In Time (Bwwm/ Interracial)

Chapter 4

I sat in the shower staring thru a shower drain as the water flowed into it. How did life get so fucked up? I mean just hours ago I was a normal girl in a normal fight with my boyfriend and today I’m single, and the saddest I’ve been since my mom said I couldn’t get the Barbie I wanted for Christmas when I was eight, but they got it for my sisters birthday that same year.

On top of all that Mike is acting weirder than usual. I mean I’m used to him being a little bit over protective of me, he’s like the older brother I never had or wanted but I’m glad I got. But Mike has been acting weird ever since he and Zoe broke up. In the hallway he looked at me like he never had before, like I look at fresh chocolate chip cookies. It looked like lust.

Ha. I said lust. It couldn’t be lust I was like a sister to Mike. If he wanted more he had his chance back in high school. Everyone at Justice High School knew I had a huge crush on him. He probably knew it too. He was just too nice to say anything. Too nice to break my heart. Over time I realized our friendship was worth more than anything, and pushed the thoughts back in my head. He could never be interested in me like that. He has seen too much. He was there at Mitchell Ramps party when I began my period and had to run home. I missed the cake cutting and for three months everyone called me Bloody Mary. He came over to my house and brought me cake and held me while I cried. He’s seen every tear I’ve cried and every pound I’ve gained over the years. He knew me better than I knew myself and that was too much.

The water from the shower glistened on my skin. Maybe I was over thinking the Mike situation. Maybe I was losing my mind from the Mike situation and miss reading social ques. Maybe he just wanted to give me a hug and was leaning in to do that. Maybe that sadness and lust I thought I saw was just sadness. Yeah that sound good.

I felt satisfied with my conclusion and exited the shower. I walked into my closet and threw together an outfit for work. Work. The four letter word from hell. I had no problem with working, but I wasn’t feeling it today. I got dressed as fast as I could. I slicked my hair into a bun and ran out of my room toward the kitchen.

Crap where is my phone?

My body halted in the hallway at the thought. I turned around and opened the door to Mikes room assuming that he was still in the kitchen with Morgan, because the air smelled like fresh French toast.

You know what they say about assuming? It makes a fool out of you and me.

When I opened the door I came face to face with a scantily clad Mike. My heart skipped three beats and then sped up rapidly.

Mike was standing by his window in black boxers. His body was glistening from the sunlight that hit it in just the right places. A bead of water glided down his chest over his abs and kept going into parts unknown. Mike was an Adonis. I’ve never denied that, but I usually see it and don’t notice it, but now I’m noticing ever little bit of him… and its scary. The ripples on his arms seemed more defined in the light. How I wish I was that drop of water. CALM DOWN!!

It’s just the breakup hormones I told myself. Yes that’s what it is. I smiled feeling proud of myself for coming to a logical answer.

“You see something you like?” Mike asked with a smile. I snapped out of my thoughts and realized I had just been staring at him.

“Yeah…. My phone I been looking for it and there it is. Ok. Bye.” I spat out taking it from the bed. I turned quickly trying to make my exit as gracefully as possible. I was halfway out of the door when Mike called my name. “Eva do you have a minute to talk?”

I didn’t want to talk. I knew exactly what he wanted to talk about and I was not in the mental mood to deal with all of it. “Oh Mike I’d love to but I gotta get to work.” I said lying as best I could.

“Ok after work tonight then?”

“Yeah, sure Mike.” I really hoped he would have forgotten about it by the time I got home.