ROSES AND THORNS-BEING REAL

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX-MILAN & REALITY

MILAN'S P. O. V.

In the morning, I get discharged from the hospital and plan on mending my mistakes. Since I'm nervous, I ask Real to escort me to Troy and coach Maurice's, just appreciate her presence.

I get Troy a new car and it's even better than the one I broke, I at least I can do this much. I first go to coach Maurice's place with a bouquet and he's reluctant to listen and when I tell him about my mental health and he listens to me and forgives he. He later goes on to ask if I'll be going for practice on Thursday, but I tell what Khushi and said and he tells me that I'm free to join the team whenever.

When we arrive at Troy's place, I become anxious and just feel like giving up.

"Come on, Lan, you can do this."

"I won't take it if he tries to an ass." I say.

"You're much better than him." Real says.

"I don't wanna fuckin' get pissed by Troy."

REALITY'S P. O. V.

I still can't believe Milan has been fighting the demons of bipolar all on his own; he should've at least told me. I escort him to his coach's place and the Troy's. since Milan seems reluctant, I decide to help him talk to Troy.

I walk towards the front door and ring the door. A splash of red reflection catches my eye as soon as the door cracks open. It's Troy in his red shirt and grey sweat pants.

"Hi, this Troy?" I ask.

"Yeah, have we met before?" he asks looking at me from bottom to up; making me feel kind if uncomfortable. But I just hold my horses.

"Nah, but there's someone you've met before and wants to talk to you. Lan." I call Milan from the side and he comes forward living Troy and speechless. I leave them to talk and they seem to have set their differences aside and Lan tells me to hand the keys to Troy's new car and he seems pretty pleased and excited about it. he asks about my relationship with Milan and I tell him that I'm just a close personal friend. Milan apologizes to the public about his condition.

We reach Milan's place and I tell him that I need to pack my stuff and get going and also happens to be the same the time his parents are arriving. He insists telling me his parents might help me out and I tell him that I don't need any help.

"I'm really scared for you to be alone out there. Please?" he takes my hand in his warm grip and interlocks mine and his fingers.

I spill the beans to the Valencias with Milan's help of course and Alejandro seems to have had a clue from the beginning. They are understanding and tell me they'll help me with my case and let me stay for some time. When everybody else go to bed, I and Misha seat on the couch having a conversation.

"You see Real, when Milan was born, I had a lot of complications and the doctors said I wouldn't be able to conceive again, and I cried a lot because I always wanted a girl. But I knew one day, my son would give me the daughter I always desired." Misha then puts her palm on my cheek.

"You're just like I imagined her!" she says.

"That's why we let him do whatever he wants, we only have one child and we can't disappoint him. So, please don't leave him alone because you're everything to him. He might be a little sick but he'll come around some time." She says.

"How can I make him open to me more?"

"Darling, if I knew the answer to that then he and I would talk more." Misha says and she really does have a point.

"Right."

"He's always never been the one to talk much, even as a kid. Just wait for him; when he feels like it, he'll talk to you." Misha smiles as she holds my hand.

MILAN'S ROOM

Laying on Milan's bed and looking at the pretty white ceiling, mine and Lan's head leaning against each other; talking about life.

"Tell me about your ex." Milan says.

Shocked, I look at him and he does the same.

"Why him?" I curiously ask.

"He seems to be an interesting subject."

"You tell me about your ex first." I tell him.

Milan starts explaining the story of how he and Sasha met in New Jersey for some family vacation and how they were both bored with their families how they started dating at sixteen and how he asked her to the dance. It's just this perfect high school love story and I can't help but feel some kind of I don't know; jealousy, maybe.

"We started going out a lot and this year she just decided to go with Troy instead."

"Must be really frustrating." I tell him.

"I'm not mad though, I'm just happy I found you." He says putting his palm on my cheek and I smile.

"Tell me about yours." He says.

"Hell no." I tell him.

"You promised."

"No, please don't ask me to tell you." I tell him.

"Fine, I'll get it my way." He says with a devious smirk on his face.

"What do you-" Before I can continue, Milan gets up.

"No, I've never heard of a game called truth or dare, Real!" Milan shouts with his hands to his mouth to amplify the voice and for people to hear downstairs.

"What the hell?" I ask wide eyed as I poke his shoulder. Milan starts shaking the bed to make that awkward noise adults make in the bedroom.

"No, Real, what are you doing!" Milan shouts again and I'm losing it now, what will Misha think.

"Lan, stop."

"I'm just new to all this, don't do it!" Milan shouts again laughing.

"What's happening up there?!" Misha asks from the corridors.

"Lan, I'll tell you." I say as I hold Milan's mouth to stop him from creating a scene again. Milan removes my hand from his mouth.

"Nothing, I was just looking for my phone!" Milan replies to Misha who is kind of concerned.

