i love to hate you | m.c.

26

Michael had been thinking about many things the last couple of days. He thought about Alexa a lot. How he likes her a lot. How she's this amazing girl, that is funny without trying, a goddess that doesn't want to believe it. But mostly how she makes him feel like he's in some other world. Whenever they their hands collide, tingles shoot through his veins. When she kisses his cheek, it feels like it's on fire. And when they talk and she tells him something that is important to her, she looks him directly in the eyes and they're sparkling. He hasn't even begun to understand her, but he knows that she makes him feel so good. When she's around he's happy. When she's around he feels at home.

In all this thinking he also came across the thought of taking her out. They never did that before. Hell, he didn't even know if Alexa wanted to go out with him. They were girlfriend and boyfriend, but still would she want to?

He decided that he just has to take her out, to prove just how much he likes her, or is it more? That was one of those things that drove him insane. He had been thinking of those two words for so long, by know he didn't even know anymore. In all this mind-crushing thinking he also had his friends over, for consoling mostly. They had called it from the very beginning when they said he was whipped. They also said he was so much in love with her, it was driving him insane.

The more he thought about those words the more it dawned on him. 'I really fucking love this girl' he muttered, sitting on the edge of his bed. He had been sitting there for quite a while now, playing with the end of his blanket, while he was thinking. 'I need to tell her, I need to fucking tell her' he murmured to himself. He got up and paced around the room, thinking about how he could possibly bring himself to tell her. There was this one conversation he had with Luke the other day. Luke had suggested to 'just take her out to a nice place and then tell her', which seemed like a good idea. But how the hell would he do that? It was driving him berserk, so he just sucked it up and called her.

With every ring of the phone he grew more anxious and closer to cancelling the call. When she finally picked up her phone, his mind went blanc for a second.

"hey, what do you want?" she said over the phone, confusion evident in her voice.

"hey- uhm- " he paused, not knowing what to say next.

"is everything alright mikey?" she was beginning to get worried, he was acting so strange, she thought.

"yeah yeah I'm fine" he chuckled nervously. "I was just wondering if-" he took a deep breath, that was certainly to be heard on the other side of the line. "-if you'd like to go out with me?" he let go of the breath he seemed to be holding.

"yeah that be great" Alexa beamed, her smile growing bigger and bigger. He was actually asking her on a real date. "when have you planned?"

"tonight" he stated. Then the nerves kicked in and he went on full ramble mode. "is tonight alright? Or would you rather wait? Or like I don't know?"

"hey mikey" she consoled "tonight is fine, I'll be ready by six, is that alright?"

"yeah" was all he managed.

"okay see you then" with that she hung up and Michael's nerves went out of the roof. Not only was he taking his girlfriend out, he was also going to tell her that he loves her. And he didn't even have an idea where to take her.

An hour and many lost nerves later he had decided he would take Alexa to the little Italian restaurant down the road. It was now five thirty and he was going mad. He was already dressed in his signature black jeans and a black button up, with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He knew very well, he was too early, nonetheless he made his way over to Alexa's house. As soon as he was on the front porch her mother opened the door and he was invited in. It was good though, somebody was taking his mind off things.

The minutes have passed quicker that he thought they would and suddenly Alexa was standing in the doorway of the kitchen, dressed in a black skirt and a lilac flowy top. She was more than beautiful.

"you look so good" he admitted, walking over to her.

"thank you" she bashfully smiled.

"let's get going then" Michael said and led her out of the house.

The car ride wasn't long, the radio played about one song. When they got out Michael quickly sprinted to Alexa's side, to open her door.

"well thank you fine sir" Alexa joked.

The two of them walked into the restaurant hand in hand, both smiling like idiots. Michael told the waiter his name and they were escorted to a table in the back of the restaurant. It was a little room, with just a table for two and a candle light on it. Alexa's jaw dropped. They both sat down and she still couldn't say anything.

"you like it?" Michael asked nervously.

"yeah" Alexa gasped "I love it"

The waiter came by again and they ordered their food. Quite obviously they both went for pizza, just because. Alexa was enjoying her food, whilst Michael was trying to sort out his thoughts. How was he going to bring the topic up? Was he just going to blurt it out? He should have thought about this before.

Alexa sensed his uneasiness and looked at him in worry. He didn't seem to notice. So she grabbed his hand, to which he looked at her. "hey, is everything alright?" she questioned.

"yeah yeah fine" he answered curtly.

"look I can tell something's up, just tell me"

"no I'm fine all good" he answered. Alexa didn't buy it, but she decided not to push it, since they were on a date after all.

"look Alexa" he began "the thing is-" Her whole attention was directed to him and he was freaking out. The way her eyes were looking directly into his was making him weak on the knees. He couldn't do it. "I think-" he tried again, but the words got stuck in his throat. "I think you look really beautiful tonight" he finished the sentence, mentally cursing himself.

"thank you mikey" Alexa said, rubbing her thumb over the back of his hand. They were finished with their food by now and the waiter came to collect their empty plates.

"can I get you guys anything else?" the waiter inquired.

"no thanks, we'd like to pay" Michael answered politely.

Michael payed for the food, against Alexa's will of course. It was a date after all, he argued.

When they were in front of Michael's house again they were standing opposite of each other, nobody speaking a word. Suddenly Alexa pulled him into a tight hug, which he relaxed in immediately.

"thank you for everything tonight, it was really lovely" Alexa mumbled into his chest.

"always for you my princess" he whispered.

"princess" Alexa repeated "I like that" Michael smiled at that comment, bringing his hand to Alexa's cheek. His thumb lightly stroking her cheek. Alexa broke the hug a slight bit and leaned in to kiss those beautiful pink lips, that she would kiss every moment of the day, if she could.

"I'm gonna head home, it's freezing" Alexa broke the hug completely and turned around in order to walk to her house. But she was pulled back. In the next moment Michael pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

"get home safely" he said, letting go of her.

"I will, not that it's that much of a challenge" she laughed.

"goodnight mikey" she waved halfway at her house.

"goodnight princess" he whispered "I love you"