You Could Be My Lover.

"realization."

{Alika}

After the fireworks show was over, we made a pit stop at my house to grab a few extra clothes of mine before heading back to Michael's place.

The whole ride to both places was full of nothing but total and complete silence.

No music on the radio, no nothing.

I'd never seen Michael so angry before.

Who would've thought that what started off as such a fun day would turn out to be so sour in the end?

I wonder how Darryl and Michael already knew each other, anyway.

Not once did I say a word until we walked through the door of Michael's apartment and into his warm, cozy bedroom.

I put my things away in his closet before sitting timidly on the edge on the side of his bed I usually sleep in with both of my hands in my lap, watching in silence as he stripped out of his clothes.

"...a-are you okay, baby?" was all I could muster up the courage to say, lowkey afraid to witness Michael's reaction to my question.

I was relieved when he answered me calmly.

"I'm fine, baby," he said in a low voice. He had his back turned to me as he spoke, "...no worries."

He then loosened up his belt and tossed it to the side before walking over to sit next to me.

Before I knew it, he fell backwards on the bed with his arms propped up behind his head and I leaned on my hip, my body facing toward his as I lightly caressing his chest. I then threw my right leg across his slim waist and shortly after, he began gently caressing my leg and my thigh in a slow, simultaneous motion.

"...you'll never leave me, will you, 'Lika?" he asked out of the blue.

I scrunched up my brows in confusion the slightest bit, lightly snickering as I shook my head, "No, baby... of course not," I leaned down to kiss his supple lips, "...I love you way too much to ever consider even doing something like that to you, baby," I reassured him with a genuine smile as I gently caressed his cheek.

He placed his hand on top of the one I had on his face and held it there for the longest time before leaving a soft, gentle kiss on top of it.

"Please promise me, 'Lika... please," he softly pleaded.

I looked at him worriedly. "What's got you acting like this all of a sudden, Michael? ...and where is all of this coming from, honey?" I asked with concern. "You know I'll never do anything to betray you, baby... I'm not like that, and you know it."

"...I blame Darryl," he blurted without shame. "We should've never gone to see that stupid-ass, goddamn movie."

I looked at him confused, "Why? What did he ever do to you? He was really nice... I don't see what the big deal is, Michael..." I lightly shrugged my shoulders before proceeding to say, "...and you did not have to talk to him the way that you did, either. That was so rude of you, Michael."

I nearly jumped out of my skin as Michael abruptly sat up.

"Darryl and I go back... way back, and my personal experiences from being around him aren't that great. He's not as 'nice' as you think he is, sweetheart," Michael replied back seriously, "...and as far as me being 'rude' to him, he fucking deserved it! You're mine, baby... not his."