"Should I come and help you out?" Misha asks.

"It's okay, I've found it. Real helped me out!" Milan replies.

I look at Milan and he starts laughing.

"You're a monster."

"More like someone who always gets what he wants." He says. He is right, he always gets what he wants. His guts are something else.

"I've just found out my mom's parent enough." He says.

"She thought we was fucking."

I and Lan both look at each and burst out laughing.

"Fine, his name's Ryan and we met online. He was a drug dealer. Also the reason I deleted Facebook."

"Damn." Milan says.

"I was kind of young and thought it was cool, I just wanted to run away from my crazy family and that was crazier. Playing M. I. A. with the cops and stuff; until I realized he was ruining me. made me believe taking drugs was the solution to everything until one day I just stopped. He was so obsessed with me and also possessive, but he had another girl. So I decided to set myself free and he let me go. Now all I want is to find Erica." I say.

"Forget about him, Real. And oh, about Erica, I have some information about her."

"Really? What kinda information!" I ask wide eyed.

"Tomorrow at ten she's gonna be holding a charity function in Beverly Hills near the museum. So you an meet her there." He says and I'm really thankful to him.

"Thank you." I say as I put my hand on his shoulders and pull him into a hug.

"You're the best, Lan."

"I know."

Monday morning, I and Misha seat on the dining table having breakfast.

"I'll go get the honey." Misha says as she leaves the table and Milan comes downstairs in his uniform; he looks awesome.

"You look amazing." I complement.

"And you look delicious." He says as he leans in to kiss me on my neck making it tickly and I giggle.

"Your mom's coming." I say upon seeing Misha on the other side heading this way with a bottle of honey.

"Let her come." He says as he moves away to seat on the chair next to mine.

"Seems someone's naughty early today." Misha remarks, gently putting the honey on the table and smiling.

"I'm eighteen." Milan says.

"And Real is?"

"It's just a number. Come on mom."

Sometime later Milan leaves and Alejandro starts interrogating me and around 10am, I set off for Beverly Hills where Erica is holding a charity function and I wait for her to finish and after that, I stand with the crowd and wait to get her attention by asking for an autograph. After a lot of struggles, I finally get to her.

"Autograph, please." I hold out a small pink diary and stretch out my hand to her. she starts writing, and just stops short to look at the small diary for a moment and then at me; wide eyed. Our mother's passport sized photo is on it.

"Can we talk?" I say looking at her.

Erica looks around and holds my hand and signs to the guards not to follow us and she takes me to the changeroom. She closes the door and locks it from the inside. She's grown, pretty and has mom's eyes and height, the same skin color only that Erica is more chocolate. She just looks like a goddess.

"Real, what are you doing here?!" Erica asks, almost shouting.

"I was looking for you."

"For God's sake, Real stop it. we're not even related!" she says and this just rips my heart.

"Of course we are, we share the same mother."

"Used to." Erica says.

"But we're sisters biologically and we can't change that, and you know that Biology is right, Heaven."

She suddenly lifts her head to look at me with her eyes wide open. Our mother always called her Heaven, it's the name she was given at birth.

"Don't call me by that name." she commands.

"Why not?"

"Because only she used to call me that." I can see the tears building up in her eyes.

"Are you crazy?"

"Yes, I am!" I shout.

"I'm tired of everyone calling me crazy for wanting to fight for my mom, so yes, I am crazy because I can't just seat and watch my mom's murderer roaming around freely."

"I'm really sorry, Real, but I'm a public figure, I can't let that ruin all. The world never knew her as my mom, so this is it. I'm right here." She says looking away.

I just feel like my heart has been ripped out. Where is the girl my mom gave birth to and was always concerned about. Mom told me she met her a lot of times, just not with me or my other siblings. I just thought she's my sister. I just hand her my number and leave; I don't care if she tears it or not.

Broken, I go home and I just stay in the room the Valencias gave me, I just cry my feelings out and afterwards, I both lunch and dinner and Milan then visits me.

He asks me if I met her and I explain the entire story to him. I just can't hide how I truly feel to him, so I just start crying all over agin.

"So what if she doesn't fuckin' care." Milan says as he wraps me into a hug.

"I care, okay and don't fuckin' care if she doesn't ."

"Bu-"

"Listen, Real." Milan says as he wipes my tears.

"I'll always be by your side no matter what and I'll never let you down."

This just makes me even more emotional that I just oull him into a hug. he is all I ever needed after all.

"What are you worried about, that you can't register at the supreme court, well I can." He looks serious.

"It's okay, Lan. I'll figure it out."

"No, it's not. You need to get justice for your mom." 

"I know, but please, you've already done a lot for me, so now it's better if you concentrate on your studies." I tell him.

"You sure you'll be okay?"

"As long as you're by my side." I tell him and he gets even closer and we kiss.