Numbers.

*Oli's P.O.V*

The drive to the small diner was rather silent and a bit too awkward for me. I really didn't even want to go, but I'd do anything to please him. Anything for me not to get punched in the face, was my assumed reason. I still had a yellowing bruise from last week clearly displayed on my cheek, but Mike knew just what he was doing. He had told his friends that I had an iron deficiency. Which was complete and utter bullshit. I wasn't sure if I wanted to be saved or not, but regardless, he'd never allow it. Every time I'd ran away, he always found me. Every. Single. Time. And it was inevitable that it would happen again. So I stopped trying.

"We're here." He states, turning over to look at me, eyebrows raised behind his sunglasses. "You promised you'd behave, remember?"

I fought the urge to sigh and roll my eyes, and luckily I didn't. Mike hated when I had an attitude towards him and I'd end up getting fucking slapped. "I wasn't planning on breaking it, babe."

I don't know what the FUCK sort of point he was trying to make by saying that I needed to behave, since every time we went out, his hand was gripped tightly in mine and there wasn't an inch of space between us. Not like I minded being close to someone I loved, it was just a little too over the top for me. His older brother had even started to notice the little things. How I always wore a sweatshirt, regardless the temperature. Or how Mike and I were always touching one way or another. Vic was getting suspicious. It worried me. Not like I had a decent reason, though. We covered our tracks well. But this time, I wasn't wearing a sweatshirt. I had a tank-top on, and I wasn't sure if Mike realized that I would be showing off every scar, bruise or cut that plagued my arms. Not like anyone would say anything. Our lies were to convincing.

"Good," Mike replies, leaning over the armrest to press a kiss to my cheek. "That's looking pretty dark." He says after pulling away, poking at the space on my neck he had leeched off of an hour or so ago.

"Too dark?" I ask, a worried tone accidentally taking my voice. I didn't need Mike's brother and friends knowing what kind of shit we did together behind closed doors. It was our business, not theirs. They'd never let us hear the end of it if they knew.

"Just say it's part of your iron thing." Mike shrugs, getting out of the car, motioning for me to follow.

The thing was, this bloody idiot didn't realize that my 'iron deficiency' was a lie he had made up a few lunches ago. It was after my sleeve had accidentally rolled up a bit, and Tony had pointed out that I had a huge, cranberry colored bruise on my wrist after they had asked about the bruise on my cheek. Mike was quick, and thought of a decent cover-up immediately.

Getting out of the car, it was just my first nature to walk over to my equally lanky boyfriend and wrap my fingers around his, and a smirk finds it's way onto his lips. The cocky bastard. He and I both knew that if I wasn't in a six foot radius of him at all times, there would be major consequences. I don't know what he was so insecure about, he knows I'd never be able to leave him.

He holds the door open for me, (something he did quite often.) and I walked in, feeling him smack my ass just the slightest, as I knew he would. If I could sigh, I would, undoubtedly.

Walking through the stuffy restaurant, we finally find the group of the other three Mexicans, with someone else tagged along. Mike's grip tightened on my hand. He knew neither Vic, Tony or Jaime would ever dare make a move on me. I silently hoped that they had filled the new guy in. Not like he would want to hit on me anyway. I don't even know why Mike finds me so attractive. I'm disgusting, that's what I am. The boy sitting in front of me however, was one of the most attractive people I'd ever seen. He was laughing now, revealing bright, sparkling white teeth and a laugh that sounded better than anything I'd ever heard. I tried my best not to blush.

"Hello," Vic smiles happily, dragging out the 'O' and sounding like he was about five years old.

"Hey, bro." Mike smiles right back, giving my hand a light squeeze, signaling for me to do the same.

"Hey guys." I fake a smile, biting my tongue harshly behind my lips. I really don't want to be here.

We finally sit down, and I'm practically pulled onto Mike's lap, also not a rare occurrence in our relationship. Our thighs were pushed up against each other tightly, and there wasn't a single gap of space between the two 'lovebirds'.

"Nice to see you again, Josh." Mike says, giving a fake smile to the brown-haired boy across from us. Vic and I both must have caught the bit of tension, because our eyes met. His were filled with concern. I gave him a small smile and a curt nod to signal that his little brother was okay, and just being irrational again. He responded back with an eye roll and smirk. He only knew the half of how overprotective his brother could actually be.

"Likewise." The beautiful boy named Josh replies, sending my stomach into a tizzy of different emotions.

Finally, a small blonde waitress walks over over my face turns the color of blood. Her name-tag reads, 'Jenna'. That was a pretty name.

"Hello," She says in a thick Australian accent. Wasn't expecting that. "What can I get you guys?"

I had zoned off, not really listening or caring about what the others got. Mike always ordered for me. I got a water and that was all. I planned to keep it that way. Sure, we got strange looks all the time but it's not like we cared. I needed to remain at least a little bit skinny.

'Little bit? I was thinking that you could audition for My 600 Pound Life, sound good?' The voice in the back of my head giggles, causing a blush to form on my cheeks.

