Chapter 32.5 (Alternate Ending)

Mitchel

His song never stopped playing.

He felt like his head was being rattled as if someone were holding his brain and giving it a good shake. One minute he was passed out on the island counter and the next, his eyes flew open and it was all he could do to try and steady his breath.

Of course, that didn't work, though. He felt dizzy for what seemed like the hundredth time that day and it was starting to get old. His breath came in short bursts and gasps so that not enough oxygen got to his brain before he exhaled abruptly.

"Shit," Mitchel mumbled when he felt cold fingers press to his forehead. He flinched away only to see his best friend standing over him with his hair tucked behind his ear and his brows strung together in a furrowed line.

"He's awake!" He heard Christian call to someone out of his line of vision. "Jesus," he said to him. "You scared the shit out of us."

"Kras-?" Mitchel asked. The blond man looked down at him with concerned eyes. "What happened?"

And then he remembered. He remembered everything. He remembered getting drunk and being late for an interview, he remembered kissing Christian for the first time in months, he remembered Molly's birthday and the first time they had sex and killing Christian's girlfriend. He could remember the car crash and seeing her ghost and going to the theme park and running away and then... dying.

He died but he was alive.

Was he a ghost? Had he survived after all?

But when Mitchel looked around him, he remembered the scene so vividly. He'd just come downstairs and saw Molly and Christian cleaning the kitchen. He'd refused breakfast and settled for water. Mitchel felt his stomach growl. When was the last time he'd eaten?

"Fuck," Mitchel mumbled to himself because what was he supposed to say? He'd quite literally just seen his life flash before his eyes, but this was different. He'd seen his future. But was it? What if it was all just a dream? What if all of the drugs he'd done had finally gotten to his head and that was the ending result?

Christian held a glass of water up to his lips.

"You passed out, mate," he replied. Mitchel took the glass from him and took a small sip as his stomach growled again.

"Actually, can you make me food?" He asked his best friend since he'd offered to do so before. Christian gave him an odd look before nodding and running his fingers through his braids. He'd forgotten they were there. He hadn't realized how much he missed the feeling of his hair tickling his ears and the sides of his face.

"Of course," Christian said to him. Slowly, he smiled.

"What?" Mitchel asked. He hadn't seen Christian look at him like that in ages.

"Just happy you're okay," he said. His smile grew a little wider and despite Molly being in the other room, he pressed a quick hard kiss on the skin next to his mouth. Mitchel's jaw dropped as he felt his heart flutter.

"What was that for? What about Molly?" He began but Christian waved him off, taking the glass from him and placing it on the coffee table next to him.

"Fuck Molly, Mitty. You matter more," he said to him. Mitchel raised his brows at the sentence but Christian stood and strode into the kitchen before he could say anything more.

Suddenly, he heard his cell phone chime. He slid his hand into his pocket to pull it out. Mitchel didn't realize how happy he'd be to see a message from his brother:

1:57 pm- Clinton: Yo I'm home do u wanna come get some food with me?

Mitchel sat up. He glanced out of the window to see Clinton's car sitting in the driveway. Another text came through.

1:57 am- Clinton: And we can get nuggs for Kras as a surprise

He slowly stood up after shooting a reply when Christian entered the room again.

"Hey, do you want the rest of that funky bacon Clinton got?" He asked him. Mitchel shook his head as he headed to the front door. He started to slip on his shoes as he told Christian where he was going.

"Hey," Christian said when Mitchel finished with his laces. He'd drawn close to him and lowered his voice.

"Don't tell anyone, but just so you know..." He stopped and peeked out of the window when Clinton honked his horn. The boy was so sassy sometimes. "I'm breaking up with Molly."

The words hit Mitchel like a truck and he was so surprised that he almost fell over again. That single sentence changed everything.

"But," Mitchel began. He tried to sound as neutral as possible. "But you love her and..." Christian shook his head.

"You loved Jordan," he said to him. He had a point but it was not the same. Their love lives were not even comparable. "I just wanted to tell you is all," he said after a while.

Sighing, Mitchel leaned into his friend and slipped his arms around him in a tight hug because even though he loved him and was happy from the news, he knew that it was going to be hard. "Good luck," he said to him quietly and then turned. He slipped out of the front door and ran over to Clinton's car.

Death had always seemed like a paradise to Mitchel and his brother, and while he still awaited for it, things seemed to be looking up after experiencing it. More than anything, he just wanted to spend more time with the people he loved.

"Could you be any slower, ya fuckin snail?" Clinton demanded when he slid into the car. Mitchel rolled his eyes and looked out of the passenger window, hiding his first genuine smile in a long, long time.