Firecracker

-8- ✔️

"Hey Ryan. What did you need?" I asked, glancing to the attractive brunette, blue eyed boy standing beside my locker as I went through it.

"I was just wondering if you would-"

"Miley! There you are! I was looking all over for you" A voice cut off Ryan before he could ask whatever question he planned on asking, and Ryan rolled his eyes as Michael stood on the other side of me.

He glared daggers across me at Ryan, and Ryan mirrored his actions. I could sense that there was some sort of silent conversation going on between the two of them, and whatever it was, I think Michael won because Ryan rolled his eyes.

"Nevermind. I'll see you around Miley" he had the decency to spare me a smile before glaring once more at Michael and leaving.

"What was that about?" I closed my locker and turned my body to fully look at Michael. But he wasn't looking at me, he was staring down the hall, his eyes not straying from Ryan's retreating figure. When his focus was finally back on me, it was interrupted once again.

"Michael! I've been looking everywhere for you!" someone gushed, and soon, Lydia Marks was sided up next to my bestfriend, too close to him for my comfort.

"Hey Lyd. How are you?" Michael was completely disinterested in whatever she had to say, but judging by the look on Lydia's face, it was obvious that the use of a nickname that Michael had called her had just made her day about 10 times better. She twirled a strand of her hair between her fingers.

"I needed to talk to you about something" she told him, not once glancing at me. I knew that she had pretended to ignore me, but I honestly couldn't care less. The less interaction that I had with this b*tch, the better.

"Sure, sure. What is it?" he gave her a bored look, and Lydia came to stand in between Michael and I, making sure that she had his full attention and that he couldn't clearly look at me.

B*tch.

We were competing for the same thing.

Michael.

She knew that I had a crush on him. A major crush on him. And I knew that she liked him too. I guess that's where all the hatred between the two of us really started. She wanted him, and so did I. Most likely, it was for two completely different reasons. Someone like her looked like she could benefit from something if she were dating him, no doubt his extensive family empire, but I, on the other hand, genuinely liked Michael. We've been best friends since I dumped paint on him in kindergarten, and I knew that he knew that I was friends with him for him, and not for his money.

The same couldn't be said about Lydia though.

"Oh. What did you want?"

"I was going to ask you if you wanted to accompany me to the dance on Friday?" she toyed with the silver band on her left pinky, trying to act somewhat sly.

It was valentines day, and the school had organized a dance for the 6th 7th and 8th graders.

Michael looked alarmed by her a question, "Oh. Uh.. I was just about to ask Miley that question" he sent me a nervous glance over Lydia's shoulder, and I felt her tense. He moved around her to stand beside me, and I didn't miss the cold hard glare that was being targeted at me.

"So? What do you say Firecracker? Will you go with me?"

Michael and I typically went to every single dance together. It was like this unbroken tradition of ours. It saved the both of us from being dateless, bored, and awkward with other people if we were ever asked out.