CHEMISTRY [MICHAEL JACKSON]

04.

"You don't live too far from school." Michael pointed out the obvious facts as we both walked to my house from school one day to study.

"Exactly. That's why I walk." I nodded. "Do you live near?"

"I don't live close enough to walk." Michael told me, lightly scratching his perfect Afro. "Usually my brother, Jermaine, will take me to school and pick me up. I haven't bought a car yet, but I plan to soon. That way I don't have to depend on him for all of my means of transportation."

"That's nice. I wish I could drive." Picturing Michael driving a car in my mind made him even more attractive to me. "My father won't teach me."

"That's too bad. Jermaine taught me how to drive because my father wouldn't teach me either." Michael explained to me.

"It must be nice to have an older brother." I thought aloud.

"At times. I'm the seventh child of nine, so it can get annoying sometimes." Michael lightly chuckled.

"Nine children, wow. That's a lot." I was amazed at how people could even raise that many children.

"I don't know how my parents did it." He explained before tilting his head slightly to make eye contact with me. "How about you? Any siblings?"

"Nope. I'm an only child." I groaned.

"That must not be fun."

"It's not, but I do spend a lot of time with my best friend, Eliana." I pointed out. "We've been friends since we were three years old and she's kind of like, a sister figure."

"That's wonderful, Leah."

Leah.

I couldn't believe it.

Michael called me by my real name.

"Have you noticed that you've been calling me Mia this entire time?" I questioned him, still in shock that he addressed me as well, me.

"Yes." He laughed, causing me to do the same. "I always knew your name was Leah."

"Oh?"

"Yes. It was Eric who told me your name was Mia. He insisted, but I knew what your name was for myself. After all, I've been in classes with you since the 9th grade. He just came last year in 11th." Michael pointed out.

"Well, why did you continue to call me Mia if you knew my name?" I turned to ask him.

I actually found that hilarious.

"I just wanted to see what you would say and if you'd say anything." He looked at me, clearly anticipating my reaction.

I blushed deeply. "I'm incredibly shy and I didn't want to make things awkward by telling you that you were calling me the wrong name."

"Nonsense." Michael chuckled. "You and I, we've got a bit of chemistry going on. You could never make things awkward."

I smiled confidently before we both walked up the steps to my porch. I silently prayed to myself that my father was upstairs asleep and not drinking downstairs. Or even worse, passed out in the living room.