My Twisted Teenage Romance

''Boyfriend? I don't have a boyfriend.'' I told him.

''Then who was that guy who dropped you off the other night?'' he asked casually.

''My friend, I met him at Peter's party.'' I said.

''A friend?'' he asked, eyebrows raised.

''Yes a friend! What are you my dad?'' I laughed and he smiled.

''I just wanted to get my facts straight, no one tells me anything these days.'' he said.

''Poor Michael doesn't know what's going on.'' I laughed and he stuck his tongue out.

''As much as I love to watch this nice doctor stitch up your horribly injured arm, I'm bored and hungry, so I'm gonna go get something to eat kay?'' I said and Michael nodded.

I wandered out of the emergency room, following the signs that pointed me towards the food court. I walked through, looking at the menus and decided that hospital food wasn't much different then that in prison.
Not really wanting to go back and watch Michael get his stitches, I continued to wander the hospital. It wasn’t very big so it didn't take long for me to end up back in the emergency room, at which point I decided that the doctor should be done with Michael.
I went into Michael's room. His arm was wrapped in a big white bandage and the doctor was handing him a tiny plastic bag with two pills in it.

''In three hours don't forget!'' the doctor said as Michael put the pills in his pocket.

''Thanks doc.'' he said, shaking the doctors hand with his good one.

''When'd you get back?'' Michael asked, noticing me in the doorway.

''Like twenty seconds ago.'' I said as we left the room.

''What'd the doctor say about your arm?'' I asked.

''Take two of these and call me in the morning.'' Michael said and I laughed.

''All done then?'' Patty asked from the counter as we passed.

''Yup.'' Michael said, showing her his arm.

''You take good care of your boyfriend then, next time he could take his whole arm off!'' Patty said sweetly.

''Oh no he's not my- we're not.'' I stuttered, wondering where she got that idea from.

''Oh beg your pardon.'' she said and I smiled.

''It's ok, bye!'' I said as Michael and I left.

We walked back to my car in a slightly awkward silence, nice going Patty. I unlocked the car and we got in.

''Look at that, forty-five new stitches to brag about.'' Michael said, finally breaking the silence.

''Yea, cause I can see how slicing your arm open on a pair of garden sheers is something to brag about.'' I laughed.

''Well of course when I tell people, I'll throw in something about fighting a bear.'' he said and I laughed.

''That's gonna leave a nasty scar.'' I said, pointing out the obvious.

''Or I could say I fought a shark!'' he said and I laughed again.

''Or you could go all Buffy and say you fought a vampire!'' I said and he laughed.

''But then I'd need some bite marks.'' he said, hanging his newly repaired arm out the window as we drove.

''Not if you won.'' I said and he laughed.

We pulled into my drive way and I shut the car off. He turned to look at me.

''You wanna go for lunch or something?'' I asked.

''I thought you ate in the food court.'' Michael said.

''I decided against it.'' I said.

''So you just needed to get away from me?'' he asked, pretending to be offended.

''Yea that's exactly it.'' I said, rolling my eyes and he laughed.

''So where are we going?'' Michael asked.

''The Spot?'' I suggested.

''And be waited on by my sister? Tempting, but I have another place in mind.'' he said with a grin.

''Well you can't drive; you can't even feel your right arm! You can just tell me where to go.'' I said and he pouted.

''Or I could leave you here and find someone else to go with.'' I said and he rolled his eyes exaggeratedly.

''I thought so.'' I said with a grin and restarted the car.

''You need to get out onto Main Street, then I'll tell you where to go from there.'' he said, leaning against the door.

After twenty minutes of being directed without the slightest clue as to where we were going, Michael directed me off onto a road I had never been on before.

''So where exactly are we going?'' I asked and he grinned.

''You'll see when we get there.'' he said and I rolled my eyes.

''For all I know, you could be taking me out onto some deserted road to kill me and steal my car.'' I said and Michael raised his eyebrows.

''How could I do that? You said yourself, I can't even feel my right arm.'' he said.

''Or maybe you're just telling me that.'' I said and he laughed at me.

''Girl you're too paranoid for your own good. Go left up here.'' he said and I sighed loudly as I made the turn.

''Here we are!'' he said as we rounded the corner.

