Friendship on Fire

Part 4 ~ "Are you leaving already?"

~ Joanna's point of view ~ 

I'm waking up to a badass headache . . . damn . . . how much did I drink yesterday? . . I don't even remember how I got home . . did Michael and I go home together? . . . I guess so. I get up and walk out to my kitchen . . there is Michael, sleeping on my couch. Now I remember. . .

I make us some waffles and put them on the coffee table. "Michael . . wake up!" He opens his eyes and looks at me. "Good morning, I see you're feeling better" - "Yea. . I'm having a bad headache though, but I'm alright. . how are you feeing?"

"Exhausted . . you were a mess yesterday, Jo . . I wanted to go home but you wouldn't let me. First you begged me to sleep next to you but I just couldn't . . I was afraid you might puke on me . . but I didn't have the heart to just go home and leave you so I stayed . . . here . . . in the living room"

"Damn . . I must've been pretty wasted"

"Are you kidding? . . you wanted us to make out!"

"What? . . you're making this up, I didn't say that!"

"Yes you did! on the car ride home!"

"Dang . . I guess I was pretty damn wasted then, huh?"

We drink a cup of coffee to go with our waffles and take a shower. Alone. I couldn't take a shower with Michael . . well, I guess I could but the last time we took a shower together it didn't end too well . . Let's just say that he stared, I stared and we didn't talk for the rest of the day . . . it's just too weird. We've seen each other naked a thousand times before but it seems like every time is like the first time. I guess seeing each other naked is one thing we just cannot do without acting weird. 

"Jo . . can you give me towel?"

"Have you checked the drawers?"

"Yes . . all empty . . no towels!"

I walk into the bathroom and open the bathroom closet. I pick out a white towel and put it on the sink next to the shower. Michael grabs it and wraps it around his hips. "Thanks" He steps out of the shower and brushes his teeth. 

"Michael, you're bleeding! you got a cut on your cheek!" 

He looks into the mirror. "Dang, I guess I cut myself while shaving"

I grab a piece of toilet paper and put it on his cut. He gives me a confused look. "What are you doing?" - "I'm helping you . . you're bleeding!" - "It's ok . . the cut is not that deep, it'll stop bleeding on it's own."

He bends over the sink to wash his face, that's when his towel loosens and drops down on the floor. I turn away and laugh. "Don't act like you don't like what you see, girl" I laugh even louder. "Like what I see? why the heck should I like what I see when I look at you naked?" 

"Don't act like you don't know, Joanna . . "

"For your information, I didn't even look"

"Then why is your face red?"

"My face is not red . . it's because of the steam from the hot shower"

". . Yes and I'm Albert Einstein"

"You're just dumb, Michael . . ."

I leave the bathroom rolling my eyes. Michael is a good looking guy but sometimes he's full of it. If I weren't his best friend, I wouldn't be able to stand him. Michael is very confident about his looks and I guess that's a good thing but not in Michael's case . . . he's used to getting compliments from all the girls he meets and dates . . . he's used to being 'the hot one' . . . he's got a nice smile though, I like his bright, perly white teeth but that's about it . . . . he's not my type . . . . 


~ Michael's point of view ~ 

I just got done showering. I put on my clothes and walk out to the livingroom where Joanna is watching TV and talking on the phone. I overhear her saying something about 'naked ass' and I believe she's talking about me . . .  I look at my phone . . . 3 messages . . . I open the first one. . Oh god no! . . It's from Miranda . . . I'm still mad at Alicia for giving her my phone number . . . I open it and read:

"Morning Michael . . I hope you had a good night sleep. I saw you when you walked to your car yesterday with Joanna on your shoulder . . you're such a sweet guy . . I'd kill to have a boyfriend like you . . or even a friend . . you're a treasure to have. I hope one day you let me go out with you . . . please message me back! xoxo Miranda"

my response to her text message:

"Hey Miranda. . . yea, Joanna didn't feel too good yesterday evening. Thanks for saying that, I am a good friend to her because I care about her. What do you mean 'going out'? like on a date? . . you know how I feel about this Miranda, I don't wanna break your heart . . ."

Her response to my text message:

"Not a real date . . I just mean going out, do something together. . like going shopping, grab a bite to eat . . get some ice cream together . . that kind of date . . . are you free this afternoon? I would really love to get to know you better, maybe we can become friends too :) I would really love that. xoxo"

My response to her text message:

"Ok . . I guess going shopping sounds ok"

Her responste to my text message:

"Great . . I'll meet you at the mall around 2pm, is that good for you?"

My response to her text message:

"Sounds fine. Ok, I'll see you then!"



I put my phone in my jeans pocket and put on my shoes.

"Are you leaving already?"

"Yea, I'm going shopping with Miranda"

"Say what?!" . . . 



~ to be continued ~