Rules on Relationships

Everyone's got an ex, unless you're fortunate enough to meet your soul mate at one go or you haven't dated yet. I had a talk with Michael about exes, he was listing down the two other women who he had a long term relations with, and he honestly told me that he had a few flings, but actually lost it to the second girlfriend - I wasn't surprised.
I guess, for me, I had an ex-boyfriend in High School, and he was a very decent guy, but if I had to compare him to Michael, he wasn't all that. To be honest, he was a jerk, and I have no idea what I saw in him. Well, I think he was a jerk. Lia didn't like the guy because it was like he was dragging me down with things I wanted.
Thank God he's at New York, won't see him again.

Jealousy. It's normal.

After having that random conversation about past relationships with Michael, I instantly told Lia about it and she became more confused when I said that I was suddenly feeling indifferent.
"Why would you even be talking about that type of things anyway?" Lia asked as she and I were eating breakfast at McDonalds, it was our day off and we decided to spend the day with each other after a while. I prodded on my hotcakes in frustration and let out a grunt. She could only laugh as she gave me a pat on the shoulder.
"To be honest, I wasn't even sure why you brought a topic like that up. But I give him the thumbs up for even telling you who he lost it to," She sipped her hot chocolate. "Derek never told me who he lost it to."
"Well, he asked me," I mumbled with a sigh. "He asked me how many boyfriends I had before him, and I told him about you-know-who, and he told me about his. Then all of a sudden, he told me that he lost it to his second girlfriend and that was that. It didn't get awkward though, it was until I got home last night that I had a deep think about it and I started to feel weird inside."
"I think its jealousy you're feeling," She smiled. It was Motherly, and it was like she was pleased to see that I went through and experienced these things. I didn't like it, that's for sure. "Trust me, it's a common feeling. And if a guy is into you, then he would've been jealous that he wasn't your first. Wait, did you happen to mention to Michael that you haven't lost that yet?"
"Yes," I whined. I didn't like the fact that I told him, but I wanted to tell him so that he wouldn't be hoping to have sex anytime soon. "I don't want him to think I lost it and I would give in so easily."
Lia shook her head. "He's not like that," She suddenly revealed. "He told Derek and the boys the other day that he was willing to take things slow between you two because he felt that you were something special, and that's why he didn't kiss you yet. Boys don't make bullshit up in the locker room."
"How do you get all these information off of Derek?"
She shrugged. "For some reason, he just told me. He has these moments when we're together and he would just blurt out whatever he was thinking or what he heard or what new things he found out. Sometimes, I don't get him sometimes," She laughed at her own boyfriend right in front of me. I looked up at her and I couldn't help but think about when would I reach that point?
Well, I was far off, Derek and Lia have been together since we moved here together late last year, and officially dated since December of last year. And yeah, they've done it. Four months into their relationship. I know that because Lia announced it to me when I got home from Los Angeles one weekend, and it wasn't even any of my business for crying out loud! They did it in the apartment I live in while I was away!!
Oh God, I don't even want to think about when I'll actually engage in that intimate moment with Michael, but the thought made me shiver in my seat. Do I wait four months too?

"Roxanne? Roxanne Miller?"

