That night Robyn 'slept' at Chris' house. If that's what the kids call it now a days. He made her breakfast this time and they watched a couple of episodes of family feud, before Robyn decided she should head back home. Chris dropped her off and insisted that he should come in just to make sure she arrived to her door and inside the house very safely. That accomplished nothing and they ended up in Robyn's room.. Sleeping.
Melissa was in the living room. They had barely noticed her when they walked in the door. Robyn saw her but before she could wave Chris had closed the door.
Mel was happy for her bestfriend. Getting used to Chris being the boy she was madly in love with wasn't the easiest thing for Mel to swallow, but she knew how much Robyn liked him. Mel wasn't always the best with relationships either. She had way more than Robyn of course, but she just couldn't figure out how to keep them together.
She remembered her ex.. Mijo... Chris' best friend. Before mike, there was Mijo, they had grown up together but when they were young Mijo had to go live with his mom because his dad was arrested for selling drugs. She'd gone out with him out of spite.. She knew he was Chris' best friend and she thought maybe, that would get her closer to him. But she couldn't stay faithful to him.. There were more fish in the sea and even though Mel didn't need them, she was certainly content on catching a few.
*insert flashback screen here* 😏
"I have better things to do." Melissa peered through her bangs at her best friend.
Robyn laughed. "No you don't. What's better than going to a football game on a sunny Saturday afternoon?" She clapped and pumped her fist. "Go Cheifs!"
"Quit complaining." Mijo, her then boyfriend nudged her and smiled. "Your eyes have been glued to the team since we got here."
"They have not." Mel cast a quick glance at the players gathered in a close circle, bent at the waist, muscles tensed and ready for action. Oh my....
Robyn and Mijo had insisted she go with them to watch Rockland College play their arch rival.... She couldn't even remember the name of the other team. This game was supposed to be big and important, but she didn't get it—to her, it still seemed like a bunch of guys chasing another guy carrying a funny-looking ball.
A collective grunt and crashing bodies shook Mel from her thoughts. A Rockland player grabbed the ball and took off down the field as everybody else ran after him. She had no reason to be interested in this game. Robyn had dragged her to it—again. Still, she couldn't take her eyes off the man tearing down the field. He escaped one opponent after another, spinning away from a tackle, using his broad shoulders to plow through the other team like a monster was chasing him.
Somebody finally managed to knock him down, and a whistle blew. He rolled to his feet and walked back toward his team, scanning the field. He turned toward the stands, his light eyes meeting hers. The man she couldn't stop watching, the man who'd captured her attention at every single game, was Michael, Rocklands best... ball-running guy. Mike smiled and a little thrill shot through Mel's body, literally shaking her.
Melissa squeezed Mijo's hand, hoping to jump-start the electricity they'd once shared, but he dropped her hand to clap when the team assembled. She turned her attention back to the field and concentrated on the ball. Chris, Rocklands quarterback—she knew that term—pretended to throw and the other team scrambled after the receivers, but he spun and handed the ball to Mike.
Only one guy stood between Mike and the goal line. He crouched low, gripping the ball hard as he ran right over him. Hundreds of Rockland students jumped up and cheered, shaking the bleachers as Mike leaped into the end zone as time ran out.
Mel stood and cheered too. Why is my heart pounding so hard? She didn't care about this game. Not even if they had just won. "Way to go, Michael!"
"Come on, baby. Let's go to Rocky's and celebrate." Mijo took her hand and they picked their way through the crowd.
She turned to Robyn. "Want to come with us?"
Her friend shook her head. "I have a paper to work on." The old Robyn. Ha. Melissa laughed at this thought and zoned back into her flashback.
"You need to get out more. It'll be good for you."
"The library will be empty right now. I'll catch up with you later." Robyn disappeared into the noisy crowd.
Mel shrugged.
"I'll go get the car," Mijo said, kissing her.
They'd gotten to the game late because she'd dragged her feet, so the only parking spot left had been at the back of the lot, closer to the school than to the football field. She smiled as he trotted through the crowded lot. Maybe the thrill of new romance was gone, but Mijo treated her well. She needed that.
"Hey Melissa!"
She recognized Mikes voice before she saw him jogging toward her, helmet in hand, his sweaty, dirt-smeared jersey clinging to his chiseled abs. A forbidden smile twisted her lips. The man needed a long hot shower. That thought led to more hot and steamy thoughts and....
Oh he's waiting for me to say something. "Hey. Mike." She panted. "Great game."
"Thanks." He grinned. "Chris pulled off another win."
"I don't know much about football, but I think you had something to do with it."
He chuckled. "Yeah, I helped." His humble smile couldn't hide the pride in his face. Mike understood his importance to the team. "Are you going to Rocky's?"
A far simpler question than the one hidden in his light brown eyes: Why aren't you with me? "Yes. Um... Mijo is taking me." He probably didn't want to hear that, but it seemed whenever that unspoken question came up, she always got the answer wrong.
"Good. I'll buy you two a beer." His smile dimmed.
"You don't have to do that, Mike."
"I want to."
His voice was so low and soft she thought he might have said I want you. Maybe that's what he wished he could say. His subtle flirting always held hidden meanings in his hushed words and smoldering glances.
His expression turned hopeful and he spoke up. "Our psych exam is Monday. Do you want to study with me tonight?"
