𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃 ♚ 𝐥.𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬

09 - michael is a hypocrite

Michael had dragged Lyla along with him to get groceries for his apartment, after all the slander he's gotten from Ashton, Michael realized he can't live through his twenties living off of instant noodles and pizza. He would have asked Maria to go with him, but unlike her best friend, she went to her lectures regularly, so Lyla was the only other option.

It wasn't all that bad, he got to talk to Lyla about his feelings – which is something he rarely ever did with any of the guys – and he hoped that laying it all and talking about it would make him get over it faster. The more you try to repress those feelings and bottled up emotions the stronger they become, Michael thought that if he were to spill every little detail, he'd see how ridiculous he's being and snap out of the daze he'd been in.

He vented to Lyla as he pushed the small cart through the aisles, she was tossing in random items that she'd get, and enough items to keep Ashton off of Michaels back for 'unhealthy living'. However, those cancelled out with the boxes of cereals and the multiple numbers of snacks that were mixed in with the ready-made meals.

"Can you talk to Maria for me?" Michael asked they were waiting in line for the self-checkout as they reached the end of the boy's unrequited love situation.

"I can't just go up to her and ask if she likes you out of nowhere," Lyla responded, "something has to happen for me to have a valid reason for 'questioning'." She explained, there were rules to things like these, and Maria would catch on to Lyla's random questions and hypothetical scenarios after a while.

"What will it take for you to ask her?"

"I don't know," she sighed, "be more affectionate while remaining true to your cocky nature. Imagine that Maria is going on another date with Josh, be that Michael." Lyla told, approaching the empty till she starts swiping the items while Michael packs the bags.

"How will that help with anything?" Michael knew he was being excessively needy and borderline annoying, he just needed answers and even a little bit of faith.

"Because," Lyla started, "Maria will get all flustered and puzzled, which opens up her subconscious mind where all her buried feelings for you are and releases it causing a whole lot of denial and confusion."

"Is that true?"

"I don't know, I was just guessing," she shrugged. Keep in mind, Lyla hadn't been to – or paid attention – her psychology lectures in a while, meaning that all her theories remained theories she had the information to prove her right or wrong.

"Okay fine, whatever, I only want to know if Maria likes me or not."

"Michael, there's only so much I can do to help you figure all this out," Lyla mumbled. "I don't know if Maria likes you back, I don't know what her feelings are, I think you're overthinking this." She said, "If you two are meant to be together then you'll know."

"I think the universe hates me," Michael groaned tapping in his pin number, waiting for the payment to go through before pulling the receipt out and shoving it into one of the four bags.

"And I think you're exaggerating," Lyla retorted grabbing two of the plastic bags and walking towards the exit with Michael beside her, "you should consult Ashton and Luke about this too."

"No, Ashton maybe, Luke no." Michael shot down, "Luke will probably get all pissy and complain about how I'm a hypocrite."

"Well you are being very hypocritical Mikey," Lyla commented, "you're trying to make a move on Maria, how is that any different from Luke making a move on me?"

"I already told you, Cal and I don't want to have to choose between anyone if you guys break up." Michael explained, "It'll be hard for things to be normal."