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»Michael«

"She told me to meet her there,
I can't afford the bus fare."

I wheeled my sad excuse for a bike out of the garage. The blue paint was flaking off and rust overwhelmed the small frame. I pushed off the ground, carelessly throwing my right leg over the frame.

The bike creaked and moaned at the weight upon it, it really was falling apart. I remember when my Dad brandished the bike to me - brand new. It was my fifth birthday, the bike was all shiny and new. The sun glinted off of it's perfect blue coat of paint.

I remember how happy I felt that day, it was just like the day I had my first slice of pizza. The happiness was a euphoric feeling that never died when I rode my bike. The same thing I felt eating pizza.

I pedaled on, pushing my legs forward. The rough texture of the road made it hard to ride my one gear bike. I kept in mind who I was going to see and it kept me going.

The fresh breeze was everywhere, I wasn't much of a morning person - when I did decide to get out of bed I always loved the smell of the dew on the grass. I looked down at my watch, I was going to be late if I didn't pedal faster.

I swerved in and out of the traffic, I was faster than them for the moment. I needed to get to where I was going. From an outside view it would look strange to others. A now platinum blonde boy (who looked like he hated exercise) dressed in black, pedaling for his life down the main street.

The scenery changed quickly - the clean (inhabited) built up area developed into a mass of nature with only the hint of human existence. A soda can here or an empty bag of Doritos there, made it slightly messy.

But the long grass hid most of the evidence. It would be a good place to murder someone, I laughed to myself - pushing the bad thought out of my head.

The river cut through the land, like a trickle of chocolate through the green lands of Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. The brown river lay ahead of me, a rest on my eyes from the incandescent green of the overgrown grass.

It whipped at my legs and struck the chain of my bike. I was moving at too fast of a pace for it to get caught and slow me down. I reached the edge of the bank and dumped my bike on the ground. I stood amidst the tall grass - my eyes scanned over the area to see a dark motorbike under a tree.

I smirked knowingly.

I stalked my way over, my eyes raked over the Kawasaki ninja, I loved that model. So did Ashlee - no wonder she brought it. She brought it despite her brother, he says not to do something and she does it anyway.

Sort of like being friends with me. Ashton told her not to - because I said something to him a long time ago - but she went ahead and hung out with me anyway. She went ahead and stole my heart. I liked that about her, she has this thing where she doesn't care what other people think about her. Not in the bitchy way. Just in the way that she doesn't let other people's opinions of her get her down.

A rope ladder dropped in front of my face. I head laughing above me. Ashlee. I began to climb the ladder, looking up as I climbed. The wood hard and strong in my grasp and under my feet. A wooden structure emerging from the deep shade of the leaves. Every rung on this ladder brought back a different memory of us joking around and growing up.

6, when we both found out who Nirvana was on the radio. 8, when Ashlee fell from the tree house and broke her leg. 9, when I discovered hair dye and accidentally died it a sickly green and brown colour. 11, when I used all my life's savings for a Blink concert with Ashlee.

14, when we had our first kiss - after a dangerous game of truth or dare, we ended up playing chicken. Neither of us backed out. 16, after a big fight with her (now) ex-boyfriend Ashlee met me here. I comforted her all night and we slept on the wooden floor, with each other for comfort. 17...we were yet to make memories.

I reached the top of the ladder. I rested my arms on the edge of the treehouse and used all the strength in my arms to force myself onto the carpeted floor of the house. I lay panting on the floor, slightly tired from my trip here. Ashlee's face appeared over mine. Her loose hair hung over my face, it slightly tickled my cheeks.

"Tired Blondie?" she laughed, rolling back on the heels of her feet.

I giggled from the ground - causing pains to erupt from my chest. "Blondie?" I struggled to get off the ground.

Ashlee's small hand assisted me in stumbling to my feet. "Why that colour?" she asked. She knew something was different - I usually used unnatural colours; such as a bright blue or red.

Of course she would question why - everyone would. I didn't know why I had dyed it blonde... well maybe I did, but I wasn't going to let on why. "Uh, I don't know?" I struggled for an excuse or a terrible explanation for the cause.

She hit my shoulder playfully before the conversation went serious. "This isn't about Luke, is it?"

Shit.

"No."

Lie.

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

Lie.

"Michael."

"Ashlee?"

She jumped on me, pushing me backwards. We tumbled to the floor - her on top of me. She'd wrapped her arms around my shoulders. I could feel the cold hard ground radiating through the carpet beneath me, her soft warm body was above me. Her boobs squished into the lower part of my chest, I could feel my heartbeat pick up as her skin came in contact with mine.

My hands were unsure of whether to touch her or not, it was an awkward position - my hands hovered over her shoulders shakily. Ashlee relaxed against me, her head burrowed into my chest - it was rising and falling, her head followed along.

This sudden twist of events slightly confused me, but Ashlee was always surprising me with the smallest of things. I lifted my head from the floor to see her dark hazel eyes staring at me. I stared back - observing the little spark of green near her pupil.

Ashlee's hair was spread over her back and onto the red carpet. I liked the light brown colour in her hair, with the slight hint of gold when it was in the sunlight. Her eyes were closed, I wanted to take the opportunity to brush the hair off of her face but that would make it awkward and she would feel it. Something else she would feel is the growing tent in my pants. I groaned and pushed her off of me.

She did a double roll and pretended to lie dead on the floor. I laughed and brought my knees to my chest, I knew my tight jeans wouldn't help. Why now? Out of all the times a hard on would come along, why now? I knew the answer to that too, I just hoped she wouldn't notice. I didn't want it to be awkward between us, I've always worried about that.

Ever since the kindergarten-flower-incident I tried to be less awkward. I wanted to be her best friend, I wanted to always be there for her. These...feelings - I looked down at my pants - the feelings would only get in the way. "I need to go." I said.

She lifted her head, coming back alive, "but you just got here 20 minutes ago?"

"Yeah," I scooted to the edge of the treehouse, approaching the door. "I need to go do something, really urgently."

Ashlee smiled and I wanted to die, she looked like she was forcing it. "I'll text you..." I took a moment before I tried to apologise, "I'm s-"

"Don't be," she cut in - she was gritting her teeth as she talked, just as she did sometimes when Ashton was annoying her.

Shit.

"Bye," I said climbing down the ladder hastily. I ran to my bike and rode home as fast as I could. It was bloody uncomfortable but I had to put up with it until I got home. I felt like such a dick for leaving her. I kept seeing her face in my head, she looked pissed off - but she was trying to hide it with a smile.

That is why I couldn't have feelings for her. It made me a dick. I know last time I had feelings for someone it didn't end well.

God, Michael.

Why am I such an asshole?

I see why she likes Luke.

[x]

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