Even {m.c.}

three

I could feel his hand fall out of mine, just as I was smitten with the tingles it gave me. Oh, not like that, but the flops it made my stomach do and the red it bought to my cheeks.

"Thanks for that," Michael said, wiping the sweat on his jeans, "They were kind of giving me a hard time."

"No problem, I hate seeing people embarrassed," I explained, sweeping my bangs behind my ear for like the thousandth time.

"Me too..."

"It's not like I go around holding the hands of every embarrassed person, that is, but..." I trailed on, not sure what to add as Michael chuckled a bit.

We were infront of the Rogers Centre now and you could see peeks of the opulet blue sky, littered with cotton candy clouds. Perfect day, it was. Michael pulled us over to the side and stopped for a moment.

"Can you imagine performing here someday?" he wondered out loud.

"Yeah, only imagine, though," I confided.

"I hope we'll get to one day."

"Yeah, 75 000 people there just to see you, singing every word of every song with you, like some kind of humbling echo."

"How did you start out?"

I told the very long and involved story of how I was filmed by someone while I was busking at the local market and they put it on YouTube. It ended up getting a ton of views. Then, I was contacted by my current management and asked if I'd like to join them for a recording sesion, which I, of course, I said yes to. I recorded a few songs and they signed me. Two albums and three Grammys later, here I was.

He followed up my anecdote with his band's discovery story. But, honestly, I didn't here much of it as I was busy counting the colours in his hair. It was mostly black, but with large hints of red and little spikes of brown and blonde (grand total of four!). There was one tiny piece, right at the front, that stuck out in just the wrong way and it was so distracting. What I would have given to reach up and fix it. From what I caught of his story, his band formed in high school, they posted covers online, and were picked up from there with a large fan base. Good enough for me.

We continued down the street, strolling at a leisurely pace. I felt Michael glance over at me every once and a while; I found it kind of cute. The way the corner of his mouth would twitch up a bit and his cheeks flush pink. Or maybe that could of just been because it was a little cold out. This is Canada after all.

There was more meaningless small talk until we walked passed the entrance of a Starbucks and several teenage girls burst out in a huddle of squeals. They brought out their phones and approahed Michael

"Could we have a picture" a blonde girl asked, who looked to be about fifteen.

Michael turned to me and gave a little sigh," Do you mind if I-"

"Go ahead," I said, as the girls swarmed him from every angle.

I couldn't blame them; I'd probably freak out too if I saw, like, Justin Timberlake, out on the street and pratically beg him for a picture. A slight tug in my stomach had me second guessing myself for a moment. Was I seriously jealous of some fifteen year old girls wih this guy that I barely knew? I mean they were really pretty, but it wasnt like they had a chance or anyhing. Right? I had no idea.

After a flurry of photo flashes and quick hugs, Michael returned, looking a little winded. I shrugged slightly and we trod on down the crowded street.

"Does that happen often?" I asked, responding to the long sigh he let out.

"Yeah... but usually I have the other boys, so we kind of divide and conquer," he explained.

"This time it was just you," I stated, sounding a little dumb.

"It can get a little hectic," he sighed again.

"I belive you," I chuckled a bit, thinking of earlier.

He just nodded and looked back at his feet, seemingly deep in thought. I wondered what he thought about when he was so quiet. He did this before.

"What's up?" I inquired, worry stinging my voice.

He didn't answer for a minute,"I just want to apologize about the whole thing."

"What do you-?"

"The hand-holding thing; I don't want you getting into anything you don't want."

"Oh, I think I know exactly what I'm getting into," I said, sliding my hand into his once more.

I could practically feel his heartbeat pick up pace.