Temporary Bliss

Thirty minutes later I rode my bike up his driveway, leaning it up against the side of his house. I pulled my phone out of my back pocket and called him, he answered on the first ring.

“Are you here!?”

“yeah.”

“I‘ll be down in a second, go to the front door.”

I nodded, though he couldn’t see me, “Okay.”

I stood in front of the door, standing back so it wouldn’t hit me when he opened it, I had a feeling he’d be opening it at lightning speed. And I was right, the door flung open and his lanky body flew out after, wrapping me in a hug.

“Thank you so much.” he whispered. His hug caught me by surprise so it took me a while to hug him back.

“Yeah, it‘s no problem…what‘s wrong?”

He pulled out of the hug and nervously rubbed the back of his neck, “I-I-I.” he stuttered, pausing to sigh, then continuing. “Come inside first.” he hurried through his words.

His hand grabbed my upper arm and gently tugged me into his house. He led me down to the basement, which was finished, it was actually similar to mine, TV, game stations, an air hockey table instead of the ping pong table in my basement.

He opened a navy blue door and pulled me into what I assumed was his room. He gestured to his bed, telling me to sit down.

I was a little worried, I’d never seen him this out of his element, “Is everything okay?” I asked.

He looked at me and started pacing back and forth in front of his bed. He finally stopped and sat down next to me. Letting his head fall into his hands, he looked doomed.

“S-something…something happened.” he said quietly. I felt my heart beat faster from anxiety, worried was he was about to say. “I screwed up so bad.” he said in a hushed tone.

I picked my hand up and started rubbing his back, “what‘s wrong?” I replied in an equally quiet tone.

He glanced at me through his fingers, “Would you still be touching me if you knew I‘m possibly going to be a father.”

I kept my hand on his back, but stopped moving it. What the hell did he just say? I didn’t say anything, I didn‘t know what to say…

“Alex, she thinks she‘s pregnant, and she said I‘m the only possible father.”

“I‘m sorry.” I whispered.

“What the hell am I going to do? I can‘t be a father.”

“I‘m sure she‘s not even pregnant. It‘ll be okay.”

“It is not fucking going to be okay! There’s so many things I’ll have to pay for. The baby appointments, clothes, toys…the fucking hospital bill. I’ll have to change diapers…a-and feed it. And I don’t know a thing about that shit! I don’t know a thing about babies period! If it starts crying I’m not going to know what to do! I can’t do it. There’s no fucking way I can be a father. Everyone at school is going to know…I’ll be Michael, ‘the guy that got that one chick pregnant’. And what the fuck are my parents going to say?! They’ll be pissed. And her parents…god her dad is going to want to fucking kill me and cut my dick off. I screwed up so bad.”

I didn’t know what to say after his rant. So I just quietly sat there beside him.

He took one final sigh then pulled his head out of his hands. “Why do you like me?” he asked.

“I honestly don‘t know. You‘re everything opposite of Cameron. It‘s different, and I like it.” I smiled. “I think I hated you so much that I started to fall for you…”

He smiled, laughing slightly under his breath, he placed his hand on my cheek softly and leaned in and pressed his lips to mine. And there went the sparks…the kiss started out soft and innocent and then I felt him deepen it, I smiled a little and quickly responded. Minutes later I found myself on top of him lightly biting at his lip, pulling on it a little as I slowly lifted up his shirt.

He chuckled and lifted me off of him and set me down next t him, for his skinny frame he was actually pretty strong. He rolled onto his side and placed his hand on my cheek and started rubbing it with his thumb.

“I really don‘t think I should be doing that since I might be a father…”

I smiled and nodded, “I understand. I just miss feeling that spark…I don’t have one with Cameron anymore.”

“When are you going to tell him?”

I shrugged and sighed, I was so tired of that question. “I went and got a prom dress today, he‘s so excited to go, I can‘t ruin that for him. I told my brother about cheating on him though…”

“what‘d he say?”

“To tell Cameron right away. Or stay away from you.”

“You‘re not doing either of those, you haven‘t told Cameron, and you‘re here with me.”

“You pretty much forced me to come here.” I smiled, giving him a quick peck on the lips. “Since you came around I‘ve been a little rebellious.” I laughed a little.

Then he said something I never thought I would hear him say.

“You remember that day at work, when we got in a fight? And that one night at the diner when we argued. Those conversations we had…you said some things about me that I denied.”

