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[color=silver][indent][indent]Everything was so fucked.

Very. Very fucked.

It hadn’t even been twenty minutes since Mika left Anya and in those twenty minutes, on top of so much shit that was going through his head, Mika was drenched in a downpour. The storm had been on the horizon all fucking day and now it was here -- or at least, it was almost here. Mika wasn’t any meteorologist and he never will be, but even he could predict that soon enough, this would go from manageable to you-better-hope-you-have-good-home-insurance levels of wetness.

As he drove down Carlisle Avenue and went to the closest place that he could dry up at, Mika texted Ley he was stopping by. About five minutes after the fact, he stepped through the doors of the Gonzalez home as he unlocked it with the spare key he had, greeting the serpents that were standing guard. He didn’t live there full time, but he spent a good amount of time at the place he’d called home since he came to live in Edenridge. Soaked beyond belief, Mika took off his jacket, carried it with him upstairs and went straight for the bathroom. What he needed now was a shower. It had been bad enough that Danny thought he stank, but thanks to the rain, that only intensified.

During the time he spent in the shower, it wasn’t spent just trying to clean himself up. Truth be told, he finished that in the first half, yet the water kept running. Honest to the god that Mika seldom believed in or even acknowledged, he couldn’t stop thinking about his conversation with anya and what she had said about their brother. Hyde was watching him. Did that mean he knew he saw him go to Cece’s? Is that what Anya meant by ‘brother is watching’? He had to assume that was the case. Anya was concerned and Mika was terrified.

And then he told Anya he would protect Cece. What an idiot he was! Mika made such a declaration to Anya and he believed it. Of course, he meant it too, but that didn’t matter because he said it and now he had to make it happen. But what was he [i]actually[/i] going to do? Protect her how? Every time Hyde came within five meters of him, Mika receded back into the scared kid who just wanted acknowledgement from someone and Hyde fit that bill to a T. For a time, their relationship was something Mika cherished above all else. An older brother that didn’t treat him like trash and maybe the blood tie was a big part of it too. ReyRey had always been good to him, but during a time when Mika was most angry at the world and at the place he was thrown into, Cameron Hyde was the only person that made any sense to him.

But now? Now he presented a danger to everything he held dear. His family - both the one who took him in and the ones he was blood related to - were in danger. Cece was in danger. His Southside friends, if they got in the way (they were naturally nosey and protective, so if they thought Mika was in any danger, they would) were in danger. Everyone that Mika held close to his heart was in danger. How could he be so foolish? So careless?

[color=635687]“Because you’re an idiot. That’s why.”[/color] Looking at himself in the mirror, Mika wanted to punch. He wanted to break the mirror, make him see the fractured reflection of himself that he felt like, but he couldn’t. As shitty as he felt right now, he still had the respect for Momma G and her home to not ruin any of her property.

So he just got dressed and left the bathroom. The light was turned off and Mika found himself brushing shoulders with Ley as he walked past her. [color=635687]“Sorry. Bathroom’s all yours if ya want it.”[/color] Mika muttered in a low tone, not waiting for her to even respond. 

Aleyda, who had been enjoying some much-needed time alone after Big Rey and Lupe had taken Raf to a baseball game in Boston, felt her heart jump up to her throat at the sound of the front door of her parents’ house opening and closing followed by footsteps going up the stairs. She’d had her hand poised on the pistol she kept in her nightstand drawer, body tensed up and ready to feed the intruder some bullets, before she remembered Mikhail’s warning message from five minutes before. Letting out a sigh of relief, Ley closed the drawer back up and waited for her brother to get out of the bathroom so she could strike up some conversation with him. However, instead of greeting her or even acknlowedlging her, Mika brushed her shoulder, [i]apologized for hogging the bathroom[/i] and walked away before she could even speak. In fact, he was already on his way downstairs when he heard the faint volume of her voice.

