MICHAEL POV

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Boss was gonna kill me when he finds out I didn't come back with Jason. Who knows what he would do to me?

I climb up the steps of my apartment building two at a time. When I finally get my rusty door open, I let out a huge sigh. I kick my shoes off and I flip on my light switches. 

All I could think about was how angry my boss would be. I racked my hands through my sweaty hair. What was I gonna do? As I paced my bedroom thinking of excuses, my brain decided to think about Elizabeth's soft fingers pressed on my lips. 

"I'm trying to think here brain, cooperate!" I say to myself.

My brain went back to thinking of excuses to give boss, but then it drifted off to Elizabeth's cool hands pressed on my neck.

I groan. Honestly, I would rather think of Elizabeth's sweet cherry smell then think of excuses to give my boss.

I turned off my light and I fall on my bed and I noticed how tired I was. 

I really wanted to twirl those blonde curls that take up Elizabeth's hair. UGH! I'm just going to go to sleep.

Elizabeth's cheeks were so soft and red. UGH! I'm going to stab my head if this doesn't stop.

Elizabeth's eyes were a full green and looked perfect. I ended up giving up and letting the thoughts over take me.

Elizabeth's soft hands, beautiful grin, even her chest I was starting to appreciate, even if it is a b-cup. She was so caring and gentle. The way she tried her best in caring for my nose. She was amazing. And her drawings. All over her walls. They were delicately drawn. With precise hands. They were beautiful. She was beautiful. And I was crazy for her.

I hit my head. I really like Elizabeth. I do. I had to see her again. 

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I woke up to the ringing of my phone. It stopped ringing once I touched it. I picked it up and saw there was more then 60 missed calls from the boss. And over 50 voicemails. A new voicemail popped up from boss. I shakily brought it to my ear.

"MICHAEL! THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE TO GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE!" Boss's voice boomed from my voicemail box.

I know boss it outraged. First, he never curses, only when it’s serious, because he is all about class. And because I'm one of his pets he would never yell at me like that. I also knew I was done for.

I jumped out of bed tripping over my blanket and I fell face first on the ground.

"Ow..." I grumble trying to stand up.

My bruised jaw burned with objection when I tried to open it.  And my nose hurt even more. 

I turned my phone off and ran to the bathroom to get ready.

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I stood in front of the "Buddy's hideout" with my hand on the door handle. 

"I'll go in." I say.

"But what if boss kills me?" (and yes, he would).

Then I let go of the doorknob and I start walking away.

"But what if he forgave me?" I say out loud to myself.

Then I go back to the doorknob.

"What if he stops paying for your apartment?!" I say out loud.

Then I walk away from the doorknob.

"STOP BEING A COWARD SUCK IT UP AND GO IN!" I yell to myself. 

I grab the handle and I threw it open. The whole place stops and looks at me. I gulp and I took my first step. Everyone started shaking their head at me with pity. Some gave me a sad look, even a frown. They already knew my death were behind the door in front of me. Boss’s room.

I opened the door and found Boss sitting at his desk. With a black Revolver in his hand. Today, I shall die. And the worst thing is I never did find true love. Elizabeth's laughing eyes started itching the back of my head. I wondered why.

"Michael." Boss said looking up at me with softness in his voice.

I felt something wrong in the atmosphere in here. I shift on my feet.

I saw tears come out of Boss's eyes. I gasped, my eyes widening.

"H-he's gone." Boss whispered sobbing into a tissue.

"Boss?" I ask worried.

"Son, your father. H-he's gone." Boss said with tears in his eyes.

I denied the thought. What did he mean? Joseph wasn't really...

"Of course he is gone; remember he left me in your hands after mother died!" I blurt out.

Boss let out a few more sobs.

"He passed away." Boss finally mustered.

The realization hits me and I stand there stunned. I was alone. A sad orphan, even if I am 23.

"What happened?" I ask blankly.

"A few gang members weren't very happy with your father. So they shot him." 

I wasn't going to cry. I wasn't going to cry. I wasn't....

The next thing I know, I am in boss's arms and crying.

"It's okay buddy. To cry." Boss said to me.

Joseph (my father) and Boss created the buddy gang together. They were great friends ever since they were 10. Joseph had started to travel around ever since my mother died, and he left me in Boss's hands ever since I was 12. He always felt like my true father.

"Because your father was a true buddy, I will give you a chance. And because I love you Michael." Boss said. 

I nodded grimly and Boss dismissed me.

"And Michael." Boss said stopping me.

"The funeral is next week." He finished.

I nodded and walked out the back door. So the buddies wouldn't see me cry. Then I started running. I ran as fast I could. Remembering mom. The times she would scold me for putting spiders in my neighbors' front door. And the time she would tuck me in at night after I finished praying. And-

BAAM!

I fell on my bottom and I heard a familiar girl's yelp. 

"OH I heard a crack." She said scared.

"Yeah, my butt." I say rubbing it. I was trying my best to sound fine.

I stand up and she shouts. Crack. I stepped on her glasses.

She whined.

I took a good look at her. To my surprise (not very) it was Elizabeth.

"Nice running into you again." I sigh, my voice almost cracking.

"Michael?"

"The one and only." I respond.

"You stepped on my glasses you clumsy oaf!" She growled.

"I just got them." She said picking up the shattered glasses.

"My poor poor 30 dollars worth of freakin' glasses." She said getting a little angry.

"Sorry jeez." I say holding my hands up surrender. This time, my voice cracked.

A whimper escaped my throat and I was crying again. 

"You don't need to cry! I could find another 30 dollars or something..." Elizabeth said quickly.

"It's not you, my father died today." 

I couldn't believe I told her. And saying it out loud, made reality even harder to take. I fell to my knees and cried hard.

I felt a hand on my head. It was Elizabeth's cool touch. She rustled my hair. 

"You look ugly when you cry." She said.

"That's not something you should say to a person who just found out their father died." I murmured.

She lifted my chin. 

"Really, your face looks like you smeared mascara all over it." She joked.

"Uh..." I say.

"My vision is really bad." She said touching my cheek and letting out a soft laugh.

I blushed hard at her touch. Luckily she couldn't see.

"I-I'll be going." I say getting up quickly.

"Can you by any chance take me home? I can't see. Remember?" She said waving her hands in front of her face.

"Another day, bringing you home." I sigh.

"Shut up." She said.

I lift her on my back and I feel the soft skin of her legs against my fingertips.

"You're probably going the wrong way." She said in my hair. Sending a chill down my back.