We had pulled up on an old lighthouse with a sign hanging above the door that read 'The Lighthouse Café' in fancy letters. There were only two other cars in the parking lot and they were both covered in dirt.

''You're going to kill me aren't you.'' I said as I shut off the car and Michael laughed.

''For the last time no!'' he said and then opened the door.

I got out and met Michael at the front of the car.

''Just calm down.'' he said, taking my hand and squeezing it reassuringly, then letting go.

I followed closely behind him up to the door and he smiled before pushing open the old looking door. A small bell chimed as we stepped in and I was amazed to see that the inside the small café was nothing like the outside. It looked almost like a lounge, with the exception of a few booths. There were several big windows that had beautiful views of the water that the lighthouse sat next to.

''Michael! Haven't seen you around these parts in a while, didn't you get out a couple months ago?'' a very old looking man said as he stepped out of a door from behind the bar to our right.

''Yea, I thought they didn’t give you house arrest.'' another man said from a window leading to the kitchen.

''That's not what my parents thought.'' Michael laughed and then two men chuckled.

''Who's your friend?'' the man from behind the bar said as he wiped down the counter.

''Oh sorry, Nikki this is Tom and that's Leo in the kitchen.'' Michael said, pointing to the man behind the bar and then the one in the kitchen.

''Guys this is Nikki, Jenny's friend.'' he said. Tom raised one eyebrow questioningly and Michael went wide-eyed and shook his head quickly.

''Well you want a table or are you just gonna stand at the door all day?'' Tom said, putting his rag under the counter.

Michael nodded and Tom led us over to a table by a window that looked out over the water. He handed us two menus and then brushed a spot of dust off his shoulder.

''Just wave when you're ready.'' he said and then left.

I looked out the window as Michael opened his menu. There was a cliff on the other side of the water, directly across from the lighthouse. There was no river or stream leading out to the ocean from what I could see but the water still looked frigid cold.
I turned back to the menu in front of me and gave it a once over, the food on it was the same stuff you would find at most big city restaurants, which was surprising considering the looks of the place.
Once we had decided on what to have, Michael waved Tom over and told him what we wanted. As Michael handed Tom his menu, Tom paused and looked at the bandage on Michaels right arm.

''What'd you do to your arm Mike?'' Tom asked, nodding down towards Michaels arm.

''Sliced it open.'' Michael said casually.

''Forty-five stitches.'' he added proudly.

''How'd you slice it?'' Tom asked and Michael opened his mouth to speak.

''He was fighting a bear.'' I snorted and then Michael and I started to laugh.

''I'll be right back with your drinks.'' Tom said, rolling his eyes and leaving.

''Good one.'' Michael laughed, laying his arm down on the table, forearm towards him.

''Can you feel your arm yet?'' I asked and he shrugged.

''I can move it and my fingers work, but I still cant feel the cut part yet.'' he said, flexing his fingers a bit.

''Have you ever gotten stitches?'' he asked.

''Michael, I couldn't watch when they did your stitches, do you honestly think I could stay standing if I ever got stitches?'' I said and he laughed.

''Does it hurt?'' I asked after a moment of silence between us.

''Getting stitches? Or cutting your arm open?'' he asked with a grin.

''Both.''

''Well I didn’t even feel the stitches after he froze it, but that needle hurt like a bitch.'' Michael said and I laughed.

A few minutes later Tom brought us our food. Michael shovelled his down like he hadn't eaten in months and then sat with a triumphant smile, as if it had been a race and I laughed. I took my time eating while Michael talked about the stuff his parents had been making him do for the last two months or so, but he never really spoke about being in prison, I figured it wasn’t something he liked to talk about.
Once I'd finished eating, we sat and talked for a little while more, before Michael asked for the bill. I reached for my wallet and he smacked my hand lightly.

''Don't even think about it.'' he said with a grin and I smiled.

We walked back out to my car and got in. Michael gave me directions back to town, and we drove with the top down and the music blaring. We pulled onto the street that Pins and Needles was on and Michael perked up.

''Stop here.'' he said as we approached Pins and Needles.

''Why?'' I asked, slowing down.

''Cause.'' he said with a grin as he undid his seatbelt.