Both Lia and I looked at the same time, and we probably narrowed our eyes and parted our lips in surprise at the same time. I stood up first and asked, "Is that you, Kenneth?"
Kenneth Blake, my ex-boyfriend.
"Yes! Wow, I haven't seen you in a long time, how have you been? You seem well!" He spoke with his foreign accent, a smile curved on his lips as he suddenly pulled me into an embrace. I could feel Lia glaring behind me. She despised this guy for dumping me for another woman two years ago, and he returned a week before moved to Ann Arbor just to ask to get back with me. My best friend kicked him out the moment she heard it from his lips while she was listening in from the other room, slammed the door on him and I didn't see or heard from him ever again. I love Lia James, and her protective manner was what made her awesome. But seriously, I fell for his romance and accent and his foreign vibe. Kenneth was from some country in Europe, I can't remember where, but he moved here because of his American Mother. He was my boyfriend for nearly three years, so we dated midway through Freshman year to end of Junior year, and he decided to dump me during the break and he pranced around with his new girlfriend to screw up my Senior year and Prom, but it was Lia who seemed to have been provoked because she was pretty annoyed whenever he was around with his girlfriend in School - especially on Prom night.
"I've been doing well," I said against his shoulder. His scent was still the same, and it bothered me because he just smelled so good. Damn this guy and his foreign vibe.
"What brings you here, Kenneth?" Lia spitefully asked as the man parted from the embrace, but he seemed to have not released me from his grasp because his arm was still casually flung over my shoulder. He moved his head side to side and said, "Well, I am currently studying at New York for my Broadway career."
Yeah, he was a performer and musically talented, so it was heard for me not to be attracted by him.
"But I was invited here for a performance in the theatre," He said with arrogance coming down from each word as his nose was held up high - as to say that we would be jealous and whatever. Lia just hissed and sipped her hot chocolate, turning her eyes away and showing her rude manners because of her hatred for that guy. I was polite, and I hated it sometimes. I looked his way and asked, "How long are you here for?"
"About a week or so, but I'm back to New York by next week that's for sure," He sounded more arrogant. "Say, why don't you and I catch up? I'd love to hear what you've been up to since you left the Big Apple. I swear that you look a lot more beautiful since I last saw you, um, last year right? Before you moved here."
"She has a boyfriend, asshole," My best friend slammed her cup and stood up, and she had her eyes squinted as she was probably sending invisible knives towards Kenneth without him knowing. He was actually ignoring everything she said and basically her, and he was a bit too busy eying me up and down. I shook my head and pushed him away.

"Yeah, she does."

Kenneth's arm had left my shoulders in an instant and he seemed to have gotten ready to defend himself if someone were to hurt him, well, he was actually just protecting his face as though it was the most important part of his body - he forgot about his balls. I wasn't able to turn around to see my hero, but I instantly knew who it was the moment he place his hand onto my waist tugged me closer to his body. I had to hide my smile though, but I felt so protected.
"Well, just think about it Roxy. I'll invite your Lia here just for the sake of it, but no boyfriends," Kenneth stubbornly, yet confidently, persuaded with a glare towards Michael as he turned around and reunited himself with his batch of actors and actresses around the corner. I turned my head slightly upwards just to take a peek at my hero, but then again he seemed to be in the same mood as Lia, so I silently left his side and tugged him to sit down to the end of the booth while I closed his chance of escaping by sitting at the edge.
"Who the hell was that guy?" Michael didn't sound pleased as he gulped down his bottle of water. He was actually quite sweaty and I figured he went for a jog or something, and it was a bit attractive to see him in shorts, a singlet and slightly soaked in his sweat. A hardworking man attracted me a lot.
"Just some ass that Anne dated back in High School," Lia revealed as she furiously stabbed her fork into her half-eaten hot cake to pick it up and munch at it with a hint of rage. I could feel Michael's eyes turn my way for an explanation, and it was hard for me to look him in the eye after that commotion, but I did anyway.
His brown eyes burning into mine, I knew that he wasn't pleased at all.
His eyebrow cocked up as he waited for my response. I gulped down my fear and added, "That was Kenneth, my ex, and he came here, I didn't even know he was here in Ann Arbor. Besides, how'd you know I was here?"
"I didn't," He quickly replied. "I had my usual run for the morning and I only came by here to use the bathroom. And then, all of a sudden, I saw that guy with his arm wrapped around you, so I had to come over here and see what it was all about. And I guess I came at the right time."
"Yeah, you did, or I would've kicked that guy in the balls," Lia hissed as she excused herself to go to the bathroom. I took the opportunity to move to the seat opposite of Michael and looked him in eye and reassured him that there was nothing between me and Kenneth. Not if I was paid a million dollars or if my life depended on it.
It seemed to have eased him up.
Michael rubbed his forehead and sighed before reaching over to hold onto my hand. "I was just annoyed that that guy was standing and holding onto you like that, and then I got more annoyed when he called you 'Roxy', and more when Lia mentioned that he was your ex-boyfriend," He confessed, his eyes softened up and he seemed to have relaxed a bit. I tapped onto his hand and decided to lighten up the mood, so I joked, "I was actually very scared of you when you came out of the blue. I had this feeling that I was going to have to hold you back if Kenneth said something else."
He smiled! It worked!
"Well, I wouldn't mind saving you some more, but I have to meet Bob later today," He lazily said while lifting my hand and giving it a playful bite. "I wish I could spend time with you today," He whispered and released my hand. "But I guess you have your girl thing and I have training, so don't get into any more trouble, okay?" He added as he leaned to give me a peck on the lips before he bid farewell. I watched him walk out the door and disappear away.
Lia came back with her mellowed out self, and she seemed to have washed her face and had a bit of a cool down in the bathroom. She crossed her arms over her chest and beckoned to the door. "We should get going, Anne, we have a whole day planned out,"
I stood up and picked up my bag and cell phone. As I walked out, my phone vibrated and Michael sent me a text that made me laugh. Lia read it and she laughed and suggested, "You know, if you teased him about what happened today, I think he would have a cute reaction."

