REJECTS\\M.C.

-32-

-mikey-

Mikey's stomach drops the moment Hannah's face becomes visible to him. Her pale skin somehow appearing translucent with darker circles under her eyes than yesterday. She wears sweat pants with converse and her purple hoodie; the hood up. Her head stays lowered until she reaches him, lifting her head like she wasn't expecting him to be waiting there.

"Hey," Mikey says quietly, staying still as he feels unsure of how to approach her.

"Hi," she chokes out and wraps her arms around him, this time shaking as she cries. "Thank you for being here."

"Of course I am," Mikey says confused at his eyes look down the road to her steps, wondering what the fuck happened last night. How could dinner with her dad have left her in this state? "Hannah, c'mon," Mikey pulls on her, other kids passing by and staring at them, but he doesn't care. He just wants to get her away from here.

She keeps her arms wrapped around his waist the whole way to school, her crying stopped, but her grip on him never releasing. He tries his best to stay strong for her, but inside he is falling apart. Mikey opens the door for her and reluctantly lets go to enter into he school before Mikey gently places his hand on the small of her back to lead her up the staircase.

"Do you need to get books at the locker?" He asks her, looking down to get her attention when she doesn't answer. "Hannah?"

"Huh?" She looks up at him, blinking and he stares into her eyes, feeling like she isn't really seeing him.

"Do you need to get rid of some books from your bag?"

"Yeah," she says quietly, so Mikey leads her to their locker.

They arrive and Mikey waits for her to open it, but instead she just stares at the ground, lost to him. He exhales, feeling his stomach cramp with worry as he takes over and opens the locker for her. Maybe she forgot the combo already, he thinks. But he knows that's not it. He swings the door open and she stares at her books on the shelf, but her eyes are unmoving.

"Hannah," Mikey says gently, placing his hand on her shoulder and she tenses, but keeps staring at the books. His heart drops and he feels like his lungs might collapse, no air able to get to them before he grabs her face and forces her to look at him.

Her eyes begin to blink and roam his face, brimming with tears as her breathing picks up. She grabs his wrists and closes her eyes, breathing in heavily through her nose and out her mouth. Mikey watches her with concern before a tear rolls down her cheek and she looks at him.

"Mikey" she whispers as she reaches to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him tight. "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay," he whispers back and rubs her back, still scared but relieved she seems to have come to. "I'm here, Hannah. I'm here."

"Get a room," Drew Peske sneers as he walks by before noticing Hannah and freezing. "Aww Hannah," he tisks at her, "You could do so much better."

"Fuck off," Mikey says as Hannah turns to face a smirking Drew.

"Yeah, I guess ill have to ask Whitney for Calum's number."

Drew's face falls before it twists up angrily and he huffs, unable to get any words out before he settles with, "Go fuck yourself."

"I'll let Calum know you extend the offer," Mikey shouts to Drew who flips him off and they giggle at his expense.

"Gosh he's such a wanker," Hannah mumbles as she opens her backpack and adds a book to the locker.

"Agreed," Mikey chuckles as he leans on the locker to watch her.

He crosses his arms and chews his lip, still nervous about her previous behavior and terrified to lose her again. But her eyes seem observant and her body no longer rigid, moving normal and fluidly.