Damaged Goods

***Kellin’s P.O.V.***

It’s been a month since we’ve been back in San Diego and things were going oddly very smoothly. I was still living with Alan and Austin and Vic and Mike still had their place. Tony was still “visiting” but I think he should just go get all his stuff and move in with them. I didn’t mind him being around all the time, I actually quite enjoyed his company. He was very different now than he was at the asylum. That place really helped him out. Him and Mike were attached at the hip and everyone was wondering if they had something going on. No one was really sure because they were really secretive and they always spoke in hushed tones.

It kind of sucked not being with Vic all the time, but it wouldn't be healthy for us to go from broken up and hating each other to living with one another. We had a lot of sleepovers though, so that was fun. My phone started ringing signaling that I had a call, I knew it was from none other than Vic.

“Hello?”

“I’m outside babe.”

“Okay.” I replied, hanging up the phone.

I grabbed my jacket, yelled to Alan and Austin that I was gone. They were coming over later for dinner since Vic was cooking tonight. I took the many flights of stairs down to the front of the building where Vic’s car waited. I jogged to the car and opened it with a smile, smoothly sliding into the passenger seat. I couldn’t help the way my cheeks turned pink when I saw my love sitting next to me.

“Hi.” I said quietly.

“Hey babe.” He said, leaning over the consul to connect our lips.

It was around 7 and Vic just got off of work. I loved it when I saw him right after work, because he usually had messy hair and greasy clothes, making him look all tough and sexy.

"How was your day, love?" He asked, changing the gear of the car and pulling off.

I know it sounded like I simple question, but it made my stomach fill with butterflies. I just loved the fact that he cared enough to ask how my day was, and I could tell that he actually cared, and he used a pet name to top it off. I proceeded to tell him about my hard day working at the ice cream shop and how much my manager irked me. After I was done ranting, I asked him to tell me how his day went. He explained how his went pretty smoothly.

"What have you eaten today?"

"U-Um nothing." I stammered. "But I had a milkshake."

I felt like such a failure not being able to eat. Vic let out a disappointed sigh and I couldn't have felt more ashamed.

"I'm sorry." I mumbled.

Vic reached over and took my left hand into his right one.

"No big deal. I'm making tacos tonight anyways, so you need to save a lot of room for that." He chuckled.
_

We pulled up to the house and were walking to the front door. I always got nervous when I came over here because Mike would always make a big deal out of it and ask me why I’m in his house. He makes me feel like I shouldn't be there, so most of the time I just ask Vic to come over to the apartment. But I couldn't avoid their place forever just because of his bratty little brother. We walked through the door hand in hand and made our way to the living room, my plan was to just pass through so we could get upstairs, but Mike and Tony were in there.

"Hey guys." Vic said, greeting both of them.

He got a 'hey' from Tony and a "sup" from Mike. I said hi as well. I got a warm greeting from Tony, but from Mike I got nothing but attitude.

"Why did you bring him home?" Mike asked Vic, pointing over to me.

“Michael I-” Vic tried to say.

“Why the fuck are you so rude to me?” I interrupted.

Frankly, I was tired of his shit. I should be able to go over to my boyfriends house without getting bullied.

“Because you’re an asshole who manipulates the shit out of my brother.” He spat.

“The last t-thing I’m trying to do is manipulate him.” I said, kind of offended that he’d accuse me of being that type of person.

“Are you serious?” He said, getting up from his place on the couch.

“Mikey, sit down.” Tony said quietly, pulling on his arm a little.

He ignored Tony’s statement and continued to talk to me.

“You’ve been a horrible boyfriend to him. Every time you leave him, do you know who has to deal with the mess? Me!” He shouted.

“I never wanted to leave him, I didn't wanna h-hurt him. I thought he'd move on and be happier with s-someone else. I wanted better for him." I said, my voice quivering, tears threatening to fall.

"You've fucked up too many times."

"I'm a mental 16 year old. What else would you expect?" I said, raising my voice.

"That's a shitty excuse. The real reason is because you are not good enough for my brother." He yelled, pointing an accusing finger at me. "You never were, and you never will be."

Okay, that one hurt.

"Don't you think I know that already?" I screamed at him, letting tears spill over.

"Mike that's not true." Vic said.

"No Vic, it's true "I said to him before turning to Mike. "I know I'm not good enough for him, I tell myself that every damn day, but it isn't your job to remind me."

I couldn't take it anymore I needed to be out of there. I turned around and bolted to the door. I could hear Mike in the living room, yelling something along the lines of ‘you’re lucky I didn’t beat your ass.’

"Kells, come back." I heard Vic yell.

I didn’t listen of course, I ran out of the door and pulled out my phone, preparing myself to call Alan and Austin so they could come pick me up.

“Kellin.” Vic said again, catching up to me and pulling me in so that he was giving me a hug from behind. “You know what he said in there wasn’t true.” He whispered in my ear.

I shook my head and sighed.

“It is, I don’t deserve someone like you. You’re too good for me.”

“If only you could realize how perfect you are to me.” Vic sighed.

I turned around and looked him dead in his eyes.

“You know I’m not trying to manipulate you in any way, right?” I asked, hoping in my heart that he knew that.

“Of course baby. I know you wouldn’t purposely try to hurt me.” He said.

I quickly reached forward and enveloped him in a hug.

“I love you.” I said quietly.

“I love you too.”

-

***Mike’s P.O.V.***

Tony and I were outside in the backyard, sitting on the small patio. He was smoking and talking to me about everything that just went down.

“Now Vic is mad at me.” I complained, bringing my knees to my chest and pouting.

“You kind of deserve it. You were a total ass to Kellin.” Tony said before taking a drag.

There he goes, being all honest and straightforward, I wanted him to just take my side. Who cares if I’m right or wrong?

“Ugh.” I groaned.

Tony looked over to me and handed me the cigarette, I inhaled deeply and let the substance fill my lungs before exhaling.

“He’s just hurt my brother so much.” I muttered, handing him back the cigarette.

“Listen, I’ve known Kellin for a long time. He’s a good kid, he just has a lot of internal battles that he has to fight. He’s doing the best he can.” He said, putting his lips to the cigarette again.

“Now I feel like an ass.”

“That’s because you are one.” Tony laughed, nudging me in the side.

“Shut up.” I said, trying to conceal my smile.

“You know what you have to do now, right?”

“What?”

“You have to apologize.” he stated.

“Uggghhhhhh!” I groaned dramatically.

“You have to.”

“Or what?” I challenged.

“If you don’t, then you won’t get any more kisses from me.”

My jaw dropped and I looked at him in disbelief.

“Are you serious?” I asked.

“I’m not just serious, I’m dead ass serious.” He said, wiggling his eyebrows in a playfully serious manner.

“Fine.” I groaned. “I’ll say sorry.”