Temporary Bliss

A few days later I was working with Michael, as usual. That day was a little unusual though, he was still as flirty and cocky, but I got to see his sweet side. A young boy about six years old ran in and started yelling ‘Mikey.’ I turned my head towards the boy and saw Michael walking around the counter picking him up.

“Charlotte, this is Adrian.” he introduced the young boy.

“Hey babygirl.” Adrian smiled.

I laughed to myself, noticing he was a mini Michael.

“I taught him that!” Michael said proudly.

“I figured that, he‘s just like you.”

“Well, since he‘s my little cousin, I decided to give him lessons on how to bring in the ladies, and how to be like me.”

I nodded watching as Adrian practically worshiped the ground Michael walked on, and Michael, who acted so different around him. He was nice, gave Adrian his full attention, listening as Adrian told him about the girls in his class that he liked. Then Michael in return calling him a ladies’ man and giving him advice. It was cute how well those two bonded and how well Michael got along with kids.

I hadn’t even noticed Adrian’s mom walk in until I heard her speak up, “Nice to see you Michael, but Adrian and I have to get home.”

“AWW!” Adrian whined.

“See you later little guy! Keep it fresh!” Michael said.

To which Adrian replied, “bye swag master!”

I laughed and Michael was quick to question why once his cousin left. I shook my head, “the way you act around him, it’s so different. You have a sweet, caring side.”

“Only for him, baby.”

“I doubt it. I bet you‘d tread your girlfriend nice, wouldn’t you?”

“Mikey doesn‘t have girlfriends.” he corrected me.

“And why not?”

“I‘m not a one-woman guy. You feel me?”

“No, not exactly.” I rolled my eyes.

“I‘m just so hot, there‘s not enough Michael to go around, so I can‘t be tied down to one girl.” he answered honestly.

“Ah, yes. The ignorant ass is back. I knew that sweet side wouldn’t last long.”

“Well do you have a problem with that?”

“Honestly? Yes! I do! You just flirt with every single girl that walks in here, half of the time you get their number, don’t even ask me how. Then every time I see you you‘re texting a different girl, or more than one girl. You‘re a pig.” I shot at him. “I honestly can‘t stand you, you‘re such a douche.”

“But at the same time, you like me, because I wouldn’t be me if I wasn’t like that.”

I sighed, “Exactly.”

He flashed me a smile, dimples and all, and I couldn’t help but return it as I threw a towel at him.

“So how are you and Cammy?” he teased.

“We‘re good. Everything with him is just so safe. He makes sure to get me home on time. He gets along so well with my parents, especially my dad. He calls me when he says he will. He‘s perfect.”

“You seem kinda bummed about that though…”

“I am, kind of, I shouldn’t be. I‘m just tired of being such a good child. I want to take risks, be late for curfew. Disobey my parents. Get in fights with my boyfriend. Be careless. Not playing it safe.” I half smiled, sighing a little, “just once.”

“So what does that mean?”

“Nothing. I love Cameron, I can‘t imagine not being with him.”

“Sounds to me like you just imagined life without him.”

“Michael,” I sighed, “Stop, just don’t say anything.”

“Why don‘t you tell him what you just told me?”

“Drop it.”

“Seriously though. Find some other guy, or don‘t stick to one guy.”

“I said drop it!”

“No! Clearly you‘re not happy with your life. And you don‘t love Cameron as much as you think.”

I glanced at the clock, noticing it was closing time. “Just shut up Michael! You can‘t tell me how I feel! I know how I feel!” I yelled as I headed into the back room.

“No, you don‘t, Charlotte.” he yelled as he followed me to the back room.

“YES I DO!” I yelled, spinning around to face him. “How would you know ANYTHING about relationships?! You‘re such a fucking man whore! All you do is hook up with girls, and act all gangster, when you‘re not! You‘re a douche that doesn’t care for girls at all!” I yelled at him.

“Shut up, charlotte!”

“Don‘t tell me to shut up.” I said through clenched teeth.
“You. DON‘T. Love. Cameron.” he stated firmly and slowly, accentuating with hand gestures.

“YES I DO!”

He threw his hands above his head and stepped closer to me. I took a step back as he kept walking towards me, yelling about how much I didn’t care for Cameron. My back finally hit the wall and he stood in front of me,

“Cameron isn‘t good enough for you if he can‘t even see how unhappy you are! He‘s too much of a wimp to even go farther than making out with you, when clearly you want more! He plays it safe, he‘s a goody-two-shoes! He needs to man up and grow a pair!”

“JUST SHUT UP, MICHAEL!” I yelled.

We both glared at each other. I pushed the things he said from my mind, stopping myself from thinking of how he was right.

I sighed and looked back up at him, “I‘m sorry for yelling at you.” I apologized a few minutes later.

He stepped a little closer to me, making me stand up straight. “God, Charlotte, do you even see how unhappy you are? And how much happier you could be?”

“Michael, just stop talking about it!” I argued, holding back my anger.

That was the thing about Michael, he didn’t let things go, he kept bringing them back up, he didn‘t know when to stop and just drop it. I looked down at our toes touching then back up at him. Seconds later his lips were on mine. It happened so fast I couldn’t even process what was happening. He pulled back and smirked. He grabbed his coat after taking his apron off then casually walked out the back door. I heard his car start and the noise of the engine getting quiet as he drove away. I stood, unable to move for a few minutes more until I finally got myself to snap out of it.

“Shit.” I mumbled aloud.

I didn’t want him to kiss me. I didn’t like the kiss. It felt weird and awkward and they weren’t Cameron’s lips. It was different, and forced, not natural and cute like a kiss should be.

I finished locking up then headed home, still dazed and confused about what had exactly happened.

Why would he kiss me? We’re co-workers. We don’t hang out outside of work. We had just gotten in a fight, and last time I checked, you don’t kiss a co-worker after a fight.

Once I got home I walked up to my room and threw myself down on my bed, I didn’t even know what to think about what just happened in that back room. My phone rang, interrupting me from my thoughts. I glanced at the time, nine thirty. Right on time.

“Hey Cameron.” I answered.

“Hi, beautiful. How was work?”

“It was fine, normal, the usual, why?” I said quickly, the memory of Michael kissing me popping back into my head.

“Quick to answer, huh?” he chuckled. “And I was just asking, because I care about you.”

“uh, yeah.” I smiled a little. “H-how, um, how was your night?”

“Fantastic. It was just missing you though.”

“Sorry, duty calls.”

“So Caroline and Zach want us to go with them to the football game Friday. Are you in?”

“I kind of have to be. They give us so much crap for ditching our double dates.” I laughed awkwardly, fidgeting with my sheets between my fingers.

“You got that right. I’ll let Zach know we’re in, then. But I have to go, my dad needs me.”

“Alright, tell him I say hi.”

“I will, and Charlotte?”

“Y-Yeah, Cam?”

“Is everything alright, are you alright? You seem kind of off tonight.”

“Yeah, I‘ve just got school stuff on my mind, I‘ll be fine.” I lied.

“Don‘t think too hard.” he chuckled. “I love you, Charlotte.”

“I love you, too, Cam.”

“I‘ll see you tomorrow.”

“yeah, night.” I said half heartedly before I hung up.