Ro went to school looking as good as she usually did, but she felt like crap. Walking in the door alone had been the worst feeling she'd had all year. However unnoticeable Mico's protective aura had been in the past, Ro definitly felt like prey as she entered the doors of school.
Someone brushing past her pushed her into the middle of a group of guys. She hit the person in front of her accidentally.
Assuming it was on of his friends, Mico turned around ready to laugh, and came face to face with Ro. His smile disappeared and he gave her a cold stare. She bit her lip, put her head down, and forced her way from the group.
She walked on, furious. Brendon was the first friend she ran into. Ro wasn't thrilled with the idea of spending time alone with her ex but it was better than wandering the halls alone. She hugged him and he kissed her cheek when she released him.
"How are you?" She asked politely. Brendon replied, "I'm pretty good." Ro smiled and answered, "Good. Did you do anything fun last night?" He thought for a moment and answered, "I guess. Yeah, Ky came over for a little and when she left Ethan and I played drums for a couple hours." Ro nodded, not truly interested, and decided to ask him something personal.
"Have you had sex?" Ro asked Brendon, blushing and facing her locker. From the corner of her eye Ro caught his jaw drop. "N-no." He stuttered. Ro let her disappointment show. In response Brendon added, "But I've gotten close, why?"
Ro faked nonchalance on the subject. "I was just wondering. I know you and Ky have been together for a long time so I just....yeah...." Brendon nodded, understanding. "You interested?" He joked, waggling his eyebrows. Ro gave him a no-bull shit look and he put his hands up. "Just kidding!" He exclaimed. Ro brushed off her anger.
As far as she was concerned, Mico was the only man she wanted to be with in that way. Thinking of him sent a pang of longing through her body. She felt almost homesick, like he had become her idea of home. She waited in awkward silence with Brendon until the rest of their friends approached.
Alexia slithered her arms around Mico for a hug, in jeans a size too small, and Mico reluctantly wrapped his arms around her in response. Her enthusiasm did not waver through homeroom, and Mico was able to infer that Alexia had forgiven him for 'stooping so low'. He couldn't help but laugh at her antics. She was so obvious in her attempts to get his attention.
After twenty minutes of internal arguing, he let Ro into his thoughts. He had missed one-third of Mr. Lockwood's lecture because of it. He felt refreshed after spending a few minutes thinking about her. He borrowed notes from a girl in his class that he missed from the beginning.
Two classes later, Mico headed towards lunch with his friends. Once at a table, Mico mindlessly ate the lunch he'd bought and thought of Ro.
He remembered one summer day when him and Ro had been outside on her swing set. They had been younger. She had asked him, "Are we friends?" He looked at her disdainfully and answered, "No, we're not friends." Her lower lip trembled. He wanted to draw a line, to hide from his emotions, and to retreat within himself.
"What are we?" She asked him, tears pooling in her eyes. He softened a bit but answered, "We're different. Something about us is off, but in a good way. You know? We should get inside. Mom probably doesn't want us out here anymore."
He could almost smell the scent of her citrus shampoo fading with the memory. She'd followed him inside.
Mico's mind reminded him of another sense relating to Ro- touch. He remembered the feel of Ro's hand held within his own. Her hand was so small, making her seem insigfnificant in the world, but not to Mico. He had been lying next to her, completely naked, the day back from break.
Their fingers were intertwined and he stroked her hand with his thumb. She let out a whimper and he was scared. "What's the matter? Did I hurt you? I'm sorry Ro. I should have been more considerate. I shouldn't-" Ro cut him off.
"No, no! I'm fine. I just..." She trailed off.
Seconds later she asked, "Do you...hate me?" Mico looked at her like she was crazy. He shook his head, "Ro, I love you."
Cafeteria sounds slowly lured him from his thoughts, and sprang him into the trap of his worried friends.
Ro slammed her locker unonvincingly and gracefully slid far down the hall at the end of the day. Ro had warmed up from her sad morning. She leaned on the locker next to Ann's and smiled easily. She was glad she got to go to school with her best friend.
As the two friends parted ways for seperate buses, Ro steeled herself for another forced confrontation with Mico. Ro took a seat in the back, waiting to see where Mico would sit when he got on.
Mico shoved his way down the aisle of the crowded bus, hoping to find a seat far away from the occupant of the majority of his thoughts. No such luck. Everyone had either doubled up to sit with someone or spread out on their own, makng it impossible for another person to share the space. Mico frowned and took the only open seat, next to Ro. Figures the one day he was going to actually avoid her.
He heard Ro's frustated sigh but Mico forced himself to turn away from her, towards the aisle of the bus. He resisted the urge to find out why she was upset. Mico had a feeling the reason was himself.
Ro wondered if Mico felt bad about rudely ignoring her on the bus ride. When they got off, they muttered awkward hellos. Ro hurried to open her garage foor with the keypad to let herself in. Ignoring her barking dogs, Ro walked to the family room and flung her purse on the chair beside the computer. She sighed and traced her steps to let the dogs out. She hooked a black leash to each of their collars and let them out through the screen door.
Ro's heart sunnk as she realized the rest of the week would probably go by in slow motion as a repeat of that day. She'd never felt so lonely.
Mico felt horrible. He hated pushing Ro away. He thought to himself, She's the one who asked for it. Another part of him argued, She didn't mean it. Her heart was breaking and you know it. Mico did remember the look in her eyes that gave her away. He shouldn't have let himself get close enough to her to break her. He didn't know why or when he'd started feeling so strongly for her, but he shouldn't have.
They loved each other. He knew that. He promised himself to protect her, even if it meant hurting them both to do so.
For a moment in her sleep, Ro smiled. Even if she wondered how he felt about her, she always had the reassurance that he loved her.
