Crush Culture [M.Wheeler]

[40] IT'S YOUR GRANDMA

While the music plays, Nori and Mike do what they always do, sitting on Nori's bed, and kissing.

Mike leans forward, pressing his lips against hers, while she runs her hands through his hair, then brings them slightly down to his shoulders.

"Mike." Nori mumbles through the kiss, then pulls away. Mike frowns. "I feel bad for leaving Dustin." She sighs. "You said you'd hang out with him tomorrow." Mike responds.

"Yeah, but.. he's probably mad." She continues. "Don't worry about it, right now. I'm sure he'll forgive you. You're, like, his best friend." He leans back in, connecting their lips while he places his hands on her waist, pulling her closer.

Suddenly, interrupting them, a knock sounds on the other side of the door. "Hey." Steve says. Nori sighs, pulling away once more.

"Yeah?" She asks. "I, Uh, I have to tell you guys something." He stammers. Nori stands up, Mike's hands leaving her waist as she pulls open the door.

"Yeah, What is it?" She asks, taking a seat back on her bed, but farther away from Mike. "Wheeler." He eyes the boy. "Uh, Hi." He responds.

"Alright, turn down the music." He instructs. Nori does so, turning it off.

"Mike, you need to go home." He states. "What? Why?" He furrows his eyebrows. Nori seems just as confused, wondering what he would say next.

"Your mother called." He informs. "What?" Mike speaks up.

"Yeah. She needs you home right away." He nods. "Is everything okay?" Mike inquires, worried. "No, I don't think so. It's your grandma."

Nori and Mike share a glance, before he sighs. "Alright, Nor, I'll see you some other time, alright?" Mike stands up, beginning to follow Steve so he could get a ride home. "Call me, okay?" She says, taking his hand.

"Yeah. For sure." He leans down, quickly giving her a peck on the lips, then following her brother outside.

"Is she dead?" He asks as he follows through towards his car. "No."

"Did She fall again?"

"No."

"Does she have cancer?"

"No."

"Then I don't understand." Mike comments as they enter the car. "What's wrong with Nana?"

"Nothing! There's nothing wrong with Nana!" Steve shouts as he shuts the car door. "What?" Mike shouts.

"But... there is something very wrong with this thing between you and Ellie. I get a call from Dustin, saying his best friend ditched him to hang out with some boy. You're corrupting her! You're corrupting my little sister!" He yells.

"Oh, you lying piece of shit!" Mike tries to leave, but Steve locks the door. When Mike unlocks it, Steve only locks it again.

"You're crazy!" He turns back to the Harrington boy. "Crazy? What's crazy is that Ellie has drastically changed over the past year just because your idiot self decided to ruin everything." Steve fires back.

"She's not little anymore. You can't control her life!" Mike argues. "Really? That's extremely hypocritical coming fromLe you, Wheeler." Steve yells.

"Here's what's gonna happen, I'm gonna drive you home. And I'm gonna speak...and you're going to listen. And then, maybe...maybe by the end of it, maybe if you're lucky, maybe.. I will continue to allow you to date my sister." He says, attempting to sound confident.

"I'm not afraid of you. I bet even Nori could beat you up in a fighting she wanted to. What? Are you gonna spray me with Farrah Faucet?" Mike laughs in amusement.

"Mike, this is serious. Because you know what? You may not be afraid of me, but my dad doesn't know about any of this thing you've got going on." Steve threatens, flicking the boy's hair.

"And I'm sure he'd be glad to know, seeing as he was in the military for five years. He's been protective over Ellie for very long and I doubt you would like to get on his bad side." He raises his eyebrows.

Mike gulps, having already heard of the infamous Mr. Harrington who no one wanted to upset. "Nod if you understand." Steve says.

Mike quickly nods, sighing to himself.

***

After dropping Mike off at his house, Steve enters Nori's room. "Is his grandma alright? Is she dead?" She asks worriedly. "Yeah. Just a false alarm." Steve responds.

"I got a call from Dustin, said you ditched him." Steve comments, taking a seat beside her. "He told on me?" She chuckles. "Why'd you do that?" Steve ignores her question.

"I mean, I didn't really want to, I kind of felt bad, but.. Mike was getting tired and quite frankly, so was I, so I figured it wouldn't be that big of a deal." She shrugs.

"Mike. I don't like him." Steve admits. "Yeah, well I do. I don't need your approval." She responds.

"You're right. I guess you'll just have to wait and see if he's really worth it." Steve stands up, leaving the room. "Hey, Steve? What's that supposed to mean?!"