Heart It Races

"Put it in my mouth Michael! Oh my God!" I squealed, moving so the spoon wouldn't hit me in the face. It was finally Friday and the boys were over waiting for me to finish my cereal so we could leave for school. Michael, then thinking I was going to slow, decided he would spoon feed me, which was not, in anyway, going well.

"Okay! Okay! I'm done! You win!" I took the spoon from his hand, plonking it down in the half full bowl.

"Finally."

The car ride to school was uneventful, I think we were all dreading school, wanting it to be the weekend already.

"Will you help my dye my hair for homecoming this weekend?" Michael asked as we walked into German.

I held in a groan, growing tired of the word homecoming. I couldn't wait for it to be over and done with.

"Sure." I agreed, the smile on my face becoming forced.

"I'll need to buy fancy pants too." he thought out loud and I wished he would shut up because I was tired of hearing about it.

When we walked into the classroom, I was surprised to see Colton already seated in his desk in front of me. He was usually at least ten minutes late.

His blue eyes met mine and he smiled as I took my seat behind him.

"You're here early." I commented

"Yeah." He nodded, not elaborating as to why.

He seemed distracted, acting like he wasn't in the mood so I left it alone.

"Aspen?"

"Yeah?"

"So, you know there's homecoming next weekend, and I'm not going with anyone and if you're not going with anyone I was hoping that maybe you'd go with me?"

I giggled at his nervousness feeling green eyes on us as the question stumbled from his lips, "Yeah, sure."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Cool, I'll pick you up at at seven?"

"Sounds good." He turned around in his desk, and I smiled, not daring to glance at Michael, I knew he was watching, and I wanted him to be.

***

We all gathered together at lunch and Calum sat down next to me at the table, while the others were in line.

"So, I got an earful last period and Michael is completely pissed that you're going to the dance with Colton."

"Well he's going with Piper!" I exclaimed, not believing the double standard he was holding me to.

"That's the thing though! He doesn't really want to go with her! It turns out Michael went to Ashton the other day for advice on how to ask you because you weren't picking up on any of his hints, and Ashton, being the dumb ass he is, told him he should make you jealous because that always works out better in the end, so, when Piper asked him, he said yes because he's an idiot." He explained.

I groaned loudly throwing my head on the table. I never liked drama. "This is so messed up I don't even want to go anymore!"

"No! You have to so he can see you and Colton having a good time together!"

"I just want to go with Michael." I whined leaning my head on his shoulder.

"I know, I'm sure he'll realize he's stupid for taking relationship advice from Ash soon enough and come running back to you."

"I hope."

Our conversation came to an end as the other boys sat down, Michael right across from me, but he didn't smile like he usually did.

***

"What color do you want?" I asked as Mike and I strolled the aisles of Sally's Beauty Supply. Things were normal between us now, all school things lost in the Saturday morning breeze.

"I don't know, maybe red, or purple...What do you think?" He asked picking up a bottle of each.

"I think red. Are you going to bleach the black or leave it?"

"I think I'll leave it. I like it."

"Me too."

He paid for it, and then we left, headed back to his house.

"I can't wait to see you in fancy pants." I laughed, starting the car.

"Yeah, well don't hold your breath, Luke told me I could just wear black jeans." He poked me in the cheek, smirking.

"Damn, I was really looking forwad to it."

"How's the college search going?" He put his feet up on the dash and I slapped them down, earning a scowl.

"I found a few I'm intrested in, so hopefully my SAT scores will be high enough to get in to them."

"I'm hoping the band thing works out so I don't have to worry about all of that shit."

"With your grades you better."

The ride continued with light banter and us doing a bad rendition of Adore You along with the radio.

"What color did you get?" Luke asked from where he sat on the couch, stuffing a hand full of chips in his mouth.

"Red." Michael confirmed as we walked passed him, and up the stairs to the bathroom, passing Calum in the game room on the way.

"Sit." I motioned to the edge of the tub.

"You've done this before, right?" He squinted at me.

"Yes, chill!"

"Don't screw this up, I gotta look good." He warned as I snapped the gloves on.

"What's so great about Piper anyway?" I squirted the red mixture in my hands, beginning to lather his hair in it. I hadn't meant to speak the words, but now that I had there was no taking them back.

"I don't know," he shrugged, "She's pretty, and she has cool... Shoes?"

"Cool shoes?" I raised my eyebrow at him.

He huffed loudly, "I don't know, okay!"

I snickered.

"Well, you're going with Colton! What's so great about him?"

"He's cool, he likes good music, we like a lot of the same stuff-"

"I like good music!" Michael turned around abruptly, causing me to paint a red bright red stripe on his forehead.

"Goddammit Michael!" The stripe was big and would not doubt stain his skin for a few days.

I grabbed a rag from the cabinet, wetting it.

"All I'm saying is I'm just as good as him." His hands rested on my hips as I stood between his legs, wiping the crimson smear of his face.

"I didn't say you weren't! Why do you care so much?" I hoped this would lead to him admitting how he did, or didn't, feel about me.

"I don't, I was just wondering."

I held in a groan, displeased with his response.

"I'm gonna go watch TV with Luke, call me in thirty minutes and we can wash it out."

I wasn't mad at him, just upset, and I wanted to be away from him for a little.

"Where's Mike?" Luke asked as I sat down on the couch next to him.

"Upstairs. What are you watching?"

"A documentary on the Pacific Ocean."

"Fun?"

"There was nothing else on." He propped his feet on the coffee table, and I pretended to be interested in some microscopic organism, vital to the ecosystem.

I couldn't stop thinking about Michael.

I wanted him to like me. I wanted him to so bad, but that's all I could do, want.

Thirty minutes passed and Michael bellowed for me to come upstairs.

"Your forehead is still red." I laughed turning on the water.

I rinsed and blow dried his hair for him. The color turned out really good and his hair was dark now, contrasting his white skin well. It was really attractive.

"Thanks Aspen! It's perfect how can I ever repay you?" He hugged me droning sarcastically.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, you're welcome. You have to make me lunch though."