The Girlfriend barricade. Boyfriends know it exists.

A few days since that happened, Michael has been on defense mode, especially when he found out that you-know-who was in town for most of the week and I had to go interview you-know-who for the Campus paper.
He wasn't pleased with me again.
It didn't really help when the only time I could do the interview was the night when we planned to go to the night club and just relax after a stressful week, so I was dressed rather inappropriate for just an interview and he didn't like the thought of leaving me in a room with an ex. So Michael was actually there with me when I went to interview you-know-who, and he watched my moves like a hawk and the little touches that you-know-who initiated or lasted longer than two seconds were hissed upon. I laughed at him once it was all over, and teased him in the cab when we were on our way to the night club where we met up with Lia and Derek for a night out in town. He only joked along with me, but I could tell that he really wasn't happy.
"Finally!" Derek greeted me with a playful jab on the shoulder, though I reacted with a harder one on his before giving his girlfriend a hug. The two managed to grab a booth, and there were some drinks already laid and some were already emptied to the last drop. We were both given shots and had to drink it before we were able to take a seat. Well, just Michael and Derek, I was dragged away by Lia to the dance floor and dance, and we were out of sight after just a few steps and danced.

An hour or two passed, Lia and I would walk back and forth to the bar to get some drinks, and we occasionally went to give some attention to our boyfriends before we headed back to the dance floor without them. However, during the time on the floor or on the bar, I couldn't help but steal glances to where we left the boys, and I didn't know why I always had to do it. I also went a bit defensive and tense whenever a woman walked over to Michael and conversed with him, that and taking pictures and even sitting next to him with their skimpy dresses and thick make up and red lips that pouted for a kiss, and especially when they touched his arm! Ah! I felt that my blood was actually boiling, and I knew that Lia probably took note because she stopped dancing the moment my head wouldn't return to her. She pressed her cheek against mine to peek at what I was looking at and laughed at me. She grasped onto my hand and tapped on the side of my face so I would take notice of her. She then shook her head. She had a smile on her lips and whispered into my ear, "Anne, I think you just put up the barricade. You're finally growing up."
What's she talking about?
"I love you, Roxanne, so go at him," She gave me a peck on the cheek as she pushed me away. "Go home."
I marched towards Michael, who was talking to Derek. A girl turned up just when I did, but she rushed away when she saw the swimmer had greeted me with a kiss on the hand and pulled me onto his lap, but I was frustrated, so I told Derek that he should go dance with Lia while I had some time with my beau. Derek didn't debate, he probably saw that I was serious and had no time to joke, so he left without another word and trailed through the crowd to find his lady. I turned my head toward Michael and asked, "How many women have approached you tonight?"
"A few?" He answered with a confused tone. "You're drunk," He pointed out as he stood up and pulled me up with him. "Come on, let's take you home."
Outside, I couldn't handle it and began to complain, "It's not fair that you get to flirt and have these women offer themselves at you like that. It's just not fair. What are you even doing with me? I'm no fun." - I was drunk.
"What are you talking about?" He shook his head and tossed my arm over his neck while he wrapped his arm around my waist. It was a while before the cab arrived and he helped me in, though he actually cradled me on his lap on the way to his place. I let out a sigh and leaned against his chest, his scent was so alluring that it overpowered Kenneth's powerful cologne. I closed my eyes and mumbled, "Not fair that I'm not going to be your first..."
"Anne, I can't understand what you're saying. You're speaking a completely different language."
"There were so many attractive girls tonight," I yawned. "You should've gone home with one of them."
"Are you kidding me?" He chuckled as the cab driver asked if I was okay. I heard Michael explain that I drank too much and it was best to just take me home, I think, it sounded like that, but I was too busy listening to his heartbeat. It sped up when I whispered to him if he would ever consider sleeping with me one day, and I think he answered me, but I couldn't remember what happened next.
Everything went blank. I was drunk.
And that was officially the second time Michael saved me in my drunken state.