chapter two.
—this isn't a date, mike.
"the soft on your skin is pulling me in and i need your love"
SPRING
YEAR 1986
The snow from winter had melted a few weeks prior, leaving the flowers to bloom with their lively colors, the branches of trees now full with their many green leaves.
Mike enjoyed the view as he walked home from school, grateful for the slightly warmer weather. He wore a black windbreaker that had a single white line down the sleeves, dark denim blue jeans and worn out white converse as he walked along the sidewalk, humming a soft tune under his breath. He fiddled with a piece of paper in his jacket pocket, staring down at his feet as he walked, feeling the weight of his backpack weigh him down and cause him to feel sluggish.
But it was finally going to be spring break. A very much needed break for Mike, especially with all the tests he'd taken and all the studying he had done. His brain felt like it was going to melt away and take a vacation of its own at any moment. His family wasn't going anywhere for the two week break, but he didn't mind that, though.
Mostly, he was glad they had just finished reading that coming-of-age story for his english class. Not because he didn't enjoy it, because Mike did grow a bit of a love for reading while doing that assignment over the past few months, but he had to read it again so many times (always reading ahead) that he was just tired of it.
As Mike walked, he grew distracted, thinking to himself of what he would do with his time away from school. Exploring reading (besides comic books) could be something interesting. Trying out different genres, and then maybe go for a swim at the quarry—
Suddenly, he bumped into something soft, stumbling backwards a few steps. His eyes landed on small sneakers (smaller than his, at least), then trailed up denim overalls, finally reaching chestnut curls that framed the scowling face of none other than Eleanor. As soon as he recognized her, he felt short of breath.
Over the short moments they had spent in each other's company, Mike admittedly grew a bit of a crush on her, but ever since the little stunt of passing her notes in english class didn't work out, he decided to back off. He never tried to sit anywhere near her, but he would sometimes find himself distracted as he would gaze upon her mesmerizing curls, sometimes catching the side of her face. He was infatuated by this girl he barely knew, and now, his mind began to race as he realized they were within a few feet of each other.
"Watch where you're going," she muttered harshly, turning around on her heel, her backpack swinging behind her.
Mike didn't want her to leave so soon, so he quickly blurted out, "Hey, wait, I know you." He paused as she turned around, raising her brows expectantly. "You're that girl that threw my note back in my face."
Her cheeks turned pink as she glared hard at him. "And you're that annoying boy I was accused of flirting with."
Mike blinked, chuckling, "Well, I'm not sorry about that." That caused her blood to boil. "And, um, I, uh—" She stared at him expectantly, waiting, causing his nerves to rise. "—did you like the book we read in class?"
A look of confusion crossed her face before answering, "Well, I really enjoyed it." She stopped shortly, pondered on the right words to use. "It had some flaws, in my opinion. It could've been better."
