COMING DOWN | M. WAY

Chapter Seven

Mikey's POV

For a few weeks, Tyler kept insisting for Frank and I to come over to his house. I was always hesitant. Only because Cecilia was always there. He invited her to hang out with us, but sometimes she declined. But most of the time, she said yes.

I couldn't speak. I became verbally challenged any time that Cecilia was looking at me. I couldn't take it. Her purple hair made her prettier, if it was possible.

We were all at lunch, but Cecilia said she had a project to do for art. Tyler looked at me with a stern face. Josh sat down as he did.

"I know that you like Cec," he said. I went red and Frank punched my arm lightly.

"Told you it was painfully obvious," Frank teased. I just pushed him away.

"He's not mad," Josh said, shoving a french fry in his mouth, "he wants you two to get together already." That time, Tyler punched Josh.

"Shut up! I'm trying to be the overprotective big brother." Frank snorted.

"It's not working. Does Cecilia like him?" Tyler shrugged.

"She likes someone. I'll see her on Instagram and Snapchat and whenever that person posts something she'll smile," Tyler said. I nodded.

"It could be Mikey," Josh said, "he posts kinda often." I shrugged.

"A girl like that could never like a guy like me." They all looked at me with faces that read "did that seriously just come out of your mouth?"

"You're all that she looks for!" Tyler shouted at me. "You like good music, you're the same height as her, and you play an instrument!" I shook my head.

"Still. That applies to people other than me." They all rolled their eyes at the same time.

"Flirt with her," Frank said, putting a fry into his mouth, "and if she blushes or something you'll know." I nodded.

"She doesn't blush for just anything," Tyler said, "so you can't doubt this." I nodded again.

Here we go, I thought.

-

-

-

During art, the only class that Cecilia and I had together, I sat next to her and tried to muster up some sort of courage.

"Hey," I said, "how are you?" She laughed lightly.

"Doing okay. How about you?" She asked, pushing a piece of her purple hair behind her ear.

"Could be better. Glad I'm not verbally challenged right now." She giggled and I had to take a few deep breaths to keep from blushing.

"You don't have to be nervous," she said, "I don't know why you are."

"You kinda probably don't wanna know," I said, then mentally facepalming myself.

"You're a lot sweeter than Pete described you as, you know?" she asked. I shook my head. "He always said that you were a bit of an asshole. Then he would mumble something about eighth grade under his breath." I nodded.

Four years ago, Belleville Middle School

"Pete," I said, taking a bite of the sandwich I had, "I have a crush." He smiled.

"On who?" he asked. I smiled.

"Cecilia Joseph," I replied, earning a death stare from him.

"You can't," he told me. I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Why not?" I asked. He stood up.

"Because she's gonna be mine one day."

"Uh, yeah. I kinda know why he did that," I replied to Cecilia after a long pause. She made a face as to tell me to go on. "In eighth grade we both had a...uh...crushonyou," I said, whispering the last part in one word. But, she heard me.

"That's crazy," she said. I didn't look at her until she took a finger to my cheek to turn my head to face her. "Because I had a crush on you in eighth grade." I couldn't speak. I didn't know what to do. This was all so crazy.

"W-what?" I asked. She smiled.

"I had a crush on you in eighth grade. And I still do."