"Kemal?"
"Yeah?"
Do you wanna die?
"How are you?"
"It's fine."
Yes you do.
"Mike…"
"Yes?"
Do you wanna die with us?
"How are you?"
"I feel amazing with you guys around!"
Yes you do.
Mikel?
Mikel!
"MIKEL!" A voice screamed at the top of their lungs, jolting a little teen awake.
"Kemal?"
"Are you fucking dead? Class is over, why am I wasting my time waking you when shaking you wasn't enough!?" The small boy complained.
"Sorry! Is Mike here?" An equally small teen responded back, struggling to keep his eyes open despite his best efforts.
"I told him to beat it. He's probably grabbing snacks." Kemal stretched, his complexion perfect like usual.
Perfectly pale skin and hair that reached all the way past his shoulder almost fully grown out. His doe eyes still managed to bore deeply into his targets.
Mikel raised his hands to look at himself before rushing to get up.
"Did you sleep okay last night?" He hummed, clearly suspicious.
"Y-yeah!"
—
"Say aaa you idiot."
"Aaaaa." Mike opened his mouth as Kemal pushed in a straw of a berry flavoured shake.
The boy seemed content while Mikel only blankly watched.
"You want a sip too?" Kemal smirked while yanking the shake away from his whining friend.
Mikel's eyes fell onto Mike's body.
He had soft muscles since he freshly began working out and his hair was just as long as Kemal's.
His fingers traced his own hair which seemed to be just a little shorter.
Brown eyes… black hair…
Kemal took a sip of the same straw while keeping the other teen at bay.
"YES OR NO HE'S ABOUT TO DRINK IT ALL!"
—
"You can't be serious…" Kemal groaned while outside.
"What happened?" Mikel hummed while looking at his friend's phone.
"Let's pick up Mike, he said he really doesn't wanna be alone."
"Can I..?"
"Yeah sure." Kemal threw his phone back to Mikel to catch and read through.
His body didn't move, almost frozen.
"You coming?"
—
"It happens!" Mike smiled while bandaging up Mikel's arms.
A vase was shattered across the floor seemingly aimed at a picture frame of himself.
"Don't tell Kemal…" He struggled to breathe out, arms shaking wildly.
—
Mikel sat on a bench when suddenly he turned around.
Behind him were both of his best friends standing far away looking at him.
"How long were you guys there?"
Mike was about to speak but Kemal shushed him. They exchanged an odd look before approaching their friend.
Were they watching me..?
—
Soft sobs echoed through the empty school halls.
A bright flashlight lit up dark corridors wherever it pointed.
Hiccups grew only louder and louder until the door to a janitor's closet finally opened.
Inside was Mike huddled up in a corner, tears threatening to leak out in one unstoppable flow.
"It's okay, we're here." Mikel sighed while dropping onto his knees embracing his friend tightly.
"He's looking to find a way out, they locked the school." He explained softly, his voice cracking him up fully causing Mike to break down entirely.
"I did it again!.." Mike's voice quivered. "I ruined it for everyone else."
Tears flooded out in one powerful stream, his hiccups almost sounding like choking.
"Did someone bully you again? Kemal will take care of it.."
Suddenly Mikel's phone vibrated.
Mike took his phone and unlocked it only to see Kemal post with a peace sign near a broken window.
'Breaking out tonight!'
Mike let out a sobby chuckle while looking at the messages.
—
"I HATE LIVING IT SUCKS!" Kemal burst out while stomping on his phone.
Mike sat on a bench in an empty park, the darkness swallowing them whole.
"What happened?" Mikel approached with an already dull expression.
"I hate life! Mike keeps getting bullied so even his muscles wont save him! I keep having to deal with my parent! Seriously!"
"What?" He perked up.
"I'm tired of it! I am a privileged rich boy and I don't even get a cent compared to anyone else! Just because I like men!? It's not like I sucked dick already!"
"You can have my money?" Mike offered which only made the smaller man snap.
"I WANT IT TO BE MY MONEY! THAT WOULDN'T MAKE SENSE!" Kemal groaned loudly, grabbing his friend's hair causing them to wince.
—
Why can't a world with only men exist?
—
"Mike?"
"Yeah?"
"You're baking for him again?" Mikel hummed.
"He just seems so out of it.. I made you some too!"
—
You seem so distracted lately.
—
"It's not like I wanna die, I just want better. Does that make sense? Better just doesn't exist in our city."
—
This world.
—
"I really wouldn't have made it without you guys! You promise you guys like me now, right? Take me wherever?"
—
Take you? Where.
—
A muffled soft clicking echoes through an empty room.
Mikel was hidden under his blanket, eyes glued on his screen.
Is this real?
—
"Mike…"
"Me!" Mike beamed while combing through Kemal's hair and trimming it carefully.