He went into the store and I leaned my head back against the headrest on my seat. I went over everything that had happened that day. It made me question my luck, thinking about how my day had gone from 'ordinary shopping trip' to 'an afternoon in the ER'. My train of thought found its way to Jenny and what she would think if she found out I had spent the afternoon with her brother. Suddenly the train that was my thought jumped tracks and landed on Michael. This was the longest I had ever spent with him since I had known him.

''Yea, good to see you Junior.'' Michael said as he came out of the store, breaking my train of thought.

''I take it you haven't been here since you got out either.'' I said as he got into the car.

''Hey, I've had a lot of stuff to do. This is pretty much the first time I've been away from the house without specific instructions on what to do'' he said, reaching into the small plastic bag he was carrying.

''So what'd you get?'' I asked, raising my eyebrows.

''Here.'' Michael said, handing me a brand new silver lip ring with a black and white ball on it.

''It's nice, but you don't have your lip pierced'' I said, handing it back.

''It's for you genius.'' he said, pushing my hand back.

''Really? Why?'' I asked and he looked at me like I was an idiot.

''Nikki, I could hit you.'' he sighed and I laughed.

''Junior sterilized it for you, so you can put it in if you want.'' Michael said.

''Thanks.'' I said with a smile.

I flipped down my mirror and set the new ring on my knee. I unclipped the one in my lip and took it out, putting it on me knee next to the new one.

''You really didn't have to. I mean I wouldn’t' have ca-'' I was cut off when a yet another, trouble causing sneeze escaped me, followed by two more. I felt the new ring slip from between my fingers and the cardboard the other was sitting on start to fall.

''Got it!'' Michael said after making a lightening fast movement to catch the lip ring that I had dropped.

''Sorry.'' I said as I reached down to pick up the other one that had slid off my leg.

''I think I'm allergic to you.'' I joked and Michael chuckled.

''You're not having very good luck today.'' he said, shaking his head.

''Me?'' I asked, raising my eyebrows.

''Ok neither of us.'' he laughed.

''Come here.'' he said, curling his index finger at me.

''Why?'' I asked.

''Because I said s.o'' he said and I stuck my tongue out as I leaned towards him.

''Don't move.'' he said as he took hold of my chin.

I looked anywhere but at him as he slid the new ring into the hole in my lip. I felt it click and finally looked at Michael, he had one hand on my chin and looked quickly up at my eyes before letting go.

''Thanks.'' I said, quickly moving back into my seat.

''No problem.'' he said, doing up his seat belt.

''Home then?'' I said as I started the car.

''Yea, my parents should be home soon.'' he said.

''And they'll want to know about that bear you fought.'' I said and he laughed.

I turned the music back up once we started to drive. Michael played the drums on my dashboard half the way home, making me laugh.
By the time we pulled onto our street, it was almost six and Michaels parent's cars were both in the driveway, as were mine.

''Nikki, this was the most fun I've had in two months, sliced open arm and everything,'' Michael said with a grin at the end.

''Thank you.'' he said, leaning slightly towards me.

''Anytime.'' I said, unconsciously leaning towards him.

''Thank you.'' he repeated in almost a whisper, leaning closer still.

''You already said that.'' I whispered back. I could feel him breathing, he was almost an inch away from my face. My breathing sped up as he continued to lean slowly closer.
Almost as if on cue, a light flicked on in the front room of Michaels house. His glance shot to the house and he immediately moved back, as did I.

''I'll uh- see you later.'' he said as he got out of the car.

''Bye.'' I said quickly.

I backed my car into the garage and went in the house.

''Where were you all day young lady?'' my dad asked as I walked into the kitchen.

''I went shopping with Jason, then I came home and then went to the hospital.'' I said the last part as I stuck my head in the fridge, hoping he wouldn't hear.

''The hospital?'' he said, putting his paper down and looking at me.

''Michael got hurt.'' I said, still not looking at him.

''Michael Reid?'' he asked.

''Yea, he cut his arm open, so I drove him to the emergency room.'' I said, peeling the sticker off an apple.

''Hmm, I don't know if I want you spending too much time with that boy.'' my dad said, sipping from a mug on the table.

''He's not a bad guy dad, he just got in with the wrong people.'' I said defensively.

''He was a good kid, it's strange how some people just pick the wrong path one day and there goes their life.'' he said, staring at the floor.

