Stupid Love || Michael Afton x Reader

forty two - disastrous dinner

June 25th 1993.

"Who you bringing?"

I faced Terry as I finished stuffing my purse with unnecessary shit like my lipstick. Like, what if it smudges? Looking good is important.

Especially when I decided to tag Michael along with me.

"Nick can't stop me from bringing Michael, I'm also kind of thinking about-" I took a deep breath. Was I ready to break up with him? Two years. That was a long time. Maybe I still needed time to think. "Nevermind, I just want to piss him off."

Terry grinned at me from the kitchen bar, sipping at her hot chocolate in her hands. "You are wild." She giggled but her laughter quickly died down, her gaze a concerned stare. "But seriously - did something happen? You've been acting kinda... off."

I chuckled lowly, pulling on a pair of black pumps. "Nothings happened Terry, just me and Nick are... debating about stuff right now. It'll get better, I hope." Terry tilted her head, narrowing her eyes.

"You know you can be honest with me..." She drank loudly from her mug, sighing. "It's okay to say you don't love him anymore, even before Michael magically materialised out of no where, you weren't that happy with him anyway..."

Was I not happy with him before? I'm pretty sure I had a healthy relationship with Nick before Michael. Michael just made me... rethink things.

"Now you're just talking bullshit." I laughed, ignoring the fact that she is probably right. One of my main lessons I should of learned years ago: Terry is never wrong.

"I'm not talking bullshit Y/N, don't you distrust me again." She snapped, my laughter came to an end. "If you don't love him then tell him before he proposes to you or something."

My eyes widened immediately as she said that. The thought of Nick proposing to me was... strange. Disturbing. It left a sickening feeling at the bottom of my stomach.

Even if like half of my generation were already married, I'd rather wait to actually marry a man that loves me instead of being stuck their slave for the rest of my life.

"I- I don't know Terry..." I sighed, leaning back in the couch and staring up at our plain ceiling. "It's so confusing... how can I love Michael when he literally just appeared in my life like a week ago? It doesn't make sense."

Terry let out a heavy sigh, giving me that one stare she always gave me when she was irritated with me.

"Because if it's love, it's love."

"It's stupid."

"No it isn't, Nick is the stupid one."

I raised my eyebrows, redirecting my gaze to Terry who was peacefully drinking her drink, an annoyed expression plastered across her face.

"Nick... I don't know Terry, it's not like he's done anything particularly bad." I sighed, running a hand through my hair. Terry groaned, shaking her head so much that the braids in her hair flopped about.

"I heard your conversation on Tuesday. He was trying to manipulate you Y/N, get that into your tiny little brain of yours." She murmured, I rolled my eyes, standing up. "He says he loves you sure, but does he actually care about your wellbeing?"

I strided quickly over to the hallway door, shooting Terry a glare. "I'll figure it out with him, I have enough on my hands." I glanced at the small gold watch strapped around my wrist. "Now I'm going to be late, see you."

---

"Shit shit shit, what have I done?!" I mumbled under my breath, groaning and covering my face as we stopped just in front of the restaurant's door, hesitating to open it. Michael raised an eyebrow at me, placing his hand gently on my shoulder.