Only those you trust can betray you — Terry Goodkind

Michael Taylor ran through the rainy streets of Pleasant Valley, Alabama, in his raincoat and shoes. Tears formed in his eyes, which he hastily wiped away as his mind tried to focus on anything else than what had happened to him a few moments ago.

* * *

A few moments ago, Michael arrived at the McDonald's next to Pleasant Valley High School. Inside it, he spotted the girl he had a crush on, Bella, talking to her friends. He had his heart set out to go up and talk to her, maybe ask her out on a date or something like that, when he overheard her conversation with her friends.

"Have you seen Michael today? What a nerd! Did you see how he shuffles when he walks?" one of Bella's friends asked while sipping a coke.

Bella nonchalantly responded while texting, "Yeah, I have. I think it's weird. I hope he doesn't try asking me out because I heard he has some kind of foot illness or something."

"I hope not. He has had the same hairstyle for about 4 months. That's soooo disgusting, and he has the nerve to wear a shirt with a superhero print on it. It looks stupid. The shirt and hairstyle is just so, like, oh my god!" Bella's other friend said while rolling her eyes and chewing gum.

Bella, still texting on her phone, said, "I know, right? He's nice to everyone but so annoying and disgusting, you know what I'm saying?"

The three of them all nodded, agreeing to whatever their friend said.

Bella blushed slightly after reading the text she received and said, "Plus, Brad is muuuuch better than him."

"Ooooh! Braaad!" Her two friends taunted, and she blushed again.

"I-It's not like that! W-We are just friends!" Bella stammered and hid the phone from her friends.

"Yeah, we know what type of 'friend' he is?" one of them said while glancing at her phone.

The other one raised her hands and taunted Bella by showing her the sex sign and said, "The friends with benefits type."

Seeing Bella blush, both of them laughed, "Hahahaha!"

Michael just stood there with his heart dropping, feeling all the confidence he had before shattering into tiny little pieces. Bella, his crush, thought he was annoying and even worse, the girl Michael thought was the sweetest person on earth called him disgusting.

He felt his breathing fasten and his hands shake, realizing what Bella and her friends thought about him. He didn't know when he ran out of McDonald's and was now in the cold rain. The tears forming in his eyes were the only proof of Michael's hurt from what had happened.

* * *

Michael shook away those thoughts from his head as he continued running home. His body was shaking from being completely soaked in the cold rain. His tears mixed with the raindrops, and he didn't know what he did wrong.

It wasn't like he had difficulty getting girls. He always knew he was attractive because the constant stares from the girls during P.E. class always made him understand. Plus, he was a quarterback for Pleasant Valley High, so many girls considered him the hot guy they could show off during parties. He was also funny and liked to joke around, making many friends and ensuring they were happy.

He thought Bella was the sweetest person on earth because she was lovely, always lending him pencils, books, and stuff and asking him how his day was when they saw each other during their shared classes. She would lie to teachers when he wanted to skip classes. She would act coquettishly in front of the P.E. teacher at his request.

The P.E. teacher would always listen to her and change the class to free-play. She treated him so nicely that he couldn't help but fall for her. She was also hot, with beautiful red hair, brown eyes, and long legs. Michael could just melt when he saw her. And that's why Bella called him disgusting when she treated him so nicely, made him feel like someone had kicked him in the balls with full force.

He thought Bella liked him too, always smiling at him when their eyes met or her flirting with him occasionally. Now, he felt utterly dumb, thinking that someone like Bella would like a guy like him. Now, he knew the 'fake' rumors surrounding her were true. She was rumored to be dating Brad Johnson, one of the quarterbacks for Pleasant Valley's rivals, River Valley High School, and now, Michael knew why.

He thought, 'Why would she ever be into a shuffler like me when Brad, the hottest and most popular guy in River Valley, was fucking her. It hurts me to realize that I had been fooled by the smiles she sent at me.'

He began running faster when he saw the house he shared with his adoptive mom, Florence, and older adoptive sister, Theresa, standing there with their yellow fence and red door. Michael opened the fence's gate, ran towards the front door, and entered the house with a loud slam.

His breathing was all messed up, and he leaned on the wall next to the front door, closing his eyes shut, trying to control his breathing. He didn't move even when Florence walked out of the kitchen, a dishcloth in her hands. She looked at Michael, soaking wet from the rain, and frowned in confusion and concern.

"Michael, what happened?" She asked.

She wore a dark-colored blazer over a black button-down and matching business skirt. Her dark brown hair was up in a high bun, her light tan skin gleaming beautifully, highlighting her triangular hazel eyes that held worry and confusion as she looked at her adopted son, her expression softening at the obvious tears running down Michael's cheeks.

"Michael?" Florence asked again softly.

Michael opened his eyes and looked at his adoptive mom's concerned gaze. He straightened up, removed his coat, and started walking towards the stairs when he turned around and said, "I'm fine."

He didn't look into her eyes, afraid she would notice something was wrong with him.

He quickly ran up the stairs, leaving Florence frowning and watching her son retreat.

She turned around when Theresa, her younger daughter, walked out of her room dressed in a tank top and tight shorts, looking at her mom.

"Is everything okay?" She asked.

Florence shrugged, looking at where Michael went. She replied, "I don't know, Honey. Your brother just came home, completely wet and crying."

Theresa frowned in confusion and said, "What? Why would Michael be crying? He's always smiling and happy."

Florence sighed, her eyes worried. She turned around and said, "I'm going to change, Honey. It's getting late for dinner."

Confused about what made Michael cry, Theresa nodded and returned to her room, closing their doors.

Meanwhile, Michael had entered his room, removed his wet clothes, and quickly showered while Bella's mean words were playing in his mind like a broken record. He came out of the shower wearing a grey t-shirt and white pajamas. He then sat on his bed and sighed heavily.

He closed his eyes, tears escaping, when a knock came on his door.

"Michael, sweetie, are you okay?" Florence's voice came through the door.

Michael rubbed the tears away and said, "Yeah, mom, I'm fine!"

But Florence opened the door and peeked inside the room. Her eyebrows creased in concern when she saw Michael's eyes shining with tears, and said sternly, "Michael, you were crying earlier."

He didn't say anything and looked away, his hands grabbing the bed sheets tightly.

She entered his room and said, "Honey, please tell me. Is this because of Bella? Did something happen with you two?"

His eyes snapped at Florence, widening. "H-How do you know about Bella?" He asked, completely surprised.

She walked in and sat next to him on his bed. She softly smiled and said, "Sweetie, I saw how you always look at Bella after school or enthusiastically talk about her with a smile."

Michael sighed and looked at his hands on his lap.

Realizing something terrible must have happened if her usually smiley and happy son was sad, Florence gently rubbed Michael's back and asked, "Honey, tell me. What happened with Bella?"

Michael stayed quiet, not saying anything, but Florence saw his shoulders slightly shaking and realized that he was crying again. She said nothing and hugged him, rubbing his back and trying to calm him down.

He grabbed her shirt and buried his head in her neck, hugging her tightly as tears escaped his eyes. She softly smiled and gently pushed him down on his bed and lay beside him, wrapping him in her arms.

She glanced at him crying and thought, 'I'm distraught because he rarely cries, and when he does, it's because of something serious. I want to help him in any way I can. I don't want him to suffer alone, without any shoulder to cry on, without any support, like Christina.'

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