Time Bomb

Derek said Mia didn’t want to come out of the house. She was spending the weekend and perhaps the rest of the very near future. Something about their mother hovering, not allowing her to breathe, making her feel completely overwhelmed, that she was often crying herself to sleep, and she threw fits every time Marie arrived at the house.
Much to my surprise, and most everyone else, the only person Mia wanted to see, was me.
Kara was bothered by this information. And she didn’t hide it. The others were just shocked that she, Mia, had pushed away what I had done to her in High School.

In High School Mia was at the center of my radar. She always had my attention. She was beautiful, kind, and had an attitude. She didn’t take shit from anyone, including me. She knew what everyone thought the reason I bugged her was; they thought I bugged and flirted with her to get into her pants. That wasn’t even close to being the case. She fascinated me, I was intrigued, and that was the only way I could get her to notice me. But that was only a feeling of hate.

Kara glared at me as I walked down the stairs of our house, and collapsed on the couch beside her and Zack.
“What?” I asked her furrowing my eyebrows.
“Are you going to see Mia?” she asked in a bitter tone.
“I am...Why?” I asked confused.
“Hmmph,” was all she did, before marching up the stairs and slamming a door.
Zack glanced at me, before we both shrugged and turned back towards the TV.
Halfway through the game, the phone rang, and Kara yelled upstairs that she got it.
Minutes later, she called down, “Alex, it’s Mia!”
Jumping off the couch, I headed towards the kitchen, where I snatched the phone.
“Hey Alex.” Mia breathed happily into the phone as I answered.
“Hey, how are you?” I asked with a smile on my face, “Are we still on for tonight?”
“Yeah, absolutely,” she said with a different tone, “Uhmm, Kara sorta invited herself and the guys.”
“Oh?” I said in a high surprised tone, before it turned dull, “Oh.”
“Yeah,” she mumbled, not sounding at all pleased, “is that okay?”
“ ‘course it is,” I cleared my throat.
“Are you sure-?” she chuckled.
“I’m sure Mia,” I sighed, glaring at Kara as she walked into the kitchen with a smug look on her face, “We’ll pick you up soon.”
“Okay,” she chuckled, “See you all in a bit.”
Hanging up the phone I turned on Kara, “Why do you guys have to come?” I whined.
“Because she’s my friend too.” she said with an eye roll.
“I-,” I groaned, “I wanted to spend time with her.....alone.”
“Why would-?” she started with an annoyed tone, before she grinned cheekily.
“What?” I asked starring at her unsure, “What?”
“Oh nothing,” she sang, as she exited the kitchen.
“What?” I groaned exasperated.
“Nothing at all.”
“Fine,” I snapped, walking back towards the living room.
“Alex,” she called cheekily.
“what?!”
“When did you start liking Mia?” she smiled.
“I don’t know, after we started talk-” I froze, “hey.”
“So you do?!” she smiled.
“I just admitted it, don’t make me say it again,” I sighed, leaning against the fridge.
“Mhmm,” she smiled.

“How’ve you been Mia?” Kara asked as we were seated at our table at our favorite Italian restaurant.
“I’ve been good,” she smiled as she sat down, “I start physical therapy next week.”
I didn’t say anything, but watched as Mia and Kara conversed, Kara with a coy smile on her face.
“Alex?”
I broke out of my daze, and stared at Mia’s large brown eyes, with confusion.
“Hmm?”
“You okay?” she asked, with a smile. Kara had a smirk on her face.
“You feeling okay?” I stepped on Kara’s foot, watched as she winced and nodded.
“I’m fine, no worries.” I gulped sipping on my water immediately after the waiter had placed it infront of me.
Mia nodded with a smile, before turning back to Kara, Zack and Rian, glancing at me occasionally.
Jack gave me a goofy look as he nudged me.

We walked down the snowy streets of Baltimore, Kara and Rain in the lead, Zack and Jack in the middle, Mia and bringing up the rear as she limped along.
“Do you want to wait here?” I motioned at the coffee shop, “The others can get the car-”
“I’m fine,” she stated stubbornly with a smile, “Honestly.”
“Mhm.” I answered giving her a look.
&&
Mia and I waited outside of Starbucks, as the other walked to get the car. We sat, watching as people hurried by, trying to get away from the cold.
Mia’s face was blank as she stared into the the street, her eyes often glancing at me. Her hands were on the table, twisting and fidgeting.
“Hey,” I spoke softly, covering her hands with my own. Her hands grew stiff at the touch, but she didn’t protest.
“What?” she asked starring at our hands.
“Talk to me,” I ordered softly, “You can’t hold everything in.”
“I’m not holding anything in,” she snapped, with an eye roll, “Keeping what’s bothering me in my mind, lets me push forward.”
Back to square one.
“So you’re going to be fixated on ballet?” I asked shocked.
“Yes, why wouldn’t I?” she asked confused, “You want to get better and continue with the band, don’t you? Because you love it?”
Fine. She was right.
“But were different. The situations are different,” I stuttered out.
“How so?” she questioned sharply.
“I’m not injur-”
“Oh don’t pull that shit,” she groaned.
“You can’t walk.”
“I’m going to try!” she shouted, “Like you should try to salvage your kidneys!”
“And we continue to endanger ourselves.” I sighed.
“To get what we want, I will dance to get my career back. While you’ll control your booze intake to keep yours.” she said dangerously.
I almost opened my mouth to retort, when Rian’s car horn echoed through the street.
Glancing at Mia, I found her starring at me with a gaze I was used to giving her.
Pity.