to the moon. /m.c./

s e v e n

 We sat together under a weeping willow tree, just staring up at the sky. Michael's iPod was blaring music through a pair of earbuds that we shared.

I glanced to my right and saw Michael pull out a small notebook and begin writing something. "What are you writing?" I asked, curious.

He turned to me and smiled, clicking his pen a few times. "I write songs." I nodded and looked away, listening to the music and the small sounds of his pen scratching the paper underneath it.

I yawned and took a sip of coffee, turning back to Michael, who seemed to be very focused on what he was doing.

"Songs about what?"

Michael glanced up and me and then quickly finished a sentence, his eyes shooting back up to meet mine when he'd finished. "Songs about anything, really. I write when I feel like I need to write."

I nodded and then pulled the earphone from my ear, standing up. My skirt flowed in the breeze, and I spun in a circle, feeling leaves fall around me. They cascaded around me and tickled my skin.

I could hear Michael laugh as he put the notebook back and stood up to meet me, spinning in circles as well.

We giggled hysterically as we grabbed hands like kids, spinning faster yet, until we both collapsed to the ground, laughing harder than either of us had for the longest time.

Michael sat up, and I followed suit. He looked at me with an almost unreadable expression for a moment, and then hesitantly placed one hand on my shoulder. I felt my cheeks reddening as he reached his other hand up to my cheek his thumb grazing the skin there, then up to my hair. I heard a crackling sound above me, and surely enough, he'd pulled a leaf from my hair.

I laughed and grabbed the leaf from him, throwing it up to the wind. "It's getting late, I should probably start heading home."

Michael nodded. "I had a great time."

I smiled. "Me too."

He reached out his arms, pulling me into a tight embrace. "You're a great friend, Josie."