’, Mike asked, pushing her slowly on the swing. She put her hair behind her ears.
’21 of April’, she told him. He froze, but continued to push her to act out as if he was alright.
‘Wasn’t that the day of Raina’s.......’, Billie asked, shocked.
‘Yeah it was’, Steph told him. The two watched Mike whisper a few words to the girl he was with before walking away from her.
‘Come on I need to make sure he’s alright?’, Steph told Billie. They ran out though the gym and waited outside, at the school gates. They knew this was the exit; Mike would have taken, if he was to leave and surely enough they were right. Out came Mike a few minutes later, with stained tear eyes and with his skin being more pale than usual.
‘Mike’, Steph spoke, watching him past. Mike shook his head and continued walking.
‘Mike, please talk to your little sister’, she said in an un-desperate plea. She just wanted to make sure he was alright and that he wouldn’t hurt himself. He turned and looked at her.
‘Listen, Mikey if there’s anything I can do, please just tell me’, she told him. He stood infront of her for a few moments in silence before he spoke.
‘I’m going home, Happy Birthday’, he told her before walking away from her around the corner.
‘Mike’, she called, but there was no answer, and she knew he had gone.
-THAT NIGHT COMING HOME FROM THE PARTY-
‘Tre just come in, Mike wont mind, and well neither will Billie’, Steph told him, as they walked though the front door into the house. Tre cringed at the last name said. Thoughts and memories came back that he didn’t want, but still he followed her inside.
Mike sat on the roof, as usual when he wasn’t feeling right or depressed. He looked out over onto the city lights that shone on the neighbour hood. In his hand was the army knife blade, he had never thought of using any day apart from now. He pondered over his thoughts.......’Should I? She seems perfect, But will I hurt the people I love? Have I been living a lie to long?’. He placed the blade close to his skin.
‘Mike you home?’, he heard Steph call from downstairs. He covered up what he had done with his jumper and climbed down to walk inside and greet them.
‘Steph, this is kinda errie, is it always this dark?’, Tre asked.
‘Yeah, Mike and I don’t like the lights on after 2 in the morning’, Steph told him.
‘No, please for me just one light?’, he asked. As they walked past the nearest room, he flicked the light switch on.
‘Tre, no that’s Mike’s room’, Steph warned him. Tre’s eyes focused on the walls.
‘Steph you might wanna see this?’, he told her, pulling her back so she could look at what he was seeing for herself.
‘Take a look at what?’, a shadowy figure asked.......
‘Mike I’m so sorry’, Steph told him, while trying to giver her brother a hug for comfort. He stayed with the idea of comfort for a while, before he pushed her off and walked out of the hospital away from his friends leaving them speechless and lost for words.
-A Year Later-
‘Mike wake up, I need you to walk me to school’, Steph screamed from her side of her brothers bed, pushing him to wake him.
‘Mmmm’, Mike moaned from under his covers.
‘Mike come on, I need you to walk me to school, I’ve got a weekend detention that I got for no reason and I don’t wanna walk there alone. What if I get attacked or something’, she yelled, pushing the bed, making the whole room shake.
‘Piss off, I’ll walk you later’, Mike mumbled to her. Steph shrugged her shoulders and walked for the door.
‘I’ll get Tre to get into bed next to you and hug you’, Steph teased him turning back.
‘Me hug who?’, a sleepy Tre asked, walking down the hallway. He put his arm around Steph to help keep him-self up.
‘Just jump next to him and hug him or something�, She told him. He did as he was told, and lay down with flattering eyes, looking up at the guy next to him.
‘Mikey, wake up�, Tre said flatteringly, stroking Mike’s hair flirtingly. Steph started to laugh hysterically again.
‘Tre, why didn’t I get this while we were going out’, Steph asked teasingly.
‘Shit, Tre get outta my bed’, Mike said, noticing what was happening whilst pushing the smaller man, out of the bed, and onto the floor.
‘Ouch, Mike that hurt, you meanie’, Tre yelled, before running out of the room.
‘What was that for?’, Mike asked his sister.
‘Well you didn’t wake up, and you have to walk me to school, cos my goddamn teacher gave me a detention for no reason’, Steph told him. Slowly he got up, and rubbed his eyes.
‘Come on Mike, we haven’t got all day’, Steph yelled again. She walked out of his room, and went down stairs to the kitchen, where the other boys waited.
-15 MINUTES LATER-
‘Now, come on, I’ll take you into school’, Mike mumbled, picking up his skateboard.
‘What I’m not taking that’, Steph protested.
‘Well then I’m not taking you to school, now pick up your board and let’s go’, Mike told her sternly.
