the propinquity effect

09

+ 09 +

By five thirty I had gone out of the shower. I was shocked by myself because I wasn't a shower person and showering would always be the last thing on my mind. But I guessed I was okay with it. Ridiculous how Michael could make me do things I didn't want to do.

He didn't text me the details after that. What I should be wearing or where we were going. He just said that we were going to pull an all nighter, I just hoped that my mom won't look in my room and wonder where the hell I went.

In Paper Towns, Margo asked Quentin out because she wanted to take revenge. I wasn't entirely sure what Michael and I were going to do. I wished we won't be doing anything illegal, I needed to go to college. Having something bad on my record will affect my university choice.

Psh, like I had a choice anyways. Harvard, probably, or Oxford. But the more I thought of it, the more I became afraid. What if none them would think that I was good enough to be put into their college? What if I didn't have what it takes? No. I needed to be positive and I would be positive about it.

I pulled a black long-sleeved T-Shirt that could give me paws. I also put on a pair of black jeans that matched my T-Shirt perfectly, along with a varsity jacket I bought when I was twelve. It still fitted me somehow, which made me wonder how. I didn't grow, I guessed.

It was six, so I was waiting for Michael. All I did in the last few seconds was positioning my beanie on my head, tucking a few strands in. Put on my combat boots and waited on my bed.

My hands gripping the edge of the mattress as I kept on thinking if it was a good decision to kind of be rebellious sometimes.

A knock on my window startled me. My eyes darted automatically to my window and I walked there. Half-dragging my feet to the wooden floor, probably leaving a dirt tail behind but I didn't care. As long as my mom won't go into my room and check up on me. If she would, she'd kill me without any warning.

Michael was crouching on his window-seat. A white sweater was on him and he had the book Paper Towns in his grasp. Michael knew I was opening my window because he perked his head up.

"Why are you dressed like a ninja?" Michael asked, raising his eyebrow as he hung his feet off the edge as usual. He ruffled his hair as he kept on chuckling and all I could do was rolled my eyes at his immatureness.

"Why aren't you dressed like a ninja, Michael?" I asked and he shut up. His green eyes glaring at me and I could feel he was staring right into my soul. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to jump and try to land on my feet without breaking them. But at least Michael had a plan, right?

I hung off my feet off the edge too. Letting the wind blew them lightly and send shivers down my spine, forming goosebumps all over my body. Sydney and its weather.

"Jump," Michael said, looking down and I looked down. It surely was a long journey and I'd probably break my neck or limb, or even worse, both. He motioned at me to jump down and all I could do was grip the window pane harder. I was afraid. I was a coward. "Fucking jump!"

"Do it first," I offered the impatient boy five meters away from me. Michael cocked his head sidewards and pulled the corners of his lips into a small smile. Not big enough for anyone to notice, but frankly, I did notice. Oh, I noticed a lot about him.

"Fine." He said as he slid his butt off the window seat and jumped. I thought he'd land with a crack but he landed with a thump. His hands on the ground beside his feet and he was looking up at me.

It would be a completely idiotic move if I would jump. I wasn't a boy and I knew I was going to break my leg but I didn't care. All because I was developing a crush for Michael. My eyes grew wider and I finally breathe out the air I didn't know I was holding in.