meant to be

chapter 4: mikaela

"WHAAAAAT???" Audrey shrieked.

"Audrey, lower your voice, we're in a crowded hallway!" Mikaela whisper-yelled.

"Man after the stuff last year? He DEF likes you like... for REAL. Why else would he just randomly be like 'good luck' to you? Makes so sense at all. And come on... the stuff last year?"

"You don't know that! I doubt he likes me, hes just... weird, Maybe he just likes messing with me, I don't know. And isn't he dating that girl?"

"Ah ha so you ARE interested?" Audrey accused, eyes wide.

"Wha-NO! I was just curious!" Mikaela said, trying to backtrack.

"Oh sureeee you are, Kae." Audrey said, rolling her eyes. "But anyway, Sofia?" Audrey asked.

"Yeah her!" Mikaela said, the name finally clicking.

"I think they broke up but I'm not sure." Audrey said. "Guess you're just gonna have to ask him."

"HELL NO!" Mikaela yelled. People turned and looked at the two. Audrey was laughing so hard she was crying and Mikaela's face was red. She cleared her throat.

"Hell no." She whispered.

Audrey couldn't breathe, she was laughing too hard.

*    *    *

"WHO'S EXCITED FOR OUR PAR-TAY!" Shouted Lili, one of Mikaela's teammates, as they walked down the stairwell and down the hall to the gym.

"Me!" Mikaela said excitedly. "Oh! AND, my mom brought drinks! They're in the car and shes parked outside so I'm gonna go to the gym and gather some people to help me. She got so many it's crazy."

"Oooooh yay! Pizza, drinks, and scrimaging... the perfect mix." Lili said, beaming.

The two both reached the gym and walked inside. Mr. P, the boys coach, was clustered with the boys team in the far right of the court. Ms. Kelly, their coach, was gathered around the entire girls team in the center.

"Hey you two!" She said, noticing Lili and Mikaela.

"Hey coach!" Smiled Lili.

"Hi Ms. Kelly!" Greeted Mikaela.

"Coach Kelly, my mom parked outside and she has all the drinks. Can I bring a couple people to help bring them in?" Mikaela asked.

"Of course you can!" Coach Kelly said, smiling.

"I can help Mikaela." Said a voice from behind Mikaela. She jumped, and turned to see...

Jake.

He was standing there, hands in the pocket of his grayish sky blue hoodie and gray sweats. His blond-brown hair was getting pretty long, but Mikaela liked it. It suited him. His dark brown eyes met hers. Mikaela's eyes were almost black, but somehow his looked even darker than hers. He looked like he was staring into her soul.

"Ah yes, take Jake with you, Mikaela!" Said Coach Kelly cheerily.

Mikaela wanted to hurl. 

"Ok." She said, "Jake, come with me."

"Jake Turner, at your service" He said, following her out of the gym. Mikaela blushed slightly. 'Why is he like that?' She wondered as they exited through the main exit in the school's front lobby and onto the parking lot.

Mikaela surveyed the lot and spotted her mom's car and started walking towards it when she was suddenly yanked back harshly by the back of her hoodie. 

"Look both ways" Jake purred, deepening his voice, his lips brushing her ear.

'WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK-' She mentally screamed. She was too shocked to even process what he was saying, then, slowly, a car passed by them... at turtle speed.

"W-well that's why I didn't stop, look how slow they're going?" She said, her face still hot.

"I'm just messing with you." He said, smiling mischievously as he let go of the back of her hoodie.

'Of course he was, dumbass.' She told herself, but her heart was still beating crazily in her chest. 'I think my heart is on crack.' She thought.

"W-well it wasn't very funny," She said.

"It was pretty funny." He said as he trailed behind her to the car.

Mikaela reached the car and knocked on the trunk twice. It opened, and she could see her mom in the driver's seat.

"Hey Kaela how was your- who's this?" She asked, turning her head around to face the two.

"Oh.. this-"

"Hi. Jake. Nice to meet you."

"Jake... nice to meet you, too."

"Ok we're gonna bring the drinks in, thanks mom!" Mikaela said, anxious for the awkward interaction to end.

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. R." Jake said, hauling up one of the large party packs of gatorade. Mikaela grabbed a box of CapriSun and the two both headed back into the building and re entered the gym, putting the drinks on one of the tables that was set up there.

"There's more in th-"

"I got it. It's really heavy, I can do it myself." Jake said, interrupting her.

"Oh?" Mikaela said, slightly confused.

For a weirdo, he was kinda a sweet weirdo.

Coach Kelly sidled up to Mikaela.

"Hey Mikaela can I talk to you real quick?"

"Oh um..." Mikaela glanced at Jake, who was coincidentally also looking at her. "You sure you can bring the rest in?"

"Yeah it's no problem."

"Thanks Jake... I... I really appreciate it."

He looked at her for a couple moments, silent. Had she said something wrong? Then finally he spoke.

"No problem, Mikaela." He said, dark eyes glimmering.

And he turned and exited the gym.