‘Mike why do you always have to put on the big brother part, when I’m around’, Steph asking him. He looked down at her and frowned. He hated it when she asked questions that he couldn’t be bothered giving a reason why too.
‘Just because, I’m the older brother and you’re the younger sister, that’s how our world works, not grab your board, and lets go’, Mike told her. Steph resistant for a moment, in the end, picked up her board and walked outside. She started following Mike down the street, holding the board by its wheel trucks.
‘What are you doing?’, Mike asked, turning around and skating back to her. She looked up at him.
‘Mike I haven’t skated in almost two years’, she told him nervously. He rolled his eyes and put the two boards back in the house.
‘Come on we’ll walk it instead’, he told her, putting an arm around her, as they walked down the street.
‘So, you got anything planned for tonight?’, Mike asked casually.
‘Well I don’t know, I feel like I’ve totally forgotten something, but no one seems to be reminding me, so I guess it will just be a night at home again’, she whispered under her breath. They were coming closer to the school. Mike started to talk to his sister, about the times they had shared as kids. Their relationship was pretty strong, and one based on trust, since their parents had left them. This started to bring tears to Steph’s eyes. The last thing Mike wanted was for her to be teary today. He had set up everything perfectly, for this one special day for her. *he even planned the detention*, and now he didn’t want anything to ruin it. As they approached the school, Mike stopped her and gave her a hug, gently rubbing her back.
‘You, remember the time, you were 4, and I got you an ice-cream for your birthday, but then that kid came along and knocked you over, so I gave you mine?’, he asked her. Steph sniffled a little before replying.
‘Yeah I remember’, she told him. Her tears continued to run.
‘And then remember how I gave you mine and then I pushed the kid over when I saw him again?’, he asked her, looking down at her.
‘Yeah I remember’, she mumbled. From behind them came up Tre and Billie. Tre put his arms around her and lifted her up into the air.
‘And, remember when you were like 10, and I did this, and then threw you into the pool, and Mike bashed me up behind the shed?’, Tre reminded her.
‘Tre, put me down, I remember it too well’, she squealed.
‘And remember when I did this to you, and Mike told me if I ever touched you again, I would be dead’, Billie said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. Steph blushed brightly and smiled.
‘Yeah, I remember that’, she told him, showing the affection back. Mike and Tre both glared at them.
‘So do any of you know why I have a detention today, like all I did was walk down the hall and the teacher was like, ‘Young Miss, detention on the weekend room 408’, Steph said in the tone, most teachers used with her.
‘Ahh, yeah kinda. Well you know how your birthday starts winter break’, Mike told her.
‘Yeah’, Steph replied, back weakly, ‘Oh god what have they planned?’, she thought to herself.
‘Well.......’, Tre said, pushing the gym doors open.
‘Omg, you guys rock’, Steph screamed. Her eyes wandered around the room. The most massive party had been planned. Everyone was there. Music, lights, everything. It was perfect. She spun around and gave each of them a hug, squeezing all she could out of each-boy.
‘So I guess your happy?’, Mike asked her, being hugged last.
‘God yeah, I don’t believe you guys did this’, she said, still surprised that she had forgotten her own sweet 16th. Mike picked her up and lifted her off the ground.
‘Yeah, come on you’re my lil sis. I wouldn’t forget a day like this ever’, he told her. She gave him a last hug, before grabbing Billie’s hand.
‘Come on Bill, dancing time right now’, she told him pulling him to the centre of the gym floor.
-A FEW HOURS LATER-
‘So yeah, I guess I’m not that type of guy’, Mike said to a girl. She flicked her hair back behind her ears and smiled at him. Steph noticed from behind her and started blowing kisses at Mike.
‘Ahh would you excuse me, I have to go talk to someone’, he asked the girl politely. She acknowledged him and he walked off over to his sister.
‘Hey can I talk to you?’, he asked her. Steph restrained her self not to laugh at how blushed Mike had turned. She looked down at the ground, looked back up, smiled to him, and then walked him outside to the old playground in the junior section of the school. They sat down on the old swing set together, and started talking as they always did.
‘You know I love you sis’, Mike told her.
‘Sure you do’, Steph replied, rolling her eyes back at him. She started to push herself slowly backwards and forwards.
‘No I do come on, you know I do’, he told her, looking at her. She looked back at him and smiled.
‘Yeah, Mike come on, I’ve heard shit like that all my life, don’t you start now. So what was it you wanted to talk to me about?’, she asked him.
‘I had a dream about her last night’, he whispered into the cold, ‘All that day, all the blood’, he trailed off.
‘Mike you have to stop thinking about that, your just bring the past back’, Steph told him, acting as serious as he could. She knew how much Raina meant to him.
