house of cards :: m.g.c.

0.4

"hi, michael."

"oh, hey zoe." he quickly glanced up at the brunette in front of him and showed her a timid smile.

"how are you?" she asked, flitting through the collector's cards on the desk.

"alright. it's been pretty quiet around here."

"that sounds boring. oh, i know! you should come with mali and i to the fair this afternoon. it's being held for all the teenagers around by the youth committee people. i don't really understand it but it'll definitely be fun and it's only open to those between thirteen and nineteen."

"i don't know . . ." michael's face twisted into an uneasy grimace.

"oh, come on. please?" zoe grabbed onto michael's bracelet-clad wrists and extended the final vowel of the word.

"fine! fine, i'll come." michael gave in.

"yay! you can come with us. the fair opens at three and it's in, like, the middle of nowhere so it'll take awhile to get there." zoe pulled out her phone and typed in a few words before putting it back. "when do you get off work?"

michael looked down at the time on the bottom left corner of the computer. "now, actually."

"oh! well, let's go find mali and then we can get going."

"no need, i'm right here." mali-koa walked up to the counter, making zoe jump slightly. "chop chop. let's go let's go let's go!"

"jeez, calm down, mali. you coming, michael?"

michael nodded once, removed the vest management made him wear, grabbed his wallet and keys, and followed the two girls. all three hopped into mali's black jeep.

"do you mind if we stop by my house quickly? i just need to change." michael asked from the back seat.

"yeah, of course. just tell me where to go." mali replied, pulling out of the car park space.

soon, they were pulled up outside michael's apartment block. he rushed out and up the stairs to his door. michael rapidly tore off his green day shirt and exchanged it for a red flannel. he plucked the leather satchel from beside his bed, looked at his hair in the mirror, then headed towards the door before remembering one thing. he grabbed it then locked the door. michael looked down at the item in his hands and smiled at it. tonight was definitely going to be fun.