Bini: In Parallel Universe

LXIV: Spiderman and Mary Jane

Mikha's POV

Halloween was tonight and I texted Stacey asking if she wanted to come out with me and my friends.

I knew she probably had other plans, but I went ahead and shot my shot anyway.

A few guys from first year were having a house party in the village, and Colet and I were going as Spiderman and Venom. Clubs were overrated and overpriced, even though girls loved that shit. Couldn't be me. If Stacey had plans to blow her life savings on twenty-dollar watered down mixers, I could save her from that.

5:18pm - Mikha: Halloween party tonight. Want to come?

5:32pm -Stacey Sevilleja: Where?

5:38pm - Mikha: Campus village.

I texted her Colet's dorm room number because that's where we were pre-drinking. Never in my life did I think Colet would meet Stacey; never in my life did I think I'd be the one providing that opportunity.

Over the last week I'd contemplated whether or not she was someone I wanted in my life, someone of value and importance. It was a stupid thing to analyze, but I rarely let people in. Nothing good ever came from it, nothing good ever will.

But the more I thought about her, the more I realized she was actively living in my head. There were no distinctive feelings to describe the emotions I felt, just that they were there. That was the push I needed to text her.

"She coming?" Colet asked, slugging back a cider.

I checked my phone to see that I had two missed texts from her.

5:40pm - Stacey Sevilleja: I'll pass for tonight, have fun though!

5:41pm - Stacey Sevilleja: Thanks for inviting me.

It was a bit of a sucker punch to the face, honestly, reading those messages. I thought after the last couple weeks, we made some progress getting to know each other beyond something superficial. But then again, girls always made Halloween plans in advance so I shouldn't have been surprised.

Don't take it personally, Mikha. It's nothing personal.

"Guess not." I grabbed a Bud from the cooler and leaned against
Colet's desk.

"Disappointed?" I met her eyes, those curious brown orbs.

"What answer are you expecting?" I asked.

She shrugged, her Venom mask tight like spandex over his forehead. "The truth." I couldn't help but laugh. "You look like a fucking idiot right now. I can't take you seriously. Look in the mirror, man. You're in a skin-tight Spiderman suit."

"And I look amazing." The beer was cool on my tongue as I swallowed down the fizz, staring at my phone.

"She's probably going to a club." I added.

"Why don't you ask her?"

"Because I don't care." I didn't need to look up to see that Colet had rolled her eyes.

"But you do." We stared at each other for a few moments before the unyielding curiosity took over.

"Fuck it, I'll just ask."