Bright

six

By the time Perrie knocks on the door, I’ve already popped the wine and had myself a glass. Michael is still nowhere to be found and I begin to worry. I think about sending him a text but quickly cross the thought out of my mind. I always apologize first.

Perrie walks in the door with a bottle in each hand and a smile on her face. “Pez! I hope you like spaghetti.” She sets the bottles on the counter and gives me a hug, “Ooh, love it! Smells great in here.” She makes a big smelling gesture and I giggle. I pull an additional wine glass from the cupboard and fill it before handing it to her. “It will be ready in just a few minutes. Want to pick a movie?” She nods excitedly and I point her towards mine and Michael’s collection of movies. Well, technically it’s Michael’s collection but he has never minded me putting my chick flicks next to his action thrillers. I stir the noodles mindlessly and try again not to worry about my roommate. I pray that he’s with one of his friends and safe or home with family and safe or staying in a hotel and safe.

Pulling a noodle out, I throw it at the wall and it sticks; a trick I’ve done since childhood. I scoop some into a bowl and cover it in marinara sauce then do the same to my bowl, adding a little more sauce.

Perrie snorts a laugh from the living room. “What is it?” I ask, placing our bowls on the coffee table. She points to a collection of Star Trek DVDs and laughs again. I sit down next to her, joining in laughter. I never realized how dorky our collection was and now seeing them all together, I can’t hide my fit of giggles. We both lay on the floor, feeding off of each other’s energy and the warmth of the wine in our bellies. I sigh and sit back up, “They’re Michael’s.” She takes a sip of her wine and sighs with a smile, “He’s got a pretty… um, eclectic mix here.” Pointing to a Legally Blonde movie, she raises her brow, “Is this his too?”

I smile and snatch it from the bookshelf, “Surprisingly, this one is mine. But,” I lean into a whisper, “don’t let him fool you, he loves a good chick flick.” I flip it over to the backside and examine it again.

“And Reese Witherspoon is easy on the eyes.” Perrie adds. I grin, “Yeah, that too.” She grabs the movie and stands up, “Let’s watch this one. I’ve probably seen it a trillion times but, you know, Elle Wood’s- the powerful feminist- never gets old.” I stand up and nod. We plop in the movie and eat our spaghetti.

By the time we’re halfway through the movie, we have finished off a bottle of wine. I pause the movie and make my way to the restroom. But when I stand up, I feel quite dizzy. “Ooh.” I mutter. Perrie reaches for my hand, “You okay?” I nod and manage to make it to the toilet and back without falling. When I reach the living room, Perrie has a photo in her hands. “Is this Michael?” She points it towards me and I nod. The picture is from graduation. We are both wearing our caps and gowns and he has his arm draped over me. I was in the middle of a giggle fit when my mom snapped the picture. Michael is smirking at the camera. I can’t even remember what we were laughing at but the scene makes me grin. I nod in response to Perrie. She shrugs and raises a brow, “He sure is a hottie.” I breathe a laugh and flop down on the couch. “Yeah, I guess he is.”

“You know, I’m not an expert but I’d say he has feelings for you.” She places the photo back on the table and I wave her off with my hand, “No. No, I don’t think so. We’ve always just been friends.” She finishes off her glass of wine, “Well, his expression says otherwise.”

I pretend to ignore her and unpause the movie. But, all I can think about is her comment. Does Michael really like me? No, he probably doesn’t. He would have said something by now, right? Do I want him to like me? Oh my god, do I have feelings for him? I think about all the times he and I have shared together. Sure, we touch each other often but that’s just the kind of friendship we have… isn’t it? Is it okay to hug your best friend a beat longer than anyone else? Was it okay to be practically naked in front of your best friend? Was it okay to have energy flowing between us? Energy that pulled us closer? Energy that made me want to put my hands in his? Did I want to kiss Michael? Who am I kidding… of course I did. When I am completely honest with myself, I can feel a love blooming for him in my heart as well as lower in my body. He was an attractive guy. Not the kind you find yourself immediately attracted to, like Luke, but he grows on you. He doesn’t have hair that stays in place or a sculpted rock-hard body or a pin straight nose but his beauty lies deeper than just skin.