meant to be

chapter 2: munch

Munch was relieved when he finally arrived home from his basketball game. Usually he enjoyed playing, but today the boys had gone after the girls, so the boys had to sit and watch the girls game...which means he watched Mikaela play. He had to admit, she kicked ass.

It just made him hurt even more.

He collapsed onto his bed and squeezed his eyes shut, hoping his headache would go away... a headache he had pretty much caused single handedly.

He thought back to her, standing in the hall, looking up at him hopefully. Why had he fucked things up so badly? He got up and went over to his desk and opened the drawer. He pulled out a blue composition notebook and opened to the next blank page.

Ever since that day, he would write things he wished he had said or did. Maybe one day, if he somehow unfucked things he could show her how much she actually mattered to him.

Mikaela.

Today was terrible. I saw you... but when you saw me you turned away. I hate seeing each other and then we immediately look at the wall or ground... I hate it so much. I hate myself for never actually apologizing, or saying anything. You don't deserve that. I'm sorry.

I think you looked nice today. I noticed you in math today, how are you doing with algebra? You seem like

He crossed it all out. He wasn't in the mood. He went back over to his bed and plopped down, burying his head in a pillow.

Truth be told, she seemed confused in math. He wanted to help her. She was really smart, but math didn't seem to be her strongest point. He remembered when they had been seated together in the beginning of the school year. She was always so unapologetically herself no matter what. She was a hard worker, she was articulate, and she was definitely Ivy League bound. She was the kind of girl his parents would like...she was the kind of girl he liked.

So why had he reacted the way he had?Even he didn't know. Maybe he was just shocked, maybe at that moment he hadn't known what he wanted...maybe deep down he knew he wasn't good enough for her.

He thought back to earlier that day. He had walked past her civics classroom and saw her reaching over her desk, trying to get something another kid, Ed or something had taken. She was laughing.
She looked happy.
His heart sunk. He really had fucked things up.

He got up and went into the bathroom, turning on the water and turning up the heat. A hot shower would make him feel better.

After the water was probably past boiling he stepped in. Contrary to his belief the hot shower did not distract him from Mikaela.

He remembered seeing her laughing with her friends at lunch. She really was very pretty. Long wavy hair, deep, expressive brown eyes, and pink lips and cheeks.

He liked her more now. More than he ever had. Funny, now that he had fucked things up with her forever he liked her.

To be fair he had always liked her, but the kind of like started to change after the whole thing happened. He just started noticing her more, started thinking about her more too.

But now, it was too late. She wouldn't take him now.

He groaned at the complexity of everything. At least his best friend Aaron knew about the whole thing.

Aaron had been going to school with Mikaela for a long time and they were both friends which made it easier for Munch to get a sense of her personality. Earlier today, Aaron had sent a snap to her with him and Munch in it. Munch didn't know what to expect from it, but he wanted to try it all the same. He just wanted her to see him.

He got out of the shower and wrapped his towel around his waist. He stepped out of the steamy bathroom and he sat on his bed, picking up his phone from his desk.

3 new texts from Aaron.

Dude, she's left me on opened for like an hour now.

She definitely still likes you bro.

'Lies.' Munch thought as he read.

That snap surprised the heck outta her.

Munch dialed Aaron's number in FaceTime and to his surprise, Aaron actually picked up.

"Hey Munch. Did you see my texts?" Aaron asked.

"Yeah bro I did."

"I mean, I'm worried I might lose my streak with her." Aaron said, running his hand through his blond hair.

Munch rolled his eyes.

"Aaron sometimes I think you're so-"

"MUNCH SHE SENT SOMETHING. NEW SNAP, NEW SNAP!" Aaron exclaimed.

"DON'T CLICK IT." Munch exclaimed.

"Uh... why?" Aaron asked.

"Because otherwise she'll think you've been waiting around for it, right?" Munch said matter of factly, trying to calm himself.

Sometimes he forgot how badly he had fucked up with her.

"Too late bro." Aaron said.

Luckily, the FaceTime call was on Aarons iPad, so Aaron held his phone up to the camera to show Munch.

In the snap, Mikaela's waves were down. They hung in light, beachy waves and she was wearing a blue top with small flowers all over it that was slightly off shoulder revealing her bra strap. Her lashes were long and a thin layer of glossiness covered her pink lips.
They looked... kissable.
'Oh Munch you simp.' He thought. But he had to admit, she looked dynamite.

"Damnnnnn Munchhhhh...." Aaron said. "She's the kind of hot that just... slides under your radar until... well, until a moment like this." He said, pulling his phone away from the camera. "Look at her!"

Munch was speechless.

Aaron picked up the iPad and by extent, Munch and he took a photo of Mikaela's snap.

Just then, Munch heard his mom call him.

"Munchhhhhh dinnerrrrr!"

"I'll send you the pic." Aaron said, having obviously heard Munch's mom.

"Bye Aaron." Munch said as he hung up.

Sure enough, he felt the familiar buzz of a text and saw Aaron had sent the photo. Munch stuffed his phone under a pile of papers on his desk, threw on a t-shirt and shorts and went downstairs for dinner with Mikaela still on his mind.