Ember had to stifle a yawn. She knew it was probably past midnight by now, and Michael seemed to have no intentions to end this long date any time soon. Ember, of course, didn't mind. She at least needed a nap though. Michael soon stopped along the roadside. They were near where their apartment was. Michael had parked the car in the nearby neighborhood.
"I saw you yawn. I know you're tired." Michael said to her, Ember didn't bother protesting so she just nodded. "We can stop here so you can take a quick nap. Just not too long, I've got a few other destinations."
"Thanks, you're probably the best boyfriend ever." Ember mumbled, half unconscious.
"Thank you." Michael replied, leaning over to kiss her forehead. Ember was still half awake and Michael knew that. Something came to his mind just then, and he knew Ember would like to reminisce for a few moments before she took her nap.
"Hey." Michael gently put a hand on her shoulder. Ember let out a long hum to tell him she was still listening, her eyes now closed.
"Remember when I met Bella for the first time?" Michael asked her, and with that Ember felt herself smiling a little.
---flashback---
Ember placed the bowl of popcorn on Bella's lap. They had planned a day together at Embers home. They rarely got together because of Bella's work schedule, and because of Bella's frequenting parties, they never really got to just sit down as best friends.
"Would it be totally cliché if I wanted to watch The Notebook?" Bella mumbled, her mouth full of popcorn. Ember laughed as she pulled her hair back into an unruly ponytail, "Not at all."
Ember zipped up the hoodie she was wearing and tied the drawstrings on her pajama shorts into a bow. Ember jumped over the back of the couch, like the totally mature adult she was, and sat next to Bella. Bella smile at her before turning the movie on. They were just only into the first couple minutes when Ember heard a knock at the door.
"I've got it." Ember sighed, knowing how much work unlocking every single lock of the door would become. Ember undid the last one before she opened up the door. Michael was standing there with a smile on his face. Ember put a hand on her hip, and smiled. They had been together for around a year and a month and a half. Yes of course Ember counted half months too.
"Missed me that much?" Ember laughed, trying to be over flirty. Ember was horrible at flirting so she knew Michael, and possibly Bella if she was listening, would get a good laugh out of it.
"When do I not miss you?" Michael replied. "I was just wondering if you wanted to hang out today?"
Ember was about to answer when Bella beat her to it, "Who's there?"
"It's just Michael." Ember replied back. She heard Bella laugh.
"He can hang out with us, only as long as he's willing to watch The Notebook." Bella laughed to herself. Ember sighed and looked towards Michael who shrugged.
"I dunno, it could be fun." He said, Ember smiled before leading him into her darkened living room. Bella and Ember had always made a room dark when they watched a movie or an episode of something. They liked having the movie theater feel to it. Ember plopped back on the couch, and laid her legs across Bella's lap. Michael took a seat next to Ember and he put an arm behind her head.
Ember realized this was probably the first time they had met, other than the time Bella was drunk and the time the talked briefly. Ember looked at Bella who was intently watching the movie, then at Michael who looked like he was loosely concentrating.
"I just realized something." Ember reached for the remote and paused the movie. Bella looked to Ember and so did Michael.
"You guys haven't formally met." Ember sat criss cross on the couch. Bella leaned forward so she could see the bleach haired boy. Bella and Michael simply shrugged.
"Alright, well in that case, I'm Bella." Bella smiled and purposely offered her hand to him in an awkward manner. Michael smiled, knowing what she was doing, and played along.
"Well, uh, I'm Michael." He shook her hand just as awkwardly. They both turned to Ember as if to ask 'happy'. Ember nodded her head and let the movie continue to play. They got through most of it until Ember took the remote off the coffee table and paused it again. Bella let out a small groan. Michael and Bella both turned their attention to the girl.
"I wanted this to be a little nicer. It's supposed to be a big step in a relationship for a guy to meet his girlfriends best friend." Ember looked towards both of them.
"Em, this is really short notice. There's no way we could've made this better." Bella let out a small laugh. Bella reached across the table to turn the movie back on, but Ember snatched the remote and bugged to herself tightly.
"Babe, what do you want us to do?" Michael asked, moving his arm so it was firmly around Embers shoulders. Ember shrugged.
"I dunno, I just expected this to be better circumstances is all."
"C'mon, we spent a one year anniversary in a McDonalds parking lot." Michael let out a laugh and squeezed Embers shoulders tightly. Ember smiled a bit.
"Ember, our relationship isn't exactly what people would consider normal and that's okay." Michael laughed a little more and Ember joined in. Bella smiled in amusement at the two together. She got up and out her arms around both of their shoulders in a manner that would make things purposely weird for the both of them.
"Well you two are absolutely adorable." Bella cooed, being overly obnoxious. "Just look at you two."
Bella pinched Embers cheek and ruffled Michael's hair. Bella was the kind of person that was comfortable doing most things around people. Which was why she was fairly good at making friends, and she could make friends rather quickly. Ember and Michael both swatted her hands away.
"Well, Em, if you were looking for approval," Bella looked towards the both of them, "you've got it."
"I think he's very good for you." Bella smiled as Ember began to blush. Ember was happy with the way Michael got along with Bella and vise versa. It made Ember happy.
And it made Ember love Michael even more, if it was even humanly possible.
***
