After Shattered

Chapter 1: Terrible Two

"We're goin' home at five!" Michael hooted with triumph.

The door was pushed open before Mike and Eve could do their usual celebratory high five across the room. Just in time.

An office junior walked in to inform them there was a meeting in the boardroom in a few minutes.

"Who's attending?" Michael asked with a frown.

"All department executives and top floor," they were informed, before the young man ducked out of their office space.

Yvonne stuck out her tongue at the closing door.

Standing up, she rounded her desk and preceded Michael out of their joint office.

"Mm," Michael muttered. "Love that view, sweets. Really makes my day to see that booty."

Yvonne laughed at the statement. "You'd think that after seeing it every day for, oh-" she pretended to think "-fifteen years you'd get used to it."

"Five years," he corrected.

She stopped before her hand touched the door handle. There was a slight frown of confusion on her pretty face.

Yvonne was sure she still remembered the day they had met.

They were the two new kids in the advanced martial arts class and she had recognised the moment that Michael had made the big mistake of underestimating what the cute little girl could do. It had made her a little angry at first, but then all she was here to do was train- so that is what she did.

After four frustrating rounds of defeat, Michael had finally gotten his head screwed on enough to focus and win a round, but by then practice was over and it was time to go home.

After the lesson, Michael was sitting out front, waiting for his dad to pick him up. A part of him hadn't gotten over the humiliation of his loss, but for the most part, Michael just couldn't wait to get home. He was used to being the youngest in the class and not having too many people to talk to after the session was over.

"People always look at me and expect me to be bad at stuff."

The person had spoken from right next to him.

He had looked up and Yvonne had smiled and said to him that that sort of thing happened all the time, but he didn't have to hold it against her. She hoped he wouldn't

Michael had looked at her sullenly as she sat down close to him. Her smile had widened hopefully and his face had gone bright red.

"Great," he'd muttered miserably. "I just got my butt handed to me by the prettiest girl in the entire academy. Kill me now."

Yvonne's jaw had dropped momentarily. Then she'd closed her mouth and looked down at her shoes. "My name's Yvonne Baker."

Pause.

"I'm Michael."

"Do you," she had begun hesitantly, "think we could be friends?"

Michael's face had gone even redder but there was a slight smile on his face as he had replied.

"Yeah. I think we could."

That had been fifteen years ago and she said as much in the present.

Michael remembered how they had met long ago, too. With a patient smile, he explained. "I've known you for that many years but admit it- if I'd openly appreciated your ass in karate class or at basketball games you'd have kicked mine."