More Than You Think

5

"Okay, students you may choose your group." Our teacher announced after explaining our group project. Erica and I quickly grouped up and Mikey joined us.
"Okay, what part of the body should we choose?" Erica asked us.
"The skin." I smile brightly at her.
"Is it because of tattoos?" She side-eyes me.
I place my hand on the center of my chest, "What... Yeah who I am kidding." I laugh.
She laughs with me, "Good enough for me."
"Plus its only three layers." I added.
"Dude that's gross." Mikey said pointing at the dermis that shows the hair follicles and sweat glands.
"Well, that is how your skin looks like babe." Erica teases him. Mikey made a disgusted face, making me leave the giggling couple and getting the supplies we need to make a diagram to present by the end of the week.

"I think we're going to finish way before anyone else." Mikey comments seeing that we are practically done with the diagram of the skin. "Well, yeah that was the point. Then we have the rest of the week to work on an explanation of the skin and how it works." I tell him focusing on coloring.
"I really need to pay attention in class." He tells himself. Without looking at him, "You said it not me." I stated, knowing Erica probably gave me a play nice look. My phone vibrates.
Erica: that's it you need to get laid.
Me: One, no thanks. Two, I doubt you and Mikey have done anything.
I look up to Erica, she checks her phone.
Erica: you have a point. I didn't even kiss the guy yet.
Looking up at her, I knew why. She was scared. Opening up my messages I made a new group chat.
Me: SOS.
I sent my message waiting for Amy and Vanessa to reply as I help Erica and Mikey hoping I don't look suspicious.

Time Skip

"What do you mean they haven't kissed yet!" Vanessa mostly yelled as we entered my home into the kitchen.
"Your sister and her new boo thing have yet to press lips together." I explain to her. Amy opens the fridge and takes out an apple, "So, are we going to make them kiss or something because Christmas is coming up?" She said making a bad attempt to a joke.
"What the hell did I walk into?" My brother asks looking between us.
"Girl stuff, Baby." Vanessa takes her pink manicured nail to Johnny's lips stopping him from asking any more questions.
"Does that mean I don't have to be dragged into this?" Johnny said relieved.
"Yes, actually." I tell him before grabbing ingredients to make dinner.
"Good, so I'll be upstairs. Let me know when dinner is ready!" My older brother shouts from the stairs.
"Where's Angel?" Amy asked seeing me grab a knife.
"At the Casino, there was a machine that broke and he's been there all day fixing it. So dinner is on me." I explain to them.
"Okay, but we have to get back to the problem. Erica is going to be back soon and I would like to figure this out." Vanessa then says reminding us that Erica is at practice for the Fall and Winter play.
"How about a romantic date?" Amy asks knowing it's the base for romance.
"Like what a horse ride through central park?" Vanessa began thinking of all the romantic places.
"No, too quiet. Mikey is loud, fun-loving and well I'm willing to bet he has a killer arm." I say getting the pan warm up.
"What do you have in mind?" Amy looks at me with curiosity.
"The boardwalk in Jersey. By the beach, has games and music, not to mention it's fall, the drive there will be pretty, the ice skating rink will be open and Erica always wanted to visit a pumpkin patch and carve a pumpkin." I ramble on not realizing I'm getting weird looks.
"Damn, (y/n) you're going have to plan my honeymoon." Vanessa says causing me to blush.
"Bold for you to say while I'm handling a knife." I threaten my tan, curly hair friend with the knife in my hand.
"Okay, so we can't do everything in a day so how about a vote?" Amy changes the focus back to the date.
"Pumpkin Carving, Ice Skating, Boardwalk." Vanessa listed the options out loud.
"Why not two. We leave for a weekend before the snow starts falling. We leave Friday after school head to an Air BnB by night time. Saturday we do two planned things to get those two crazy kids to kiss." Amy then suggested seeing that we don't have anything major like a test coming up on her agenda.
"If we're going too, I think it's safe to say we shouldn't do pumpkin carving. Might get awkward with third wheelers." I comment finishing up the meal.
"Crap Erica is close by. Okay, ice skating during the day and boardwalk at night. We come back on Sunday. Those two better kiss. (Y/n) you persuade Mikey one way or another." She tells me before heading outside to meet Erica.

Next school day at lunch

"Erica, I will lift you up and carry you over to his table if I have too." I threaten my ginger friend as I try to push her there.
"Maybe it's too soon." She began arguing again. She was on broad earlier the morning when we pitched the 'Weekend Getaway'.
"If you do this, I'll play nice with Grumpy for the whole weekend." I try to bribe as I attempt to pull her. Sadly she squats toward the ground making it harder for me to yank her without hurting her
"Why only Raph?" She teases while giving me a wink with her honey eyes.
"Cause I call him Meathead, meanwhile with his brothers they're lucky I barely talk to them." I explain myself as I continue to pull her hoping that she'll take the bribe and we stop this human tug of war.
"You did not call him that." She changes the subject.
"Wanna bet?" I challenge her making me stop tugging on her arm and stare her down waiting for her to agree.
"Okay, this is getting nowhere. Erica if anyone else asks Mikey, he might think that you don't like him that much." Amy then adds her two cents.
Erica gasps before quickly standing up, straightening her outfit and rushing her way to April's table.
"Seriously?" I ask while looking at my two other friends. Amy had her arm crossed and Vanessa laughed.
"Doesn't matter phase one is complete, next we have to pack for Friday." Amy stated before pulling me back to our spot.
"Is it weird that we're doing this?" Vanessa then asks realizing that maybe we shouldn't force them to, but at the same time, I'm exhausted of the lovey-dovey eyes and awkward exchanges. 'It's like their ten years old.' Not wanting to sound annoyed of them, because I am happy for her.
"Probably, but who said normal was fun." I answer as Erica happily skipped back with a smile brighter than the sun on her face.
"I'm guessing they said 'no'." I joked bringing her skip to a halt, but her smile never left.
"Very funny, anyway who's driving?" She then asked and we realized we didn't figure that part out.
"We're going to take turns. Jersey isn't far at least." I said quickly hoping that it'll be a good enough answer.
"Cool, anyways I told them we're picking them up. They said that'll text us April's address to pick them all up from." She tells us before taking her seat next to her sister, pulling me beside her for us to enjoy the rest of our lunch.
"I just hope this weekend works out." Her sister says as she looks at the weather. Sadly the colder months are coming soon, which sucks for us.