golden (mileven au)

it's the dogs

↬ 5 ↫

The rest of Mike and El's evening had consisted of watching the remaining Star Wars prequel together, sharing the large bowl of popcorn and making random comments throughout the movie.

Turns out the girl really did know all about the adventures that took place in a galaxy far, far away, on a level that Mike certainly hadn't expected.

And here he was thinking that she couldn't get any more perfect...

El had stayed until nearly eight o'clock and just like the last time she had come over, they had a really good time together. She filled his apartment with so much laughter and light, he hated for her to go once the night had come to an end.

Once she had though, he had no doubt that this would change things between them, that they'd actually be friends now.

They would have to be, considering they'd shared popcorn and talked Star Wars.

Because in Mike's book, you don't share popcorn and talk Star Wars with just anyone.

As his luck would have it though, that impromptu hang out didn't change things, not really.

The next day, he saw her as he was coming back from work and she acted just as she had in the laundry room, only slightly less excited.

She did notice him, but casually went on her way, as if just last night they hadn't had a very intense, but friendly, argument over whether the prequels were better the original trilogy.

He instantly wanted to start worrying about it, but he refused to left himself do that. He figured maybe it was just a bad day or something.

Even if that weren't the case, people are allowed to have days where they don't want to talk to anyone. It's perfectly normal and nothing he should worry about.

But then that night when he had gotten back from eating dinner with his friends, he ran into her again and decided to take a chance and properly ask her to hang out.

He asked if she wanted to get coffee with him the next morning and she looked as if she would accept the offer, but ended up declining and rushing off to her apartment.

It wasn't like he had asked her on a date or anything. Mike doesn't drink coffee and El works at a coffee shop, it's the last place he'd take her on a date.

His friends were all going though, and he figured it make her feel more comfortable, since it wouldn't just be the two of them, but that didn't seem to matter.

By that point, Mike was so beyond confused.

Her weird changes in behavior toward him were really driving him crazy. All he could think about was that he had done something wrong or maybe he was freaking her out. The last thing he wanted to do was upset her or make her feel uncomfortable in any way.

The more he thought about the possibility of having done that though, the worse his worries got.

By Sunday it had gotten so bad that he needed to talk about it with someone, anyone.

He figured who better to vent to than his best friend Dustin. He had texted Mike asking to hang out, so it worked out perfectly.

Mike had met Dustin in one of his classes freshman year and the two hit it off pretty quick, given their many similar interests. Dustin was even the one who got Mike a much needed job at the bookstore, since his uncle was the owner. Ever since then, they'd gotten closer, along with the small group of friends they had formed overtime.

They had a great friendship, one that Mike was very grateful for, so he knew Dustin would be able to help him with this.

Shortly after he had replied to his text, Dustin arrived and was more than happy to discuss Mike's pressing dilemma. So, Mike didn't waste anytime jumping into it, spewing out so much, so fast that Dustin couldn't keep up.

"Okay, what did you say her name was again?" Dustin asked, while causally propping his feet up on the couch.

"El."

"Ah, El. Sounds cute."

"She is." Mike agreed, smiling to himself as he moved to sit down next to Dustin. "And get your feet off my couch."

Dustin stubbornly did as told, moving his feet elsewhere, while trying to recall what Mike had said in his previous rambling. "So El, your cute neighbor from across the hall, doesn't want to talk to you?"

"Well she does, but only sometimes. I don't know... I just don't get it! I mean, one day she's showing up at my door, all excited to hangout and play with the dogs and we have a good time. Then the next, she sees me in the parking lot and acts like I'm some stranger." Mike shook his head, still not able to understand it all.

"Maybe she has a boyfriend?"

"No, no way." Mike immediately dismissed the thought, hoping that he was right. Given how amazing the girl was though, he wouldn't be too surprised if she did.

He knew that couldn't be it though. She wouldn't come over to his apartment in the first place if she had a boyfriend.

Dustin thought for a moment, then gave Mike a playful nudge in the arm. "She probably just wants to play with the puppies. Girls are suckers for those little shits."

Mike was about to argue, claiming how ridiculous that sounded, but something in his mind made him stop and think about it.

What got El to finally talk to him? The dogs.

Why does El randomly come over to his apartment? To play with the dogs.

Who did he not have with him when he saw her in the laundry room or when he got back from dinner? The dogs.

And who would definitely not be accompanying them to get coffee? The dogs.

"Oh my God." Mike finally uttered in disbelief, standing from the couch as the realization hit him. "It's the dogs."

Dustin snorted, attempting to control his laughter, but failing miserably. "The pretty girl wants the dogs, not you? That's tough man."

Guess when she said dogs were her favorite, she really wasn't kidding.

Mike sighed heavily, feeling a little let down that four golden retrievers were more appealing to her than he was.

It was like a big jab to his already fragile ego. 

Despite how much of a letdown this realization was, he decided that he wouldn't let this stop him. El was the most amazing girl he had ever met.

Sure, there was still so much he didn't know about her, so much she didn't know about him, but that didn't matter. She's beautiful, funny and so genuinely kind that he already knew it would only get better, the more he got to know her.

No way was he just going to give up now.

"Okay then, I'll just have to use them to my advantage." Mike spoke more so to himself than his curly-headed friend next to him. He was determined now and as he began to pace the floor, nothing could change his mind. "If it's the dogs she wants, then that's exactly what she'll get."