breathe// 5SOS

4

Trigger warning: slight abuse mention
Ava

"Milo," I cried, laying onto my bed and letting his climb onto my chest. He nuzzled his face into my cheek and put his paw in my hand.

"Milo,"

He licked my cheek, gently tapping my chin with his head. Michael came into the room with a drink, and sat beside me, sighing.

"Now, tell me what went through your head,"

"I was really hot, and irritated, and she held me really tight- I couldn't breathe,"

"Okay, it's just really important that we don't turn to violence or anger when things get like this,"

"I didn't think about it,"

"I know you didn't want to hurt her, but we can't always do things in the moment and make up for it after,"

"What do I have to do?"

"I get that at the time, you feel like you can't think. Everything is whizzing round your head, you want to get out of the situation now. However, you need one overpowering voice,"

"How?"

"All these times, you need to tell yourself to stop. You get worked up and start making conclusions- it is a hard thing to do. Sometimes, I still can't do that, but we have to try,"

"I used to be so much better, and my head felt clearer. Running away was so stupid- why did I do that? It was such an unrealistic thing,"

"The heat of the moment, we just won't be doing that again,"

Slowly, he laid to face me, running his fingers through my hair. Milo snuggled between us, flipping over for tummy rubs.

"What do you think had changed?"

"I only see Lucy once a week, and I go to some school classes. I have more stress and less opportunity to work through it,"

"That was a really mature way of saying that," he smiled, "when your dad comes in, he will probably shout. He won't mean anything he says, but like you he is in the heat of the moment. It's wrong for him to shout, but if you can explain it like that then you've done the right thing,"

"I don't want him to shout," I trembled, my heart thumping, "I don't want,"-

The door opened, and shut forcefully. Michael quickly moved Milo and pulled me into his arms, telling me to stay calm.

Whatever happened, I needed to stay calm.

"Ava, I don't know what kind of stunt you were pulling, but it was horrible,"

"Don't react," Michael whispered, "you'll get overwhelmed,"

"You could've hurt her badly, especially if she'd fallen weird on her knee. She didn't deserve that,"

"Ash, I don't think she is ready to talk," Viola sighed, "that's not like Ava to do that, she's probably confused herself,"

"You don't just push someone out of no where. All she said to Ava was to play football for 20 minute, and I am sure she can do that,"

"Did she look ready to you? Did she look comfortable?"

"I don't care! Nothing can justify that. My mum has done nothing but care for her,"

"She wasn't even angry Ashton," she stressed, "stuff happens, we have to move on,"

"Ava, come here,"

"No," I whispered, Michael carefully standing us both up. I walked out the room, hugging my back to the wall.

"Your behaviour this afternoon was disgusting. You did everything possible to get away from us, before and after the film,"- "fuck off,"