"So, Mike. Why don't you introduce me to your friend?" Josh says, eyes not once leaving mine. I practically fainted. I think that Mike felt that way, too. Except his was out of
anger, not embarrassment.

"Boyfriend," Mike corrects impatiently, tapping the table lightly with his fingertips. "Josh, this is Oli Sykes, Oli this is Josh Franceschi."

"Nice to meet you." Josh smiles warmly, and I actually do the same. A perfect name to match a perfect face.

"Same here."

Same here?! SAME HERE? What kind of fucking response was that?

'Maybe a fucking logical one?' The voice of reason in my head finally chimes in. At least it attempted to counter the bad voice, sometimes.

Yeah, maybe. I don't know, it probably was for the best that I didn't go crazy and fangirl over my boyfriend's friends. He'd end me. More likely, end any chance of me getting another guy to even look at me. He's locked me in the closet for two days before, and it made me wonder how far he would be willing to go. Don't worry though. Those couple of days never bothered me. They were my fat days, and I needed to cut down on meals anyway.

'Damn right you do.'

I mentally sigh.

"Mama's in the hospital." Vic blurts out, nervously looking over to Tony who gives him a small comforting smile. Tony really is the best.

"What?" Mike asks, a sharp tone to his voice. Oh, for fuck's sake. Don't tell me he was going to have a meltdown in the middle of this goddamn restaurant. Yes, he could be upset but that didn't mean he needed to cuss everyone out before dragging me back to the car and to the nearest bar.

"Nothing fatal," Vic says quietly, looking down at his hands. "Papa didn't tell me what happened."

"So, is there more to this story?" Mike asks harshly, and I began to wonder if he really was heartless.

"Yes," Tony speaks up, an angry tone taking his normally fragile and easy-flowing voice. "We're flying down to see her whether you fucking like it or not."

Mike's grip tightens around my hand and I practically gasped at the sudden pain. His eyes flash and his jaw clenches, and looking like he wanted to rip Tony's lungs out. I'd never let that happen. Never ever, especially not to Tony. Mike wouldn't lay a fucking finger on him.

"Mike, this is your mother we're talking about..." Josh chimes in quietly, trailing off and glancing to Tony, who looked like he was about to jump out of his seat. Mike pulls his hand out of mine, and for a split second I thought that he might throw a punch.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Tony says, venom in his voice, and his tone is really beginning to terrify me. No, Oli...No panic attacks here.

'Aw, is the little emo fag upset?'

I'd better not start shaking or crying. Regretfully, I settle on picking at my nails, and pulling on the skin and cuticle around them. This was a new form of self harm for me. At least it brought some pain to counter out the tension in my heart.

"Tony," Jaime says under his breath, reaching up onto the table and winding his fingers around the other boy's. "Calm down."

Tony takes a deep breath and does a small nod. "Right, right." He murmurs, looking over to his best friend. "I'm sorry." Jaime only smiles and then his eyes flash to Mike, his eyes showing nothing but disappointment.

'No one will ever care for you like that.'

"She'd really like to see us, Mikey." Jaime says quietly, eyes begging with my boyfriend for at least a bit of mercy.

Mike sighs, expression softening as he reaches up to scratch the back of his neck. "Its not that," He replies, looking over to me, smiling reassuringly. "He can't be alone."

My stomach tightens as I rip my gaze away from his and look wide-eyed at the other table members who were just staring at us with curious expressions.

"Why not?" Tony asks, calming down in a flat two seconds and giving me a loving look. Oh, Turtle...don't get mixed up in this. I'm begging you.

"Should I tell them, or...?" Mike asks me, a sympathetic smile playing at his lips. Fuck Mike, like they even needed to know. I didn't give a shit that all of us were practically brothers. Some things were really just better left unsaid. And I had just met Josh, did I really want to ruin things this quickly? What am I saying? I had already ruined any potential friendship with my awkward silence, and fear of people. Especially the attractive ones, it seems.

'You'll never be anything near as perfect as them.'

"I...I..." The words won't come out, I stumble over them. I didn't know what I wanted to happen. I want to leave, for sure. I wanted to die, for sure. Death was the only thing I could rely on these days.

"Oli, its okay." Vic smiles softly, looking over to Tony and Jaime who both smile at me and nod. "Nothing could make us love you any less." I feel a heavy surge of emotion build up inside me. No, no no. Don't cry here. Anywhere but here. Please!

"I..n-no, you'll th-think I'm coward and I..I a-am but I-" I stop as I realize that tears had began to roll down my cheeks as I attempted to speak.

'Weak!' The voice in my head cackles, causing me to break completely. Because in reality, it was entirely right.

Without thinking, I turned to my right and threw my arms around Mike and buried my face into his chest, sobbing into it.

He immediately wraps his lanky arms around me and rests his chin on top of my head, giving it a kiss. Gentle fingertips begin to trace circles on my back and it sort of calms me down a bit.

"I'm afraid that he'll try to commit suicide again." He admits awkwardly, and I figure he must be biting his lip and staring down at me.

'It was a bummer that you didn't succeed the first time. All you do is fail.'