As Red As It Gets (MichaelMellxReader)

Chapter Seventeen: S.E.S.T.T

Darkness started to form for it was already six in the afternoon. Michael offered to drive Katherine home and come pick her up again once he got his stuff. Katherine has been fumbling with her phone in her hand, staring out the window.

She just texted her parents, informing about their sudden plans. She was nervous, she didn't know why. It's been awhile since the two of them were alone but maybe it's just the fact that she's worried she wouldn't be allowed to go. She picked on the hem of her hoodie as her leg bounced up and down.

"You alright there?" Michael broke the silence, worried about the girl who keeps fidgeting to the point she muight explode. "Hm? Oh...yeah" Katherine laughed awkwardly facing him when her phone buzzed. "I'm just waiting for my parents'approval which I think this is them right now"

'That's okay, Honey. Your father and I don't think we'd be able to make it for dinner. Just make sure all the doors are locked when you leave and NO funny business with boys. Got it? Alright, bye bye sweetie'

Katherine read aloud to Michael, sighing in relief. She sunk into the passenger's seat and lazily turned her head to him. "They suck at being stereotypical asian parents" He chuckled and ran a hand through his hair. His fingers tap on the steering wheel as he stared at the road in front of him.

"Just tell her, man. If you don't, you might just regret it for the rest of your life"

"You alright there?" "Huh? Oh" Michael snapped out of his thoughts as he shifted in his seat. "Yeah, yeah. I'm alright" He laughed lightly as he focused on driving. Katherine nodded, unconvinced. Her head was still turned to him as she examined Michael's features. Nothing really changed except for how their atmosphere turned really awkward.

Michael took notice of this which made him really red as he chewed on his bottom lip. "What?" He laughed nervously, lowkey enjoying the attention she was giving him. His grip on the wheel tighten as he felt a spark in his stomach. "Nothing," She giggled and sighed. "I just missed...hanging out with you"

He smiled, cheeks still bright red as a cherry slushie. "Then why'd we stop" Michael mentally slapped himself for spitting it out. He wanted to roll down the window and scream his lungs out while driving straight to a tree if Katherine wasn't in the car next to him. The reason for the red on his cheeks went from bashful to embarrassment. A moment of silence was shared and he looked at the girl.

It was Katherine's time to turn red as her little nervous fidgets start. Her hands start to get clammy despite the cold wind blasting out of the aircondition. She pulled on her sleeves all the way to her finger tips as if to wipe her hand dry. "I didn't want to..." She jumped a bit and turned to him "I mean I didn't want for it to end. I'm really really bad at maintaining friendships and I...just thought you and the others just felt pity on the new kid" She mumbled, cracking her knuckles and tapped on the screen of her locked phone.

The Pt cruiser went on a full stop as they've reached Katherine's house. The lights were off and no sign of any presence in it. Michael was speechless, his mouth open in surprise. Katherine took his stillness as a sign to go and struggled with the seatbelt. When she finally got it off, she held onto her bag and rested her hand over the car door."Well, this is me" She pulled the handle to leave until it suddenly locked.

Katherine spun around to see Michael's hand over the buttons beside the driver's seat. Confusion showed on her face while hurt was shown on his. "You...you thought that I-" He cleared his throat, his fingers tapping lightly on the buttons. "We really didn't think of you as a friend?" She laughed nervously, shaking her head no.

"That's not what I'm saying-" "Yes, I know. I know what you're saying but, Kathy" Michael's hand dropped as he shifted on his seat to face her. "We never hung out with you just because we felt pity," He glanced at her hand and back at her as she took it off the handle, resting it on her lap.