Only If She Stayed

25. In Action

Michael's POV

Rose looked so beautiful today.

But when did she not?

I think of complimenting her when I saw her in the morning - but stopped myself.

I watch her walk into the room and command the space around her. 

She stopped at a few other tables before reaching me, saying hello to people I didn't know the names of. 

She was wearing yellow corduroy pants, a Taylor Swift shirt, and a denim jacket. She looked like she hadn't dressed for the rain that was due to happen later in the evening. 

She had her hair up in a ponytail, swinging around as she spoke, laughed, and absorbed the energy in the room.

She was electric.

She was so damn lovable, I almost forgot I was suppose to be mad at her.

Rose rushed up to the table and opened her mouth to speak. She could say anything and I'd jump to do it for her...anything. I was all hers. She just had a hard time seeing that.

Rose's POV

"I NEED your help."

These words, said earnestly and with such haste, were said by me to my best platonic friend Michael.

He froze for a second, taking everything I said in slowly - despite how short the phrase was. 

"Why are you huffing like you just ran a mile?" Michael asked.

"I ran all the way here to talk to you."

"Why..." he trailed off, "would you do that?"

"You have to promise me you're not going to freak out."

"I hate when you say that. It makes me nervous," he said, and burped. "See. I'm already anxious."

"Ew." I said. "I need you to not have breathing problems the second I tell you what I've been thinking of."

"Breathing problems? You mean a panic attack?"

"I know what I said." I uttered. "And I said what I meant."

"You guys getting lunch today?" asked a new voice. 

I looked up and saw Ashton standing there, wearing all black and holding his helmet in his right hand. "What's up?"

For a second, it looked like he hesitated on what to do with his hands. He wanted to touch me - but stopped himself, seeing the weird look he was getting from Michael. I still hadn't told him anything about the whole "I'm fake dating Ashton" thing. But that didn't need to be discussed.

Or did it?

Ashton said he was going to get himself some food and get in line. I found this to be the perfect opportunity to break down my game plan to Michael.

Out of all the questions to ask, he asked this first: "Why did you ask me to help scare off Edgar somehow?"

"Edgar would never be scared of you."

I said the words before I could stop myself from saying it.

"Damn, you don't need to say that," he uttered, "I'm not that scared of him."

"He wouldn't find you threatening."

"I would find other ways in getting him to leave you alone than being your boyfriend."

"No," I said, "you don't understand. Edgar respects the word of another man over a woman. He'll respectfully back out if he knows there's another guy interested in me."

"I doubt he's going to just stop caring, Rose. He's like...insane."

"He is pretty intense."

"Insane is a better word."

"He has a strange way of show his affection."

"Oh God. Don't defend his abuse."

"He wasn't abusing me," I said without conviction.

"He threw you on the floor in front of my eyes!"

"You came out at the wrong time. It just looked like that from that moment."

"Rose," he breathed slowly, as if it pained him or something.

"What are you two chattering about?" Ashton asked.

"I told him about us," I announced. "The truth."

"You can't go around telling people about our plan," he sucked in a dry breath. "You need to consult with me first before you tell people."

"It's Michael, though," I shrugged, "he barely counts as a person."

"Ouch. I'm right. Here."

"You know what I mean!" I nearly yelled, getting a few heads to turn in response. "You are my best friend. You are my other half. If anything, it's like I'm telling myself something."

"Oh nice save," Michael mocked. "I almost believed you."

"I had to tell him anyway," I made known. "He's going to help us prank the basketball team."

"Whoa, I never said yes," Michael jumped, "and second of all, I never even said the whole team either. That's social suicide."

You have to have a social life in order to commit social suicide...I thought, but didn't say out loud. He would consider it bitchie, and I would agree. 

"I have a better idea than a prank," Ashton announced to the two of us. "Why don't we get them temporarily suspended?" 

"No way," Michale instantly backed out. "If they found out, then we'd all be dead."

"Not if we don't get caught." Ashton said with a shrug and I wanted to kiss him.

"What's the plan?" I asked - and even Michael shut up to hear what Ashton had to say. 

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short chapter - but i'm updating again real soon xoxo