Promise. (Manthony)

Sixteen

     Mitchel giggles at me. "Move forward." He demands. I do as told. His thumb brushes against my lips. Our eyes making direct contact. I shiver in response. His skin touching mine felt like tiny fireworks going off on my body. It was an amazing sensation I wanted to feel again and again.

"You had whipped cream on y-your lips." Mitchel stutters. Was he...nervous? That would be a bit odd for someone who didn't have feelings for me. I smirk. I still had an affect on him. Mitchel shoves a forkful of pancakes in his mouth. Avoiding having to say anything else to me.

I swallow the jittery feeling I now had away. I glance around the room. My gaze lands on Tanner staring directly at Mitchel and I. I raise an eyebrow at him. He lowers his eyes at me before turning around and walking into the kitchen. He hated me and I knew it deep in my heart. I hadn't cut him off too harshly so I was still confused as to why he made it seem that I had.

"Which are your favourite pancakes so far?" I ask Mitchel. Attempting to forget all about Tanner once again. Mitchel hums as he looks at all of the different options on the table. A puzzled look plastered on his face.

"I think the butter pecan. They make my mouth water just thinking about them." He replies. I smile at his reaction.

"Hey, excuse me for second, I'll be right back." Mitchel says. I nod. He wipes the corners of his mouth with the cloth napkin. He sets it down next to him and moves out of the booth swiftly. He asks a nearby waiter for directions to what I assumed to be the bathroom. Mitchel quickly walks to the other side of the restaurant. I couldn't help but notice Tanner say something to his coworker and head in that direction as well. I frown in confusion. I shake the feeling away when Tanner stops to talk to someone instead.

I was overthinking. As usual. I turn my attention back to my pancakes.

It was awkward to eat all by myself. It felt as if everyone's eyes were on me and they were judging me for sitting alone. I struggled with eating by myself. Then again, I struggled with being by myself in general. My worst thoughts appeared when I was alone. Not to mention it made me feel like I had no one. I was working on this negative mindset but it wasn't easy to break. It was important to enjoy my own company but I couldn't help but hate it.

A guy gets up from the booth near Mitchel and I's. As he walks by his phone drops out of his jacket. Landing right next to me.

"Hey! You dropped your phone..." I say to him awkwardly. Grabbing it from the floor and holding it out for him to take. He turns around. Patting his jacket pockets like I hadn't just said he dropped it. He makes an "oh" face. Smiling at me and taking it back.

"Thanks, wouldn't have noticed." As I looked at him he seemed familiar but I couldn't put my finger on who he might be.

"Do I know you?" I ask. He shakes his head. "I don't think so...haven't seen you before." He chuckles at me but his face held a look of discomfort. I could feel my cheeks warm up from the embarrassment.

I seemed like a creeper.

"Oh, okay...sorry you just seem so familiar." I fake laugh to not make the situation even worse.

"Nope, thanks again for grabbing my phone." He walks away. Shoving it back in his jacket pocket and walking towards the bathroom as well. I sigh to myself. Wondering what was taking Mitchel so long. I sounded clingy but I missed him when he'd leave even for a minute.

I look through my notifications on my phone. Nothing interesting was happening other than some TikTok drama that our fans tagged us in for some reason. I skim through the post out of curiosity. I only got confused from reading all of the different sides of the people that were involved.

Teenagers these days.

A flustered Mitchel finally reappears. He clears his throat. Quickly sitting back down and jumping into a random conversation.

"I gotta get my car washed this weekend. Do you wanna come with?" He asked hurriedly. I eye him. Glancing back at the bathroom and noticing Tanner and the guy I had given the phone back to walk out of the bathroom at the same time. Tanner whispers something into the guys ear. The other guy nodding and putting his sunglasses on. He whispers back before cooly walking out. I guess he had already eaten and paid for his meal.

"Uh, is everything alright?" I ask concerned.

"Yeah, why?" Mitchel asks defensively. I shrug.

"You seem nervous or something. Did Tanner say anything to you?"

"Huh? No. He came in when I was in the bathroom but we didn't speak."

I don't respond. I hadn't seen Tanner walk in. I wanted to press the issue but there would be no point. Mitchel would only get annoyed and another argument would come between us. Too many arguments would end up damaging our friendship completely.

"This weekend? Are you gonna come with?" Mitchel asks again. I cut a piece of my pancake. Take a bite and nodding. "I'll come." I say with the food still in my mouth.

"I prefer to see the food on your plate rather than in your mouth." He grimaces. I roll my eyes at him. One of Mitchel's biggest pet peeves was talking with food in your mouth. Occasionally, I'd do on purpose to spite him.

We eat whatever else we could. Talking about random things that popped into our minds. We split the payment and ask for the styrofoam to-go boxes to put our left over food in. After leaving a tip we gather our things and leave the restaurant. I follow Mitchel to his car. Setting the food on the floor in the back. I'm sure Pat and Jesse are going to have a field day with our leftovers.

Mitchel drives down the highway but misses the turn that leads us to our house. I wanted to say something but he seemed to know what he was doing. We drive for around ten minutes. Eventually Mitchel stops at a strip mall center. It was a nice one though. Must've been one that was recently built. There was a fountain in the middle of the area with trees everywhere. There was also outside seating to eat, talk, or rest.

"What are we doing?" I ask.

"I just didn't feel like going home right now. The food should be fine since it's nice outside." Mitchel parks in a spot that was in the middle of the parking lot. Wasn't too far from all the shops that were around us.

We walk towards the outside seating area. It was tempting to grab ahold of his hand as we were walking but I knew he would sucker punch me if I tried. I found it more and more difficult to hold in my feelings. But, I had done it for 6 years, so I could do it for another 6 and forever after that.

He stops at the fountain. I do too. Maybe a little too close to him for his comfort but he didn't seem to mind this time.

"Here," he waits for me to hold my hand out. I do and face my palm up. He drops a penny into my hand.

He grabs another one from his pocket. I pick up on what we were about to do. We were going to make wishes together. I swear my wishes never came true but today could be my lucky day.

"Better wish something good." Mitchel says to me. "I'll try." I respond back.

I take a look at Mitchel to admire him for a moment. He took my breath away every time and I hated it. His eyes were closed as he made his wish. I turn my attention back to the fountain again. Closing my eyes and wishing as well.

I wish for you to be mine again. Even if it's for five minutes.