Mickey's Lessons on Bad

Lesson 14: Who Cares?

Shouts and curses were shared between two friends over microphones as their fingers worked like magic on the Xbox controllers. Like every now and then, there was a quiet moment where they would share an actual conversation, though for only a few seconds.

       But confusion wasn't far from Ronnie. His eyebrows, throughout the game, remained close together and his lips pursed. Confusion and curiosity both selfishly nipped at his brain, wondering as to the point of Mickey's constant conversation starters.

       It was about time finally that everything settled down and Ronnie... Oh, how he was waiting for his best friend to just say-

       "Did you see Michelle's outfit today?" Mickey asked for the hundredth time. Each time he would talk, something about Michelle would come from his lips.

       Releasing a quiet sigh, Ronnie repeated his usual answer, "Yes, I did. You sent me like a dozen Snapchats of her to me today." It was then when he reached for his iPhone and unlocked the screen, skimming over the repetitive messages of Mickey sending him photos. There had to be at least ten- most likely more.

       Sheepishness filled his friend's voice when he replied, "Oh, yeah. I forgot about that. Sorry, man."

       "What's wrong with you?" he finally uttered the question that kept nagging him. "This entire time, you've been talking about Michelle. Michelle this- Michelle that. You asked me if I saw her outfit. You gloated about her outfit. You commented on her new attitude. Hell, you even asked me on what lesson you should teach her next. Usually, I could give less a fuck about conversations on that girl, but for crying out loud, you're so-" He paused, trying to come up with a word to describe Mickey's behavior.

       "I'm so what?" Mickey snapped, absolutely not happy about the rant on Michelle.

       "Obsessive," the word slipped from Ronnie's lips on its own. His dark brown eyes couldn't help to widen at the word choice, especially since it was meant for Mickey Varsity.

       "Obsessive?"

      Ronnie gulped. The tone of his friend's voice... It wasn't snarky or sarcastic- nor angry or offended. It was weak. It was like he was testing out the word carefully with the knowledge on hand that this word truly described him. "Mickey, what happened today?"

       "Uh, uh..." The stammers didn't ease any worries growing within Mickey's friend.

       The screen in front of Ronnie changed into a battle scenery, thus beginning a new round. Though there were no yelling or cursing at one another or the game; neither were there any laughter. Each of their rooms were quiet, except for the sounds of guns and cries of the virtual people filled the quietness of the rooms.

       Anxiety washed over Ronnie and he awaited for Mickey's answer. What did happen today? Something definitely must've happened- between him and Michelle- for him to get so obsessive and crazy.

       "She kissed me."

       The first emotion Ronnie felt was shock, though it didn't take long for it to disappear, and confusion settled within him again. "No offense, man, but how did that make you obsessive?" he asked as he found Mickey's virtual character and shot him to death.

       "Michelle... Her kiss wasn't out of force. She actually kissed me- as in willingly," Mickey explained and that's when the shock returned. Why in the world would Michelle kiss Mickey willingly when she's out to reunite with her ex? "She like came on top of me and started kissing. Man, I never thought that such an amazing kiss would-"