Flowers

18

"And we had sex! Twice!" I gossiped, too invested in telling Sarah about Michael to notice Oliver and Jason sitting down at our table.

"Was he good? Big?" She pressed, a mischievous grin forming onto her lips.

I began nodding furiously, smiling widely to myself.

"...and I've just lost my appetite," Oliver informed us, eyes focused on Jason's.

I giggled lightly and hugged his arm, since he was sitting next to me. He glanced down at me with raised brows.

"Sorry!" I shook my head, "but he really is such a great guy."

Just as I was pulling away from the small and extempore hug I had given Oliver, Jason scoffed.

My eyes focused on him, and I frowned.

"Jason, I..." I began, wanting to straighten out what exactly had happened that had made Michael punch him, hard enough to break his nose.

I hadn't dared asked Michael, one part knowing he wouldn't tell me and only force him to build his walls up higher, and the other knowing he'd just get annoyed. I really liked it when he was relaxed and comfortable.

Jason was avoiding eye contact with me, focused on his food. It made me feel utterly terrible.

Oliver nudged my side gently, capturing my attention, "give him time. Are we all going to the ball together, by the way?"

"Oh! I'm actually bringing Michael as my date... but we can hang out there," I cleared my throat and nodded, trying to keep things positive, "they're also having a little thing there to remember my father..."

"What little thing?" Sarah asked gently.

"Just a few speeches and a donation in his name," I told them, much more calm than my usual self was.

It was still very painful for me to think about my father and his memory. I had yet to get over the grief.

I was still incredibly glad I would have Michael with me, since I knew he'd distract me and make me feel better just by being there.

___

Sarah, Jason and I were leaving the front doors of the school, chatting about nonsense at this point in the day.

Just as we were leaving the gates of the school, in the midst of tens of other students, my eyes landed on someone I definitely hadn't expected to see here.

My steps slowed down to a stop as I took him in, processing what I was seeing. Michael was parked by the sidewalk, leaning against the side of his car and texting someone with furrowed brows.

"Oh, my God! Michael!" I couldn't contain my excitement. He had come all the way over here to see me, and it made me incredibly warm and giddy.

His dark eyes raised to meet mine when I began making my way toward him, my steps light and accelerating.

The girls who had been eyeing him and whispering about him, all clearly very curious and interested, seemed to notice that this was the older guy I was seeing. The information had spread through the school like wildfire, especially since I rarely dated.

"Hey," he slipped his phone into the front of his pocket and straightened up. He cleared his throat, trying to push back the awkwardness he felt due to being here and not fitting in too much.

"What are you doing here?" My smile couldn't be wider. It was so strange, the amount of butterflies I felt in my tummy the closer I got to him.

Michael shrugged, and then let me lean up to press my lips against his in a quick greeting. My hands found the hem of his tee shirt, which I then began playing with in between my fingers.