"You wanna come with us? No matter where we go?" Mikel hummed, catching the other boy's attention.
"Yes! If you'll have me.." He smiled sheepishly.
"Why? Where are we going?" Kemal immediately questioned with a frown.
"No where." Mikel dismissed quickly, avoiding his friend's gaze.
"Give me your phone." Kemal suddenly demanded with an extended hand.
Mikel quickly submitted and gave his device.
Kemal scrolled through messages.
Kemal. Mike.
The only two contacts.
Games?
All the games Kemal played.
Photos?
Filled with Mike's stupid face and occasional pictures of Kemal's selfies.
There didn't seem to be anything suspicious.
"Mike, phone."
"Uuhh.. It's in my bag, can you get it for me?" Mike kept himself focused on his friend's hair.
"Here." Mikel smiled with an odd look while handing over the device.
—
I will take us. So you don't have to put in the work.
—
It didn't work…
A world full of men.
Tears welled up in Mikel's eyes. Curled up in the middle of a bloody field his wrists and hands carried deep cuts.
Candles were toppled over and threatening to burn down the surrounding area.
Taking their faithful friend with them.
He hid so deep inside a forest that there was no way for anyone but him to stumble here, no one to stop him.
His breath was restless, matching a rapid pounding in his chest, head, body.
In his hand was his phone connected to a call.
'Kemal'.
I couldn't do it.
His miserable state was heard by two sets of ears yet he couldn't bring himself to calm down.
After what felt like hours two boys climbed through the bushes one filled with tears while the other was carrying a wagon refusing to look up.
"I'm sorry.."
I couldn't save us!
Mikel began whaling, a stark contrast to his usual unfazed demeanor.
"I'M SORRY!"
Despite his apologies he still kicked and gagged while being shoved inside the wagon by a tear filled best friend.
"It's okay, we aren't upset.." Kemal gasped out while trying to keep his tears in.
"You don't have to talk yet, let's go home.." Mike reassured, clearly being in control of his emotions.
Home?
HOME?
We never got home.
I ruined it all, what little we had.
—
"Really? I did it?"
"Yes.."
"You're fine I guess!"
Mike's eyes were glowing as he threw himself into Mikel's arms.
"THANK YOU SO MUCH!"
He suddenly switched targets towards Kemal.
"NOT ME!" Despite those words he got embraced as well.
"You're not lying really?" Mike beamed, eyes blinding them both.
"YEAH! We're best friends now. So start deleting your other friends." Kemal scoffed, shoving him aside.
"On it!"
—
"Like this?" Mike hummed while playing on a console.
"Nono! Left! Left!" Kemal pointed while Mikel sat on his bed reading a little novel.
"Left left!" Mike repeated while smiling.
"It's pretty good." Mikel smiled suddenly.
"Right! This deluxe is SO GOOD!" Kemal laughed.
"Can I read it too?"
"Sure, I wanna play a bit, let's swap." Mikel shrugged while throwing the novel to his friend.
"Yay!" Mike cheered, catching it easily.
Kemal was laughing manically while his friend began screaming.
"THAT'S NO FAIR! WHY DO YOU GO EASY ON MIKE BUT NOT ME!?" Mikel groaned, pulling up his sleeves.
"SUCK IT UP!" He shrugged casually, preparing for a brawl.
"BUZZ OFF!"
Mike began sobbing.
"IT'S NOT FAIR! HE DIDN'T DESERVED TO DIE!"
"I KNOW!"
"DON'T IGNORE ME!"
—
"You sure you wanna help me? This is gonna be super boring." Mikel hummed.
"It's just clothes, how boring can it be. Get to it!" Kemal demanded while throwing himself on the nearest cushion.
Mike immediately began picking out jewelry and showing them.
"Let's start small! Which one of these do you not wear anymore?"
Mikel was tapping his chin when suddenly something caught his eye. He snatched up a little bracelet and wrapped it around Mike's wrist.
"I think this one suits you quite well." Mikel suddenly hummed appreciatively.
"I can have it?" His friend gasped while admiring the simple ruby design.
"Go ahead! You need more jewelry! In fact, let's swap clothes."
"Kemal!" Mike cheered.
"Leave me out of this!" He muttered while recording their little interaction without them realising.
—
What's this?
"I taught you well!"
Me?
"So I got you a little reward, for managing to successfully lie your way through some golden stuff!"
It was me.
"It's not much."
Kemal extended his hand, dropping a little snake-like silver earring that had little green gem eyes.
Mikel carefully put on the little earring, his eyes watering.
"I'm so proud of you! Now that I taught you how to lie properly you'll be able to spot anyone who lies as well."
You praised me.
"Now you can be snobby and a liar!"
Kemal…
I ruined everything.
I….
His fists clenched around a little silver item, his palm bleeding.
But why can't I regret it.