''Yea, I'm going to my room.'' I said, biting my apple and then leaving.

When I got to my room, I grabbed my phone off my dresser; I had forgotten it this morning. There were two voicemail messages.

Hey Nikki, it's Peter. Sorry about the movies the other night, Jacob told me you got scared and had to leave. By the way he was looking for you, I gave him your number I hope that’s ok. Anyways I'll talk to you later.

''Jacob was looking for me?'' the words made my heart flutter.

Hey Nikki, it's Jacob. I got your number from Peter; I'm almost disappointed to say that he knew it off by heart. Anyways I was wondering what you're doing Friday, I've got something I want to show you. Give me a call, my number's 273-3398 and I'll talk to you soon, hopefully.

''Did he just ask me if I wanted to go out on Friday? On a date?'' the thoughts raced through my head. There were so many questions.

I played his message again, this time writing down the number. I put my apple down, suddenly my hunger had vanished. I flopped down on my bed and dialled Jacobs's number. I listened to the phone ring for what felt like ever before there was finally a click.

''Hello?'' a voice answered.

''Hi Jacob?'' I said nervously, it didn’t sound like him; maybe he had given me his house phone.

''Nikki? It's Sage, you looking for Jacob?'' he said and I was slightly relieved.

''Yea is he there?'' I asked.

''Actually, he's kind of- tied up at the moment.'' Sage said and I could hear the mischief in his voice.

''HELP!'' I heard a muffled voice call from the background.

''Is that Jacob?'' I asked.

''No that's our uh- hamster.'' Sage said and I heard laughing in the background.

''Oh you have one of those talking hamsters eh?'' I said and Sage laughed.

''Yea, he never shuts up.'' he said.

''Well could you tell your hamster to give me a call if he wants to know about Friday.'' I said and I heard more struggling in the background on Sage's end.

''Why what's happening Friday?'' he asked, sounding intrigued.

''You'll have to ask your hamster.'' I said and Sage groaned.

''Hold on.'' he sighed.

''Let him up- cause she wants to talk to him- so?- there's two of us- it's not that hard- here.'' I heard before a breathless Jacob came on the phone.

''Hello?'' he said.

''Jacob?'' I said.

''Yea.''

''What were you doing? You sound like you just fought a horde of hungry vampires.'' I said.

''Close enough.'' he laughed, still slightly out of breath.

''So uh- you wanted to talk to me?'' I said.

''Shut up! I'm trying to talk!'' he whispered to Sage and whoever else was there.

''Yea, I was wondering what you're doing Friday night.'' he said.

''Nothing, Why?'' I asked.

''Good, can I pick you up at six?'' Jacob said and my heart leapt.

''Oooh! Sounds like a date!'' someone said, followed by some very loud kissing noises.

''Shut up!'' Jacob said and then there was a very loud crashing noise.

''Hello? Are you ok?'' I asked anxiously, it sounded like something big had been knocked over.

''Yea we're fine.'' Jacob said and there was very loud laughing in the background.

''Did you throw something at them?'' I asked, laughing a bit.

''You could say that.'' he said but before I had the chance to question him he spoke again.

''So I'll pick you up at six on Friday.''

''Sounds good.'' I said.

''I'll see you then.'' he said.

''Bye.''

''Bye.'' he said and hung up.

I closed my phone and dropped it onto my bed. I closed my eyes and my mind started to toss around ideas as to what that noise could have been; it sounded like a horse fell over. Even though it was early, I was still tired, what with all the excitement today. My sleepy trance was interrupted when my mom called me for dinner.

''Coming!'' I called as I rolled off my bed and headed for my door.

''So is Christmas!'' she retorted and I sighed.
I picked up the pace a little and went to the dining room.

''Finally.'' my dad said as I sat down at the table.

''I love you too daddy.'' I said in my most angelic voice.

''So I heard you had a little 'adventure' with Michael today.'' my mom said casually. Way to spill the beans dad.

''Yea, I came home and he cut his arm open.'' I said, hoping she wouldn't start an interrogation.

''How many stitches did he need?'' she asked.

''About forty-five.''

''Sounds like you had quite a day.'' my mom said, putting the topic to rest.

''You could say that.'' I said with a grin hidden behind my water glass.