You Are My...

Part 15

Alisson's POV
His hopeful green eyes stare back at me, and I don't know what to do. In the awkwardness of the whole situation, I laugh.
"Hey, Michael." I shake my head slightly and look down at my feet.
"I brought you flowers?" He says, as a question. Like a hopeful question as if saying "are you going to snap?". He holds the flowers towards me with his feet staying on the mat, offering them. I'm hurt and disappointed, and that part of me wants to go back upstairs and cry. But then the other part of me which seems the strongest right now wants to walk down the rest of these stairs, accept the flowers and kiss him. But my lips stay sealed, and my feet stay planted.
"Alright, well if you aren't coming down, I'll just talk to you from here. I don't know if you read any of my texts or not but-"
"I didn't." I cut in, as if to make myself feel stronger.
"I figured. But what I did was extremely stupid, and it easily could have been avoided. W-"
"Oh, easily avoided by maybe not leading me on?" I snap, and he sighs.
"Alisson, it's not like that. Would you please give me a chance to explain? We could go for a walk, or you could come over, whatever you want. Just give me a chance to explain myself."
I think about it, still debating whether to leave or walk down the rest of the stairs.
"I'm fine staying in my house." I state.
"Alright." He says, and looks at me. That's my cue to walk down towards him. I hesitantly finish walking down the rest of the steps, and when I stand in front of him my heart drops from his presence. The sight of him, the smell of him, the sound of him. He opens his arms, inviting me into a hug. No, I shouldn't do this. Don't, Alisson, don't. But before I know it, I am burying my face in his chest, and his familiar arms are back around me. We stay like that for a while, not wanting to let go. When we finally do, he says
"I missed you, Alisson."
I look away from his gaze and down at the floor.
"I missed you too, Mikey."
His smile that I haven't seen in what seems like forever returns, and I feel myself beginning to smile back.
"I guess we could go for a quick walk." I say.
"Ok." He says, and I can't take my eyes off of the smile on his lips.

...

After I had gotten ready in a rush, we left the house. We start walking, and he starts talking to me as if nothing had happened at all.
"Michael... Let's get to it." I say, and he knows what I mean. He just sighs, and the smile fades again.
"You're not off the hook yet, Clifford." A slight smile.
"Yeah, I know. I just..." He shakes his head.
"I just feel like such a jerk."
"Well Michael, you should. It was hurtful for me."
"I know, babe."
"Don't "babe" me until we get this over with. I don't want you to try to manipulate me." I snap.
"No, no. That's not my goal. Fuck." He ruffles through his hair.
"Alright, I'm not even sure where to start here... I -"
"Who is she?" I cut in.
"My ex-girlfriend. She-"
"Are you sure she's your ex, Michael?" I cut in again.
"Yes, Alisson. Would you let me finish?" He looks me in the eye for the first time since we left the house.
"Sorry." I say.
"No, it's fine. Alright, so she is my ex-girlfriend. Yes, I am very sure. We broke up because I moved, the distance wasn't going to work. But then one day, she showed up at my door. She had just gotten her first car, so she thought it would be a nice surprise to come see me. Obviously, not knowing about you. I didn't want to hurt either one of you, that wasn't my intent at all. I was going to tell her about you, but I let it wait for far too long. I should have told you the day she showed up, because you are what's important in my life right now. I'm really sorry, Alisson. I really am." I don't say anything, I stay silent and process everything he just told me.
"So what did you do about this?"
"Well, when I walked back into my house, she was still standing in the doorway. I kept my eyes on the ground and didn't even look at her. I was too angry at myself. She kept drilling me with questions, and I mean drilling. So after the tenth time of her asking who you were, I just said "My girlfriend." And that was it. She said a few things to me that I probably deserved and left. And that's the end of it."
"I don't know what to say to you, Michael. I really don't. I can't even tell what I'm feeling anymore."
"Alisson, I am so, so sorry. I never meant to hurt you, that was the last thing I wanted. The very last thing." After a silent pause, he says,
"Do you forgive me?"
"Yes, I do. But that doesn't mean I'm over it." He sighs in relief.
"Thank god." He whispers to himself.
I am pulled into a hug once again, and I grin into him. This hug is shorter, but as soon as it ends I am estatic to feel his lips on mine once again. I feel both of us smiling into the kiss, and I'm over it. Just like that.