[color=8F2E62]“Did you just say you were [i]sorry[/i]?”[/color] Ley repeated incredulously, staring at Mika’s figure as it retreated down the stairs of the family home. She chased after him and leaned over the banister to continue the conversation whether her brother wanted to or not. [color=8F2E62]“Did you fall and hit your head on something? Are you feeling okay?”[/color]

Mika made it as far as the kitchen. Despite all of his thoughts and what was plaguing him currently, that didn’t affect his walking speed. By the time Ley caught up with him, he was in the process of popping off the cap of a Modelo (the only brand of beer Big Rey seemed to buy). As Ley spoke, he almost chuckled. [color=635687]“...Or something,”[/color] he remarked, remembering the exact moment he fell face-first on Cece’s floor. Probably another reason why he felt like he was getting the worst migraine in his entire twenty years of living. [color=635687]“Why do you ask? Do I not seem fine?”[/color] He brushed off most of her concern as he took a large sip as he leaned his back against the counter.

Aleyda, who had raced down the stairs and reached the kitchen in record time (chasing after a very energetic two year-old was reaping its benefits), raised her signature defiant eyebrow in his direction. [color=8F2E62]“Because in the twenty years that I’ve known you and the six years I’ve lived with you, you have [i]never[/i] apologized for something like hogging up the bathroom before. The only times you ever apologize is when you fuck up something beyond belief,”[/color] the brunette declared in her usual blunt demeanor. Her words weren’t coming from a place of malice or with ill intentions-- she was just stating the facts. [color=8F2E62]“So how about we cut the small talk and get straight to it like we always do. Tell me what’s bothering you, Mika.”[/color]

Looking at Ley, Mika tried to not let it slip past his eyes that she was right. He never did apologize and he certainly didn’t even remember he did. Probably one of those out-of-body scenarios where he said it but didn’t realize he did. It made sense because, again Ley was right and he wasn’t acting like himself. He sure as hell didn’t feel like himself. It seemed like everything in his life was piling up on top of each other and no amount of time spent in the shower reflecting on it, avoiding talking about it, and even drinking some crappy beer could change the fact that Mika was struggling and he needed to talk to somebody.

But the things he needed to talk about without feeling judged, he couldn’t say them to Ley.

But she was the only person here. 

With a series of fast gulps, Mika finished the beer and set the empty bottle on the counter.  [color=635687]“You mean aside from the fact that I was drenched in the heavy downpour outside?”[/color] There he went trying to avoid it again. [color=635687]“Got kinda soaked out there, which ruined my plan to stay dry.”[/color]

[color=8F2E62]“Don’t try to downplay or change the subject! We both know that doesn’t work on me,”[/color] Aleyda reminded her brother in a sharp tone as she took to standing in front of him and staring him down-- a hint of her old, fearless personality shining though. The members of the Gonzalez family were stubborn in nature: once they were onto something, they wouldn’t back down until they saw it through. She also knew that the deeper Mika sunk her feet onto the ground when refusing to speak about a subject, the more the topic bothered him. [color=8F2E62]“You don’t just walk in here making a beeline for the fridge and chugging a Modelo down as if you've been thirsty for years and tell me it's because a few raindrops fell on your clothes. Something is bothering you, and you know I'll smack whatever it is out of you if you don't stop playing games with me and let me help you."[/color]

God, he hated when she was right. He hated when she could read him like a book that had the assistance of a narrator telling her everything. Mika couldn’t hide anything from her. Not when he was seeing Natalia, not when he was dating Cece in secret. It wasn’t always a bad thing that she was so perceptive. Growing up on the southside, you had to be alert to bullshit. That was one of Ley’s superpowers that were usually working [i]for[/i]. Well, not this time. She was using her powers for evil and Mika stood no chance against them.

Frustrated beyond more than what was happening right now, Mika sighed out, drawing the anticipation mostly because he didn’t know how to address it. Telling her what was bothering him never had been an issue for Mika, but this specific thing, especially with Hyde, that he couldn’t admit to no matter what. He had to make sure of it, but there was a lot more. [color=635687]“Fine, you’re right - as always - there [i]is[/i] something going on.”[/color] That felt like venom from the Viper in front of him coming out of his mouth. [color=635687]“You know about these new letters making waves? The ones talking about David O’Hara?”[/color]

[color=8F2E62]“Yeeeeeaaaaah?”[/color] the woman said slowly, leaning against the kitchen counter with a hand on her hip.