"Oh. Yes, I want to but...." Wrong answer again, damn it. "Mijo and I have plans...."
"Ah." He looked disappointed but not surprised.
"I'm sorry. We're going to a little bed and breakfast he found. We won't be back till late Sunday."
"I understand." He looked at the ground and his shoulders slumped for just a split second.
Don't give up... please. "Ask me again sometime." If he kept asking her, she might get the answer right someday.
He squared his shoulders. "I will."
His gaze swept over her, filled with such blatant lust she thought she might melt on the ground right there. Melissa Forde melted for no man.
"Another time then," he said in a husky whisper, then winked and ran off toward the gym.
"Another time," she promised, and watched him go, a secret thrill shaking her to the core.
He wasn't planning to give up and neither was she.
Cold wind howled across the empty field, stirring up old dry leaves and dead grass. A bolt of lightning cracked the darkening sky.
"I hate storms," she grumbled to no one in particular.
She glanced back at Mike and caught him staring. Tearing her eyes away, she pulled on her coat, yanking the hood up to shield against his penetrating stare, and ran to meet Mijo in his car.
–
Mike turned off the shower and grabbed a towel. He spotted Chris waiting by his locker. That bored look on Chris' face didn't fool him—he knew he was about to get grilled.
"Did Mel shoot you down again?"
"No." He forced a smile. "She said yes."
"Yes?" He raised an eyebrow. "To what?"
"'To buying her a beer at Rocky's ." Mike pulled on his jeans.
"Sweet."
His smile faded. "And one for Nick too." He knew he shouldn't be discouraged. Mel's boyfriend was just the latest in a long line of obstacles between them. Obstacles could be overcome.
"Sorry, bruh."
Mike tugged his shirt over his head. "Another time."
"You are persistent, I'll give you that."
"Damn right." He wouldn't be here now if he'd given up whenever things got tough.
At one time in his life he hadn't known how he'd survive from one day to the next, but he kept those days locked away, a secret well hidden but never forgotten. He'd become the starting running back on the team with the most wins in Rocklands College's history, and had his sights on a beautiful woman he couldn't have... yet.
"Someday she'll figure out she wants you." Chris laughed.
"She already has. She knows it. I know it. We just gotta get the timing right."
"She knows you want her?"
"If she doesn't, I'm doing something wrong." The look he'd given her should've erased any doubts.
Chris looked at his watch. "We gotta go."
Mike grabbed his keys and they headed for his ancient Mustang. Dark clouds blotted out the sun and booming thunder rolled toward them.
"Storm's coming," Chris said.
"Yep"." Storms, obstacles—he would take on whatever life threw at him, as long as he still believed that someday Mel would be his.
–
And here we are two years later....
Her and Mike weren't "dating" per say, especially since she had a boyfriend, Justin. He went to school on the other side of town and they only saw each other twice a month. She'd be visiting him spring break and she was nervous because she had been highly unfaithful to him since getting comfortable with Mike. And on top of that Mike didn't know about him.
It was like the same cycle with her, she'd have a man, but then someone else would come along. And the timing would be all off. There were just two many right men in the world for her! What woman can say this?
Robyn came out of her room and Chris followed her collecting Mel out of her thoughts.
"Hope you guys didn't make babies." Melissa said laughing at them both.
Chris' eyes widened. 'Uh, I just found out what love is like, hell I need to know what taking care of a baby is like? I Saran wrapped that shit."
Everyone in the room let out a loud laugh. Chris said his goodbyes to ladies and left for class.
"What's wrong Mel?"
"What do you mean what's wrong?"
"I can read it all over you gyal, what's wrong?"
"Justin..."
"You told him?"
"No, but spring break is next week and he's coming down and I don't know how too." Melissa looked at her friend. She had helped her in her time of need. When they weren't tearing each others hearts apart with words. Maybe she could help her.
"Aw, mi babe. All mi tell you can do is tell di truth. I know dis be corny but it'll set you free."
"He gon hate me forever, I don know if I can live with that forever."
"I don't mean to sound, how I sound, but you did that shit.. Own up to it. If you genuinely didn't mean it, then Justin will forgive you.. But since it's been done.. More than once, you just gonna have to deal with what he dishes you. You made your bed, lay in it."
"Thanks for being honest.. It's all bullshit and I created it, what's life? Anyway.. What happened last night."
"Ah, the recap.. Don't hate me. I can't live with that forever."
"Shut up Robyn, gwan a tell me."
"I went to have drinks with Ashley, and she told me about her and Chris, which was all I really wanted to know, but she was realllll comfortable with me, like touching me and shit.. So I knew something was up and then she's like the real reason I broke up with him cause I gay. Bitch what??"
Melissa hollered.
"I KNEW DAT BITCH LIKED HER SOME ME, DATS DI ONLY REASON SHE BE RUDE LIKE THAT CRAZY HOE."
Robyn laughed at Melissa's reaction. 'Gyal, sit down!"
"Woiiiiiiiiii, I knew it. She had the nerve to be a bitch too. You can't want a bitch and be a bitch, that shit don't work!"
"Melissa, be nice, she's coming over to tell Chris. And I don't need you to be rude about it."
"You love bringing people that I don't like over don't you. This is not going to work much longer."
"Melissa, don't act like that!" Robyn said as she went to hug her best friend. This was more like it. Their friendship was really starting to get back to normal.