‘Why no though, I haven’t dreamt about her in years’, Mike asked. Steph, slowly stopped swinging and looked hard at her brother.
‘Well is there another girl?’, she asked curiously, trying to think of an answer.
‘Yeah, but no........I met her at work’, he managed to stumble out. Steph smiled, it had taken ages to convince her brother that he wasn’t the cause of Raina’s death.
‘She just looks like her, she talks like her’, he continued, ‘Even the way her hair moves as she walks’.
‘What’s her name?’, Steph asked intriguingly smiling.
‘Well that’s the weird thing, its Riana, like you just change the letter and you get Raina again’, he stopped.
Steph looked down at the ground. She didn’t know what to say. She was almost lost for words.
‘But, but I saw her die, and now this girl, its like she’s back’, Mike let out, before his eyes started to become teary.
Steph put out her hand and rubbed his back unhurriedly, and gently. ‘Mike its alright’.
‘Hey’, they heard a voice say from behind them. Steph turned around to see the girl Mike had been talking to before, out there standing with them. Steph took a close look, she sure could have been mistaken for Raina, but then again, Mike’s mind worked in a completely different way. Steph got up and let them, talk as she walked back into the gym.
-THE GYM-
‘Hey Stephie, come here’, Billie told her, grabbing her by the hand and spinning her into him, ‘I learnt how to dance properly’, he told her, impressing her. Steph let out a small, chuckle and put her head down into his chest. She closed her eyes, and they continued dancing, *or better still, turning round in circles*.
‘Billie can I show you something, but you have to promise me you wont tell anyone’, she asked him, looking into his eyes for trust.
‘Yeah sure’, he told her, looking back. She walked him to the back gym doors and stopped. This was as far as they could go, before Mike or Riana would notice them.
‘She looks so similar’, Billie let out, in a whisper.
‘I know, he thinks its her’, she told him, ‘If your quiet enough you can hear them talking’.
‘Aww its so cute, he’s inlove’, Billie said, smiling and putting an arm around Steph’s waist.
-Mike and Raina- *15 minutes later*
‘So, you working on Monday?’, they happened to catch Mike say.
‘Yeah I am, you?’, she asked back sweetely. Mike was inlove, but unsure. The look in his eyes gave this impression to them.
‘So I never got to ask you, when’s your birthday?’, Mike asked, pushing her slowly on the swing. She put her hair behind her ears.
’21 of April’, she told him. He froze, but continued to push her to act out as if he was alright.
‘Wasn’t that the day of Raina’s.......’, Billie asked, shocked.
‘Yeah it was’, Steph told him. The two watched Mike whisper a few words to the girl he was with before walking away from her.
‘Come on I need to make sure he’s alright?’, Steph told Billie. They ran out though the gym and waited outside, at the school gates. They knew this was the exit; Mike would have taken, if he was to leave and surely enough they were right. Out came Mike a few minutes later, with stained tear eyes and with his skin being more pale than usual.
‘Mike’, Steph spoke, watching him past. Mike shook his head and continued walking.
‘Mike, please talk to your little sister’, she said in an un-desperate plea. She just wanted to make sure he was alright and that he wouldn’t hurt himself. He turned and looked at her.
‘Listen, Mikey if there’s anything I can do, please just tell me’, she told him. He stood infront of her for a few moments in silence before he spoke.
‘I’m going home, Happy Birthday’, he told her before walking away from her around the corner.
‘Mike’, she called, but there was no answer, and she knew he had gone.
-THAT NIGHT COMING HOME FROM THE PARTY-
‘Tre just come in, Mike wont mind, and well neither will Billie’, Steph told him, as they walked though the front door into the house. Tre cringed at the last name said. Thoughts and memories came back that he didn’t want, but still he followed her inside.
Mike sat on the roof, as usual when he wasn’t feeling right or depressed. He looked out over onto the city lights that shone on the neighbour hood. In his hand was the army knife blade, he had never thought of using any day apart from now. He pondered over his thoughts.......’Should I? She seems perfect, But will I hurt the people I love? Have I been living a lie to long?’. He placed the blade close to his skin.
‘Mike you home?’, he heard Steph call from downstairs. He covered up what he had done with his jumper and climbed down to walk inside and greet them.
‘Steph, this is kinda errie, is it always this dark?’, Tre asked.
‘Yeah, Mike and I don’t like the lights on after 2 in the morning’, Steph told him.
‘No, please for me just one light?’, he asked. As they walked past the nearest room, he flicked the light switch on.
‘Tre, no that’s Mike’s room’, Steph warned him. Tre’s eyes focused on the walls.
‘Steph you might wanna see this?’, he told her, pulling her back so she could look at what he was seeing for herself.
‘Take a look at what?’, a shadowy figure asked.......