[color=635687]“The letters were written by someone.”[/color] As he spoke, he could feel his stomach already start to twist. [color=635687]“Someone who was close to David, but not just…close. They loved him. Not in some crush way, but they loved him with all their heart. And because of some misunderstanding, his reputation was ruined. Called him a pedo, child-diddler. He made a mistake, sure, and he wasn’t perfect-- but to drive him to his own death? They drag his name through the mud and now it’s happening to a person who doesn’t deserve it. All she did was love a guy who was a few years older. She wrote letters and now they’re being used against her. Being sent to people in town. And for what?”[/color]

Mika was angry and visibly so. He hated this so much. Hated that someone was going after Cece and they didn’t know who it was. Didn’t know who was doing this not just to her, but to David’s parents and Mika’s uncle and aunt. They were doing this to them and he couldn’t do a damn thing to help because this was all a big secret. Of course, not without reason. Hyde always presented a danger. Even now. 

Aleyda pursed her lips together into a tight line. It was obvious that the letter situation was having a big impact on her brother-- although the reason why it could be was escaping her. As far as she knew, Mika had never been close to David O’Hara. They hadn’t run in the same social circles, they hadn’t played on the team at the same time, and she couldn’t think of any way in which the two could have shared any interactions meaningful enough to get him so fired up about the subject. The logical explanation, of course, was that the author of the letter in question was the actual root of his concern. When Ley thought about the women in Mika’s life who could fit the profile he was describing and who could elicit this type of reaction from him, she came up with only two names: Natalia Belmonte and Caitlin Cleary.

[color=8F2E62]“I’m assuming the girl who wrote the letters is someone you care about?”[/color] the brunette inquired, her demeanor beginning to soften with concern for Mika. Maybe her question would help persuade him to reveal the girl’s identity so she could give the advice that was most fitting for each scenario.

[color=635687][i]Yeah, you could say that.[/i][/color]

Mika didn’t think it would be this difficult, but then again, he was never that great at expressing himself in a way that made him vulnerable. Only two people in his life ever got to see that side of him: his mother and Cece. For all the bickering that happened between them, Mika always felt comfortable when talking to Aleyda. He never had an older sister until he was adopted into the Gonzalez family. He trusted her with more about himself than he did with anyone. Even Rey Rey, for as important of a person to him as he was, didn’t see certain sides of Mika.

But Ley was different. She knew about him and Caitlin. She had always known, but she didn’t know [i]this[/i]. Nobody but him and Danny knew.

[color=635687]“You’ve always been more aware of things than I have been, Ley.”[/color] Mika said that with a smile. [color=635687]“It’s an annoying habit of yours. Even now, you could see through my bullshit. So I’m sure you have a good idea about who the writer of these letters are. I mean, you’ve read them: they don’t sound like Natalia, do they?”[/color] Mika chuckled, while Aleyda’s mouth broke into a little smile as she shook her head. Natalia could be soft when she wanted to be, but not [i]that[/i] soft. [color=635687]“I kind of wish it were Natalia. I think she’d be able to handle herself better, but Cece? She doesn’t deserve any of this.”[/color] He felt himself seeing red the more he thought about what this was doing to her. [color=635687]“So you’re absolutely right. Cece is someone I care about. Someone I have [i]always[/i] cared about and neither she nor the O’Hara’s deserve this being dredged up again. It was bad enough that this town turned their back on David in the first place.”[/color] Mika gripped the countertop as hard as he could, absentmindedly not realizing that he was gripping it with enough force to partially crack it.

[color=8F2E62][i]No wonder he was taking things so seriously…[/i][/color]

From the very first time Aleyda had become aware of Caitlin’s role in Mika’s world, she had witnessed how the redhead’s presence had been a positive influence in her brother’s life. Sometime after March of 2018, Ley had noticed Mika’s demeanor starting to change. He continued to be the same little shit he always was, but he seemed more chipper than usual, easier to get along with, and sporting a smile more frequently. On his birthday, Ley remembered him coming home later than what he’d agreed on with her parents-- but even with Lupe and Big Rey fussing at him and being annoyed about it, the biggest, brightest, dumbest grin plastered on the boy’s face never faltered. Later that night, after some poking and prodding from her, the Zima boy had coyly admitted that he’d spent his time with a girl he'd really, [i]really[/i] liked for some time now.

