Friends Or Enemies? Love Maybe...

CHAPTER 30

30

Weird, weird guy…

My fingers are tapping this coffee table and Mike is eating his breakfast so slow I can even die of boredom! He’ll cut that pancake so slow then he’ll look at me, eat the pancake, look at me, cut the pancake, eat it and look at me, again!He has done that since just now! I just can’t help but I have to ask him to eat faster. “Do you have to do that?” He munches the pancake he has been munching for five minutes and sips the coffee in a cup in front of him. “Do what? Christina, please be more specific in your questions.” “Do every single thing you’ve done that annoys me today. Texting me at 6am, honking your car for bout what, 5 minutes? And eating your breakfast as if this is a slow motion movie. Come on, explain to me what’s with all this endless drama of yours.” He wipes his mouth with a handkerchief, still looking at me. “I just have some, well how to say this, stuffs going and I’m sure we’re going to talk bout this after school. Now, let’s go to school.”

We arrive at the school parking lot and I glance at my watch to know that we have just some time to go to our lockers and get to the class before the bell ring. Mike had not say much than picking up random topics in the car for example, he nag about how his neighbors that are not friendly, at all. I swung my bag on one shoulder and walk to the school entrance. I stop my move and turn back as I hear Mike calls out my name. “Christina, just wait at the tree after school. We’re going to talk.” I shout back at him okay then make my way to my locker. He is weird today. So serious and mysterious and just unexplainable.I’ll be filled with this huge curiosity till school ends. And thanks to Mike for that because I have my History class now and that’ll only mean sleeping with my textbook open and sat up in front of my desk just to cover me up.

…

Five minutes have passed since the bell rang to make crazy students run their way home. I’ll only laugh and shake my head as my classmates run to the class corridor and they only remind me of prisoners released from a cage after 10 years being trapped in it. I let out a long sigh and sit on the grass. I don’t know how but I’m feeling cozy every time I sit here. The view is green and completed by rainbow of colours from flowers planted by some student for their school projects, but mine is dead. I don’t have that touch, the one Mom has that can make a wilted flower bloom as if it is autumn on summer days. I don’t have that dark blue eyes, so dark I once thought it was black. It hold so many stories that I’d like to know, discover and even experience. I don’t have Mom’s brunette hair which made my dad go crazy when he first met Mom. But Dad will always say that I have everything that Mom doesn’t have, my passion for music, my light brown eyes, he always say that it is so bright that I’d always outrage everyone and anyone around me. And he would tousle my hair when I get back home late from the playground and say that he will never forget my auburn hair in his hands. And he proved that. He said that he loves my auburn hair, just the way it is, right before he drew his last breath out.

“It shines and it will never stop shining. I can even see it now, in the dark. I love your hair, just the way it is. I love you. You’re my star.”

            He remembered my hair till his last breath. My eyes burnt just waiting to flood my cheeks with tears but I’ll fight it this time. No more tears Christina. The last two years should have taught you something. “Daydream my love?” Mike’s voice shocked me but I try to pretend that he does not shake me. “Who’s your love. You’d better say things right before unwanted rumors spread. You should have infinity of reasons why you’re late but I’ll just trash all of them so let’s get straight to the point.” Mike brushes off some dead leaves and sits beside me. “Okay, I’ll say everything.” Mike drags himself and sits in front of me. This is something serious, if it’s not serious for me, it is for him. “I’ll not be around for two weeks. I have some, uh, family business going around and I don’t know if it is accurately two weeks. It’ll only depend on, I don’t know. I just don’t know how long I’ll be gone. I know I shouldn’t break the deal cause as what you’ve always said, a deal is a deal. I’ll do something in return, just anything. I just want to tell you how really bad I feel about this and I’m really not looking forward for this. I know you’ll miss me. Just call me or text or anything anytime you want to even if its three in the morning. Okay?”

            That was a long speech. I look at Mike and just do my poker face at him. His green eyes show how much this thing, whatever burdening him is really making him tired. He just wants it to stop, maybe doesn’t even want it to happen. Those green eyes melt like burning emerald and I just can see everything in it. Wait! His eyes can’t make me off guard. Even though he has that soft, sweet eyes searching for help, I’m Christina Anderson and he’s Michael Ross, my friend, maybe, and will forever be that way. “So, that’s all?”

“Yeah, I think that’s all I wanna say for now. Do you want to hear more? Or maybe you need to hear more cause I know you’ll feel lonely just one hour after I go. I can bet on this.”

 “I don’t want any more bet, not with you Mike. Come on, it’s not forever. Chillax. That’s what you’ve always said to me.”

 We continued talking and decide we’ve talked too much it’s time to go home. Mike drops me off at the front of my yard, he walked out of his seat to my side of the car and opens the door for me. “Wow, that’s not the Mike I know.” “I’ve said, this kinda thing only happens on special occasions.” For a moment, we just stare at each other so I think it’s better if I excuse myself now. “Okay, bye!” I walk to the front door slowly cause somewhere deep inside me, I know he’ll call me back. “Christina.” I turn to look at him and I know he’s feeling sad, I can see it all over his face. “Yeah?” He held out his hands offering a big hug. I shrug and hesitate but then he says, “Come on, this is just a friendly hug. No one says no to my Barny hug!” He is being sarcastic! I know what he meant is something that has to do with the conversation we had yesterday.

“Sshhhh! Don’t you ever tell anyone anything we’ve talked about yesterday.”

Then without hesitation, I hug him. It felt long, the hug I mean. It does not go as he said, the Barney hug, instead it brought a different feeling deep inside me. Suddenly, I felt it. That’s it! I’ll miss him. No tears, no tears. Then I slowly shake our body as if we’re robot hugging to make the hug look less, well, dramatic. Mom clears her throat from behind us. Why?Oh why? Every single time. Tucker, now Mike. Mom just knows how to interrupt the best moments in my life.

“Oh, Mom. This is Mike. Mike, this is my Mom.” Mom look at Mike with an admirable look, something she does when she’s judging someone she first met. “So, this is Mike.” Mike shakes Mom’s hand and I just don’t know where that gentleman part of him came from? “I’m a new student in Christina’s school, and Christina has been a lot of help to me. And I’m sure Christina told you bout the bet.” What? How does he know that I’ve told my Mom about the bet? I’ve always guessed, he’s a sorcerer. “Oh, yes, yes. I knew bout the bet.”

“Hmm, I’m flying far from here for another two weeks or so, I fret that I can’t lessen your burden till I come back.”

“Owh, that’s alright. Actually, you don’t really have to do this. You know, pick Tina from school and send her back home. I’m sure it troubles you.”

“No, no, please, Mrs. Anderson. I’m fine with this. I’m actually enjoying my tit bits of time with Christina. I’m so sorry but I have to excuse myself now.” Mike turn to look at me again and I know that it’s time to say goodbye.

“Tina, I’ll always keep us in touch. Okay?”

I look at him and the feeling, that sad, lonely feeling comes again.

“Alright. Take care. Bye.”

Maybe I can give him one last hug if Mom’s not here, interrupting us. Mike Ross, gone for another two weeks, and he’ll be back with more things to show me.