E.T. is [not] my lover

just good 'friends'

story inspired by and dedicated to grace

E.T.'s POV — present day

dear michael,

you are my one true love, my only desire. i long to have my long fingers entangled in your black, greasy hair once again. these past few years have been tearing me apart; my throat clogged with blood ever since my heart burst; my brain fogged with memories of our last encounter. how i yearn for your touch against my breast.

i fear that if i cannot see you again, i will perish. i don't care if the oxygen on earth suffocates me; life without you here is worse.

i will find some way back to you my muse, no matter what it takes. i have now learned that home is not where i came from, but instead where i long to be. you are my home, my sanctuary, my garden of eden. removing me from your arms was the original sin, and i vow to seek vengeance upon those who care to see us apart.

please, find a way back.

yours,
E.T.

M.J.'s POV — 1982

michael's mouth stood agape as he stared at the diner door. his best friend, wembley, snapped and waved a hand in front of his face wildly, but michael couldn't tear his eyes off the entrance.

"hello," wembley called, "earth to michael! anybody home? what could be more important than those chicken fingers?"

"i-i," michael stuttered out, the words caught on some invisible string.

fed up, wembley turned around and sighed knowingly. "so, you've finally noticed the new guy, huh?"

michael absentmindedly nodded.

"his name's zreck, but everyone just calls him E.T., or, the extra terrestrial. all the girls are totally in love."

michael blushed and ripped his gaze away. "they are all over him."

"you jealous of his game or something? bet you're just upset that red is into him. everyone knows you like her."

he nodded again, but something in michaels stomach bubbled at the thought of her. his mind gravitated to someone by the door, but it wasn't red. he certainly was jealous, but not of E.T.: he was jealousy of her.

"go over and say hi, maybe he can give you some pointers," wembley said, smirking.

michael glanced up again, and caught the eye of E.T., who smiled as he stared. suddenly, michael felt completely embarrassed, and needed to leave immediately.

"i, uh," he grumbled as he fell out of the booth. "i gotta go, wemb. see you later?"

as he sprinted out of the diner, he didn't hear the door slam. instead, he heard someone else push it open and run out behind him. he turned to see who it was, and in turn fell over a park bench.

michael started to tear up at his embarrassment, but then a long hand reached down to help him up.

"i, uh, couldn't help but notice you in there," the hand's owner said. "i was wondering if you might want to hang out sometime?"

michael glanced up and realized that E.T. was the one who chased him down. E.T. sought him out!

he opened his mouth to respond, but ended up only giggling like a schoolgirl. his cheeks burned red, upset that he had blown his chance, but E.T. only smiled.

"i'll take that as a yes. let's go, i know a great spot down by the lake."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

over the next several weeks, michael and E.T became incredibly close, to the point that they only hung out together, or with wembley occasionally.  they considered each other best friends.

still, michaels gut told him that something was wrong, that he and E.T. were somehow different than regular friends, but michael pushed it off as just excitement over having a "bro".

until one day in late july, when wembley came to him with an ad in the newspaper.

it read: "LOCAL TEEN TERRESTRIAL, ZRECK, ENGAGED TO BE MARRIED TO DEBUTANT RED"

michael knew that he should feel happy for his friend, but instead he went home and sobbed uncontrollably into his pillow for seven days and seven night.