“I didn‘t mean them.” I whispered, looking up at him. I knew exactly what he was talking about.

“You did, you meant what you said. And you were right. You called me a man whore. A douche, a dick. And every other synonym to those words.”

“Mike…” I whispered, feeling bad.

“No, Charlotte, let me finish.” we looked at each other for a while and then he finally spoke up again, “You were right, I am a man whore, I‘m always texting a different girl, you‘re not the only person I‘ve slept with…you‘re not the only girl I kiss and hang out with. Those times I didn’t answer my phone, or text you back, or call you like I said I would, and how I go so long without hanging out with you…do you ever wonder why? It‘s because I‘m with other girls!”

“I knew that…”

“THEN WHY DO YOU LIKE ME?!” he yelled.

I quickly sat up, “because I know you have a soft, sweet, sensitive side. I like the way you‘re so cocky, and don’t hide the fact that I‘m not the only one you kiss and what not. I hate your music taste so much that I actually like it…that doesn’t make any sense. And I’m sick of being treated like a princess with Cameron. You don’t pull out my chair or anything and I love that. I love your dimples, and your smile, because you wear it so well. I find you completely adorable and I just want to hug you all the time. I like how I sometimes catch you singing under your breath; it‘s cute. I like you for you… Maybe I like you for all the wrong reasons, but then why does it feel so damn right?”

“You scare me. You know that? You make me not want or need those other girls. I constantly want to hang out with you. You‘re not like the other girls, they all get annoyed and jealous when I mention a girl that isn’t them…but you…you don‘t seem to care, you just brush it off, you accept it. You could be the best for me, when I‘m the worst for you…” I scooted closer to him and smiled a little as I grabbed his hand and held it, tracing his veins with my finger.

He was quiet for a while, and after watching me for a few minutes he spoke back up, “If Alex isn‘t…you know…pregnant…I‘m going to stop with this multiple girl thing. I just want to focus on you…I just want you. I don’t need them when I have you.” he sighed, “and maybe…you could give up Cameron?”
I looked up at him and nodded, “Yeah, of course.” I smiled, laughing a little, “I never thought I would hear you say that.”

“And I never thought I would say it.” he smiled a little.

We laid there talking for a little while longer until I noticed it was nearly two in the morning. “I should go.” I said as I sat up, stretching a little.

“I‘ll drive you” he offered once I stood up.

I laughed a little, “I rode my bike…it probably won’t fit in your car.”

“you ride your bike, I‘ll ride my scooter.”

“okay, you do that.” I laughed as we walked out of his room.

He got his scooter and I got my bike then we headed off to my house, but after we got down to the corner, Michael complained he was bored with his scooter, so we had to go back to his house so he could get his bike…

“So what are you going to do if Alex is pregnant?” I asked as we rode our bikes down the street in the dark, cool night; I was borrowing one of Michael’s sweatshirts to keep warm. It was blue and said “OBEY” on the front of it in white lettering.

“I don’t want to think about it, or talk about it.” he sighed.

“Okay, understand.” I gave him a small smile.

He gave a weak smile back and we both remained quiet for the rest of the ride back to my house. I got off of my bike a good twenty minutes later and quietly put it back in the shed. I walked out front back to Michael and found him sitting on the driveway. I sat down next to him, the cold, rough cement pressing against my skin, no doubt leaving marks.

“I want to see you again, really soon. But I don’t know…with Alex and the possibility of her being….god I can’t even say it. But it‘s all stressing me out, I might need some alone time, you understand that right?”

I nodded.

“It‘s not because I‘m with another girl…unless I was with Alex. I‘m not going to go back on my word, okay?” he searched my face for understanding, trying to show me that he was telling the truth.

I nodded again, “Yeah, I understand, I think you should talk to Alex, try not to fight or argue, and don’t avoid her.” He gave me a skeptical look, “I know you‘re not going to be with another girl, it‘s fine.” I smiled, clearing his doubt up.

“okay, I believe you.” he winked. “I can‘t wait to call you my girlfriend…my baby gurl.” he leaned on his right hand and reached his left across, placing it on my cheek softly, he gave a smile, showing his adorable dimples and then leaned in, pressing his soft lips to mine. Once he pulled back he stood up, then helped me up. We exchanged a quick goodnight and then I went inside and headed to bed.