Fall » Mikey Fusco

/11\

*EDITED*

MIKEY

Two more days passed before I actually went home and showered. My mom made me.

On the way back to the hospital, I see Emily in her normal skinny jeans and a tank top as she limps to the front doors to say bye to her dad. When she sees me, she gives me the warmest smile I've ever seen on her face. Ever.

"Have you slept in the past few days?" she asks.

"About two hours but whatever." I shrug and as if on Que, a yawn escapes my mouth.

"Come on," she rolls her eyes. "my dad gave me money for Starbucks. It's just down the road."

"Should you be walking on that leg?" I ask, concerned.

"Nope. But then again, when do I ever follow orders." she smirks and shrugs.

I smile and shake my head. Emily is always like this. I've never seen her sad before. Just playful, flirtatious and pissed off.

Right now she's a little bit of both flirtatious and playful.

The walk to Starbucks is quiet but comfortable, and I offer to buy her drink when we get there. Really, I just buy it because I want to feel like a gentleman. Something I never was with Lydia.

"So," Emily says, once we sit down. "how've you been?"

I sigh and take a sip from my drink. "Fine."

"Vague and a total lie," Emily rolls her eyes and leans forward on the table. "what's up?"

"What's up? The girl I love is in a freaking coma." I snap.

"Don't you forget she's my best friend. I know you're hurting but what did you do that night? Why couldn't you just tell her?" Emily asks.

"You mean you don't know?" I frown.

"Don't know what?"

"Lydia didn't tell you what happened the night we fought?" I clarify.

"No, she completely shut herself in for days. And she doesn't do that over boys so it must have been big." Emily says.

"It was." I mumble. "Let's just say I regret a few things."

"Do you regret kissing her?"

"No." I answer that without hesitation.

"Do you regret falling for her?"

Again, no hesitation. "No."

"Then when she wakes up, you fix it." Emily says, harshly.

"How?" I ask.

"Tell her how you feel. I may not know what went down that night but I do know you guys are very opposite." Emily explains.

"A moose can see that, Emily." I retort.

"No they don't see what I see. You wear this heart on your sleeve. It's a total fake. Something meant to be broken as you wait for someone who can actually reach in and touch what's never been touched. But Lydia, she's a mystery. An onion you have to peel back one perfect layer at a time. Something you have to handle with care."

"She's a natural beauty, no added preservatives." I joke.

Emily laughs and looks down into her steaming mug of coffee.

"I remember the day she came home from hanging out with you a few months ago. You guys had just taught each other some dance moves, and then sat down and ate ice cream while playing would you rather." Emily says, quietly.

I smile and think back to that day. "Yeah it was fun."

"Fun?" Emily scoffed. "It was freaking magical. She was as bright as the sun when she came back. She learned how to move quicker and now it in her dancing. You changed her."

"I hope it was for the better." I mutter.

"It was. And she changed you to. But you left." Emily sighs and looks up at me. "Why?"

"I was scared." I shrug and take another sip of my drink.

"Of falling in love?"

"No...of falling out of love." I confess.

"What?"

I take a deep breath and hold back the sobs that are now resting in my chest. I sit forward and look Emily straight in the eye as I explain.

"I fell in love with Lydia, I just didn't know it until that night we fought. And I was scared, that I would just end up being another one of those boys that she dated. The same one she cried to me about last month when they split. The one her dad always warned her about. I was afraid, that I would be the cause of a massive heartbreak."

"You were so scared of breaking her, that you did it anyway, taking yourself along for the ride." Emily says.

"Basically. It wasn't supposed to end that way." I tell her.

"Listen, Lydia is a forgiver. Sometimes it's highly nauseating, but she already forgave you. If she didn't, she wouldn't have even bothered noticing your presence the night of the accident." Emily says.

"But would I make her happy if I confessed?"

"You'll have her jumping over the moon." Emily smiles.

I smile back and look away. "That day, when we taught each other a dance, we were....I can't explain it exactly."

"Moving as one?" Emily suggests.

"Yeah." I nod.

"That's why she loved contemporary so much. Because when you do it in partners...you can create a story. Make something so beautiful, that the whole world will stop and watch. She spoke to you that day." Emily sits back in her chair and pulls her hair over her left shoulder.

"What did she say?" I ask, even more interested.

"She loves you."

"How do you know all this?" I wonder aloud.

"I'm the best friend. I see, notice, and remember everything." Emily shrugs smugly and get up. I follow her lead and we walk back to the hospital. "Just get her back."

"Why me? I don't know how." I say.

"Be the boy you know you're supposed to be. And she'll respond well. Trust me. Best friend remember?" Emily smirks and flips her hair over her shoulder.

"How did you get so wise?" I smile.

"It's a gift," Emily shrugs and pushes me towards Lydia's room. "Now go bring my best friend back."