Just Another Girl

Vivienne turned off the car engine and sat in her car as the street lights started to flicker on while the sun started to set and the moon started the rise. She sat in silence and looked up to see if Mike's apartment was lighted. She was debating as to whether she should go up and see him. She wanted to be sure that he was okay, she wanted to be there for him when he's hurt, she wanted to cuddle with him on his comfy couch, she wanted to do what he did for her when she broke her leg a few months ago. However, she couldn't care less about how he was doing when images of Laura running naked to the back of his house appeared in her thoughts, when all he said was "I'm sorry" or try to explain himself for breaking a promise to never hurt her. She was torn between the two thoughts. The temperature was starting to drop and she could feel winter was slowly approaching. She got out of her car and headed for his apartment.

She stood two feet away from his door. She was nervous, scared, and worried. She tucked her hair behind her ears, she would play with the loose thread on her jacket, and she paced back and forth in front of the elevator. Vivienne finally built up the nerves to see him. She closed her eyes tight and knocked on the door two times. She could hear him coming to the door, it was taking some time, but she understood, he had hurt his knee. As she stood there waiting, she could hear how much pain he was in. She sighed and thought to herself "what could I do?". She quickly pulled herself from those thoughts as he swung the door open.

As Mike swung open the door, he was shocked and confused to see Vivienne at the door. "Hi" he smiled. "Hey, I just wanted to drop by and see how you were doing? I wanted to see if you were okay before, but work was piling up and I just didn't have the time..." she continued. "Viv, it's okay, you're here now. Did you want to come in? I mean you don't have to, I would understand" he asked. "Umm, yeah sure" she answered him. As she made her way to the living room, passing through the hall filled with pictures that she didn't really care to look at, she put her bag down next to the couch. She turned around and noticed that Mike wasn't there. She traced her footsteps back and found him slowly making his way there. "You look like you need some help" she laughed. "Some help would be great" he smiled. She propped him up and helped him to a chair. "There you go. Well that was my workout for the day" she laughed nervously. She didn't realize how hard it was to get him from one place to another, after all he was twice her size, in height and weight. She worked up a sweat and she plopped down on the couch exhausted. "How rude of me, Viv, did you want something to drink? or eat?" he asked politely. "Ummm a glass of water would be great" she replied. She pushed Mike back into his chair. "I got it, I don't want to have to help you get to the kitchen and back" she smiled. She walked towards the kitchen, but this time she stopped in the hall as she noticed the pictures and tiny articles that were neatly placed on the floating shelves. Water started to build up in her eyes as she scanned through the pictures. There were pictures when they were together. The first one was a late night dinner in her kitchen, followed by a self-taken portrait of the two from their stroll in the park, then a post-game celebration where Mike was holding Vivienne next to him. She didn't realize how happy the two of them were together, they really didn't have any memories that were painful aside from her visit to Kenora. She noticed, on one of the floating shelves, was a leaf, one that she picked up on a stroll and told Mike how much she liked the colour. There was a piece of her cast from when she broke her leg. She giggled a little as she put it down. What she was doing now was somewhat similar to how he took care of her when she was hurt. Finally she picked up a paper clip, a paper clip that she twisted into a heart. She made it for him after he said he needed some artwork in his bedroom. That's when the tears spilled over onto her rosy cheeks, to the corners of her mouth, and dripping from her chin. She slid down the wall along her back and put her head between her knees. She finally opened her eyes and saw a shadow, so she looked up and saw Mike trying to sit next to her. "Mike don't try to sit here, you'll just hurt yourself, you want a speedy recovery don't you?" she asked sobbing. "Viv" he sighed and picked up her hand into his. He saw the paper clip in her hands and realized why she was crying. His swiped his finger across her soft cheeks and sighed again. "Why do you have these things Mike?" she pleaded "Why do you have any of this?" "Vivienne Anna Smith, did you honestly believe that I have forgotten you, that I would just move on?" Mike said with a smile. Vivienne just stared at him, trying to understand why he could smile while she was so confused. "Those flowers, calls, and texts that I sent, they were all real, I wanted to show that I missed you, I wanted to be in your life, I wanted you in my life, that you're my everything, and that I love you. I love you Vivienne" he pleaded. "When you told me stop sending you those things, I stopped. I wanted to do whatever made you happy, whatever pleased you" he said. "I thought those flowers and messages were more or less a way of making yourself feel less guilty for sleeping with Laura. Like you do it every time you screw up with any girl" she said between sobs. He laughed "Viv, sometimes, you're just so silly and you're suppose to be the smarter of two". She smiled and turned away. "I love you Vivienne, and you are not just another girl, you were and always will be the girl, the one I love and need" he said. "I think I need water before I get the hysterics" she laughed. He laughed along and Vivienne helped him up to his feet.

When she returned to the living room he was lying there with the tv on. She slipped into the empty space between him and the couch. A movie came on, but she was too tired to stay awake to watch it. She had an exhausting day at work and crying for half an hour just made her want to sleep.

The following morning Mike woke up to sun shining onto his face. He looked down to see Vivienne laying on his chest. Vivienne shuffled a bit and he knew she was awake. They both wanted to do more than just sleep on the couch, but obviously his injured knee spoiled that idea. "Good Morning" she whispered. "Good morning to you too beautiful" he smiled at her. He planted a kiss on her head and heard her stomach growl and he laughed. "So I assume breakfast would be a good idea?" he asked. He pulled her up so that her head was laying on his shoulder and he rested her hand on his chest, right above his heart. She sighed and cuddled closer to him, pressing her body into his. "No breakfast can wait, I like how things are right now" she smiled, looked up and reached for a kiss. "I like how things are right now too" he laughed and kissed her gently on her soft lips.

And that's exactly how things were, they laid on his couch with Vivienne in his heart, and Mike in her every thought.