That summer, she’d met the girl by accident when Mika tried to sneak her into the house thinking nobody was home. The short, shy, unassuming redhead with jewel-colored eyes and small freckles on her face immediately blushed scarlet at being caught in a compromising position, hiding behind Mika’s taller frame while Ley snickered at her visible annoyance in her younger brother’s face. The Mexican girl had recognized her instantly as Caitlin Cleary: one of her former underclassmen cheerleading teammates. After reassuring them that their secret was safe, she earned their trust, and they continued to cross paths throughout the length of the liaison. And the more she witnessed glimpses of the interactions between Mika and Caitlin, she knew that what they shared was a tender, genuine, caring kind of love… A love she could only dream of experiencing herself.

Caitlin was a kind girl with a caring soul and a huge heart that had brought so much joy to Mika during their time together. He was absolutely right: she definitely didn’t deserve for anyone to bring this kind of anguish to her life. 

[color=8F2E62]"Okay, so Cece was in love and probably dating David O'Hara at some point,”[/color] the dark-haired woman mused aloud, going over what Mika had just disclosed and matching it to the contents of the letter she’d tossed hours before, what the rumor of the mill was and what she knew about Cece’s current situation. [color=8F2E62]“How is that even relevant to anything happening right now? David’s been dead for years.”[/color] A possible motive suddenly came to her in the form of social media posts the redhead had been consistently tagged in for weeks now. [color=8F2E62]“Do you think it’s ‘cause she’s dating the doctor’s son or something?”[/color]

[color=635687]“I don’t know…”[/color] Mika fell silent as he looked down at the ground, clearly having multiple things run through his mind all at the same time.

In any normal circumstance, Mika’s reaction at even thinking about Niles SInclair would be a nasty one. All for the wrong reasons, of course. Mika interjected himself back into Cece’s life last month and all because why? He just wanted to be back in her life. Didn’t matter how much he hurt her in the past or how much he was hurting her in the present. And then there was the matter of him making things worse by saying some pretty hurtful things. Definitely not Mika’s finest hour. But that didn’t change that Mika never did like Niles. 

Mika had to learn to not feel bothered that Sinclair was her boyfriend now. He had to make his peace with that. He was in a good place with Cece, but at the same time, maybe it was [i]too[/i] good of a place. The more he thought about Niles and Cece together, the more it made him sick to his stomach. Again, for all the wrong reasons. He came pretty close to crossing a line he shouldn’t have thought about crossing, but with the letters and now David being involved and how Cece spoke about him and then what she elaborated on about their relationship.

Mika was overwhelmed with thoughts he couldn’t explain. About Cece. About David. About Coach. Everything that seemed to happen in the past twelve hours alone, it was too much. And Mika felt like he was nearing some kind of breaking point. [color=635687]“I don’t know if Sinclair has anything to do with this. Maybe or maybe it’s not even about him. What I do know is you’re wrong about David. But it’s relevant. [i]He[/i] is relevant. He’s relevant to Cece, to the letter she wrote to him that’s being used against her, and he’s relevant to me.”[/color] As he spoke, Mika could feel it - the control of his emotions - slipping and  he wasn’t able to do anything about it. He was past a point of trying to hide it. Everything that he had to experience today, everything that he found out: the extent of Cece’s relationship with David, Danny, Coach, Anya explaining that Hyde is watching him. He just couldn’t take it anymore. 

Aleyda could tell that Mika was succumbing to whatever weight was crushing his shoulders. His posture, his death grip on the countertop, the way he was avoiding eye contact… Losing control of his emotions like this wasn’t something he did often-- only when he was under extreme distress, like after his breakup with Caitlin. [color=8F2E62]"Hey, hey, calm down,”[/color] she mumbled softly, gently prying his grasp away from the counter, gripping him by the shoulders and slowly guiding him into a seating position on the kitchen floor. Once he was safely resting against the cabinets, Ley sat beside him and wrapped a comforting arm around his shoulders and pulled him closer. [color=8F2E62]“Why do you say David is relevant to you and Cece both, Mika? Did something happen between the two of you, like a fight or something?”[/color]

When Mika sank to the kitchen floor, his knees stayed up. Even as his sister gently placed her arm around her, which he barely acknowledged, Mika sunk his head between his knees. His forearms rested on both kneecaps. His heart was beating so fast that his lungs could barely keep him. Mika’s emotions had gotten to the point where he was taking very short breaths, like was in the middle of a half-panic, half-anxiety attack. His head felt clouded with so many thoughts that he couldn’t think straight.

