in response to Broken Theater

Crash

Mike’s attention is drawn away from his work towards the sound. Crawling in through his window was none other than his life long friend, Lia. Turning back to his work and ignoring his friend's struggle despite her cursing him out for it.

“You’re a real piece of work, you know that?” She complains as she flopped down onto his bed, “Skipping school again and all that. Your parents weren’t happy with you I assume.”

“You being here isn’t helping either you know. ‘Lia’s a bad influence. Tell us whenever you see her.’ they don’t like you. They find you here and were both done for.” He pinned another piece of paper to the bulletin board, adding to the ever increasing amount.

“Please, I’m like your guardian angel. I come to you in your time of need and give you the best advice!”

Mike huffed out a laugh. He wrapped a couple pieces of string around three pins, connecting them and the paper they held.

“Whatcha working on?” Lia peered over his shoulder. How she got there so quickly Mike didn’t know, but that’s just one thing he didn’t question about Lia. She was just strange at times and who was Mike to judge? He knows he’s a bit strange too.

“Nothing,” it wasn’t that he didn’t want to share his work with her -the opposite in fact- but he needed to make sure she was actually interested.

“Oh come on, you played hooky for this so it’s clearly important,” she whined, draping herself dramatically over him, “Stop with your dumb mind games and just tell me already.”

Letting out a sigh he shoved her off him, “Fine, but you can’t tell anyone.”

Lia nodded, making a zipping motion over her lips.

Mike took a deep breath, “As you know, everyone at school is out to get me. I could tell that they’ve been planning something for a while now but I could never figure out what.”

Lia looked at him with confusion but didn’t interrupt which he took as incentive to continue, “However after a bit of digging I finally discovered what. Huston and his friends are planning on framing me! That way they’d be able to laugh at me while I’m stuck in jail.”

Lia had a contemplative look, “I see, that is a problem. Do you know when they are planning to do it?”
I shook my head, “Not yet, currently I’m-”

Knock knock

“Mike? You okay? Who are you talking to in there?”

Mike’s eyes widened in surprise. He had forgotten his mom didn’t have a second shift this afternoon, which was the reason he got caught skipping in the first place. He’s honestly more shocked over the fact that she didn’t hear the commotion Lia made earlier. Then again Mike has alway had really good hearing and has often been able to hear noises no one else could pick up.

“I’m- I’m alright, and I was just listening to a podcast.”

For a moment his mom didn’t answer, making no indication that she heard him.

“You’re talking with Lia again aren’t you.” Mike didn’t answer. He never knew how his parents always knew when he was talking to her. He’d checked his room for any type of camera or audio recorder in a desperate attempt to protect his privacy but had turned up with nothing.

His mom sighed from the other side of the door before he heard her retreating footsteps.

Shocked, Mike stood staring at the door. He didn’t think his mom would just let it go like that. However, that thought didn’t last long.

Knock Knock

“Michel, may I come in?”

Mike weighed the pro’s and con’s of letting his mother in eventually deciding to open the door for her.

She walked in carrying a glass of water and a small medication cup holding a single pill. He cringed at the sight of it, knowing if not taken quickly the thing tasted terrible. His mom handed him the cup and once he placed the pill in his mouth, gave him the water. He downed the entire glass, hoping that there was no lingering taste.

He noticed his mom glance at his bulletin board, her lips pressed into a thin line. Sitting down on his bed -Lia had moved to his desk chair- she pointed at the board, “Why don’t you tell me about it? We barely ever get to talk besides the evenings.” She beckoned him to sit next to him.

He sat next to her but stayed silent. He trusted his mother but he didn’t know if he wanted to get her wrapped up in all of it. But he needed allies who would be on his side when the framing eventually happened.
So he did. He shared with his mom all of his concerns about his classmates and how he had discovered their plan against him. About potential countermeasures. His mother only interrupted when Lia would distract him, bringing his attention away from Lia and back to her. When he pointed out it was rude his mother simply apologized to Lia and explained that Mike hasn’t finished talking.

Slowly Lia stopped interrupting and when Mike finally finished a retelling of a new book he’s been reading, two hours had passed. Mike wasn’t sure when they had switched topics, only that at some point he realized he was wrong about his theory on his classmates.

He turned to say something to Lia but found that she was already gone.

“Are you okay Mike?” His mothers question brought his gaze back to her.

“I- Yeah, I’m good. Lia didn’t show up for a while so I guess I didn’t realize.” His moms eyes softened.

“It’s okay. Now come help me set the table. Dinner is almost ready and your father will be home soon. We will need to talk about today though. This hasn’t happened for a while so I’m worried.” Concern laced her words as she made her way out of the room.

Mike followed after, “It might be the stress. Exams are coming up and Huston and I were up late studying last night. I must have forgotten to take it.”

She let out an amused huff, “Two peas in a pod. I still remember when you came home from kindergarten and told me about him. You were so excited and claimed he was your best friend.”

He groaned in embarrassment, “Why’d you have to bring that up?”

His mom simply laughed and soon he was joining in.