And then Ley did what Ley always did. What she did that late August night after Mika broke Cece’s heart into a million pieces: in that rare gentle way that she had about her, she asked him what was wrong. What she could do to help. Mika always felt like he could be honest with Aleyda. There was so much he bottled up, so much that he compartmentalized so what just happened didn’t happen every day. He made sure to bottle everything up and hope for the best, but with Ley, she never let him get away with that. She was truly a viper. Just as deadly her words could be sometimes, her ability to get what she wanted was unmatched. It didn’t matter if it was their sibling bickering or if it was truly being there for Mika when nobody else could (not in the way Ley knew how to).

He brought his head up, bringing his gaze to hers. His eyes were watery, puffy and showed clear signs that his emotional state was truly at its lowest. [color=635687]“No…we didn’t have a fight. Not even close.. Well, not me and Cece.”[/color] His thoughts were all jumbled. [color=635687]“Danny was there, but that’s not important. It’s…not relevant.”[/color] Doing what she told him to, Mika tried to calm down. He took in as deep of a breath as he could. But as he did, knowing full well what he was about to say, Mika’s chest tightened and again he was on the verge of worsening the breakdown he was in the process. [color=635687]“David, he…”[/color] God, why was it so difficult for Mika to actually say it? [color=635687]“Ley, David’s not just Coach O’Hara’s son.”[/color]

[color=8F2E62]"What do you mean?"[/color] the woman inquired, curiosity melting together with the concern she felt for Mika. What was he saying? Did he mean David wasn't Coach's son or something? Had he found out Lizzie had an affair with someone else who was David’s true father? The young man's words only brought up more questions than answers.

In his chest, Mika felt his heart get to a point where it just wouldn’t let him speak, but he had to. [color=635687]“I know you know my father -- birth father, I mean. He’s a bastard and not worthy of being called father. But I never told you about my mother. Her name is Mary-Anne. She’s a lot like you. Fiery, temperamental, firm, but the only other person who I feel the safest with.”[/color] Thinking about his mom, regardless how close she actually was, always made Mika smile. And this was the first time he actually did smile. [color=635687]“But, my mom…she’s from Edenridge. She’s John O’Hara’s younger sister.”[/color] As he spoke, Mika looked at Ley’s face, at what she was thinking when he said those words. It was like a weight lifted off his shoulders. Ley is honest to god the only person he has told this secret to. He may have told Boa about his mother, but he hasn’t told [i]anyone[/i] about his O’Hara connection until now. And honestly? It felt good to finally get it off his chest.

[color=8F2E62]"Oh shit…"[/color] Aleyda cursed under her breath as every piece of the puzzle fell into place. John O'Hara was Mary-Anne Zima's older brother. Mary-Anne Zima was Mika's mother. John O'Hara was David's father. David and Mika were cousins. David had passed away under tragic circumstances after being accused of messing around with a younger girl, with all signs pointing to it being his secret girlfriend at the time: Caitlin. Mika and Caitlin later became secret lovers, with him eventually breaking things up after over two years together. Now someone was using the letters Cece wrote to David against her, hurting both her and Mika in the process.

Christ. That was a lot.

[color=8F2E62]"Oh Mika, I am so sorry…"[/color] Aleyda said, wrapping her other arm around Mika and pulling him into a tight hug, kissing the top of his head for good measure. She couldn't even begin to imagine how hard it must have been for Mika to have kept this secret for as long as he did. She still had plenty of questions to ask, but they could be answered at a later time. Her priority now was to ensure her brother felt comforted and safe.

Mika leaned into the half-embrace Aleyda offered him. As he did, he felt a strange sensation overtake him. Like an oddly familiar feeling of warmth emanating from his adoptive sister. The same kind of energy he could vividly remember his mother gave off. Especially after [i]that[/i] day that set the plans into motion for him to be shipped off to Edenridge in the summer of 2016. He was in a similar state of disarray and had a difficulty controlling his emotions. He was just fourteen at the time and felt the volatile anger that he had been all around his life, the anguish from Veronika’s death still ever-present, and all he could do was scream, wail, and express a confusion that made his ire even worse. But his mother always had that magic touch. She didn’t have to say much. Just being there for him.

That’s what he felt right now with Aleyda.

And in that warmth, in this new safety he found himself in, minutes passed. Mika remained so uncharacteristically quiet. It was a mixture of him not knowing what else to say. Both emotionally exhausted from holding everything in and physically exhausted from the weight of all the stress he had been under as of late, Mika didn’t have the energy to spare for words that felt meaningless at the moment. Yet, in his drained state, he did have the smallest amount of mental energy and he thought about Cece. 

He had just poured his heart out to his sister about David and he still thought about Cece. And of course he couldn’t think about Cece without thinking about today. It wasn’t re-triggering his stress, but the fact remained that today and everything that happened, it was for a reason.  Going to see her, having that intense encounter with Danny, Anya bluntly stating that Hyde was watching. After everything, Mika understood what was happening and what had to be done. His eyes were focused and he could see what he needed to do. 

For five minutes, Mika was quiet but no longer. He politely (or as politely as he could) pulled himself out of his sister’s embrace, stood up and helped her do the same. [color=635687]“Ley, thank you. I mean it. Thank you for being the best older sister. I…”[/color] Mika was never great at this sort of thing, but he had to be, especially for what he knew he was gonna have to do. [color=635687]“You’re the heart and soul of this family and I mean that.”[/color] He smiled at her.

Aleyda offered the young man her brightest of smiles. While she and Mika bickered like nobody’s business, the times that they showed affection, compassion and kindness to one another were genuine and straight from their hearts. With the rough times she’d been having in her personal life and her struggles with depression and self-worth, hearing her brother’s words lifted her own spirits in ways he probably didn't imagine. [color=8F2E62]"[i]Te amo, mi amor[/i],"[/color] the brunette said to Mika, standing up on the tip of her toes to kiss his cheek. [color=8F2E62]"]I told you when you first came to this family that I'd have your back no matter what-- and I meant that. So thank you for trusting me, Mika. I hope I was able to help you in any way."[/color] After a brief silence, Ley added, [color=8F2E62]"And don't forget that you're a good man, Mika. A strong one, at that. You'll get through this with your head held high like us Gonzalez do. Trust me."[/color]

He took in a deep breath, walking forward a couple of paces. [color=635687]“There’s something I have to do. Somewhere I have to go. I might not be back tonight.”[/color]

[color=8F2E62]"[i]Something[/i] you have to do? Or do you mean [i]someone[/i] you have to go do?"[/color] his sister teased with a smirk, knowing exactly where and with who Mika would be.

And just like that, things were back to normal. As they should be.

[color=635687]“Yeah yeah…”[/color] Mika shook his head and rolled his eyes. He half-chuckled. He’d say she was too observant for her own good, but it wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out where he was heading. Frankly, Mika didn’t want to hide it. This was something he had to do and, as much as he knew it was probably a bad idea, given how much worse it got outside, this was a chance Mika had to take. It wasn’t that long of a drive and thankfully, Mika still had the code for the gate that surrounded Scott Street.

As he looked back at his sister, he just smiled. [color=635687]“Yeah, so do me a favor. If anyone asks, tell them I went to my apartment at Lost Souls. And especially if R2 or Pops asks, tell em I’m safe in that shithole of an apartment.”[/color]

Aleyda smiled at her brother, nodded and gave him a thumbs up [color=8F2E62]“I got you, Badger. Just make sure you’re both safe and stay warm.”[/color]

Mika gave one last smile and a nod for good measure to Aleyda, grabbing his wallet and keys, rushing out the door, into his truck, and hopping inside. He didn’t move yet, but he saw just how much worse it was. Assuming he was the only idiot out on the road in this mess, Mika figured he could make it in twenty minutes tops before it would get down to the wire. Somewhere deep down, he knew the smart idea would be to stay at the Gonzalez’ house or just go to his apartment. Or hell, go to his mom. 

But he couldn’t. Or to be more accurate, he [i]wouldn’t[/i]. This was something Mika had to do.

So he drove, his gray Tacoma driving off into the rain, windshield wipers moving rapidly. Mikhail… Zima was en route to Scott Street and the clock was ticking.[/indent][/indent][/color]