Crash Course In Polite Conversations // Michael Solo
Involved: Michael Young and Ethan Young
Time Frame: Monday in September, night
Location: Michael's apartment
Michael was just wrapping the towel around his waist and muttering the words of the song that was coming from the radio. He was getting ready to go to the radio station for his upcoming shift there and glancing up at the clock, he still had quite some time. The day was great - in every sense of that word. It seemed like everything took a positive turn once he was on good terms with Allie again. He was talking to her, he was his flirtatious self with other girls and no strings attached whatsoever. Hell, he spent the evening with the hottest blonde he had seen in a while. Michael was actually kind of surprised he hasn't seen someone like her before. She was sexy, and teasy, and fun - just what he needed. His celibacy time was over and he couldn't help but actually laugh out loud at the thought of talking to Marcus about it.
His bed sheets were all wrinkled and messy and Michael actually grinned at the sight. It was so familiar, like stepping into good old shoes again after a long time, only this time it wasn't destructive for him in any way. He had a feeling he'd be seeing Nicole a lot more than that one time. Grabbing a white T-Shirt from his closet, Michael pulled it over his head and went to search for the pants when he heard his phone ringing. With a light jog he reached out to the night stand to take it and upon seeing the name that popped up on the wide screen, Michael felt as if someone punched him in the stomach and put the shades on.
Ethan Young.
He actually managed to stare at the screen for a good couple of moments, thinking that it must have been a mistake. His father hadn't called him personally in too long. When he needed Michael to show up and act all obedient, he usually had someone notify him via e-mail or something similar. No, this was actually him calling and a frown encroached on Michael's forehead in confusion. What did he want? Why was he calling? Something terrible must have happened. At that point, Michael was legitimately scared to pick up. He obviously waited for too long and his phone went straight to the voice mail.
''Michael, call me as soon as you get this.''
It was short and cold, in the style of senator Ethan Young, always the serious, busy man, who smiled only at public events and probably had already forgotten what an honest smile felt or looked like. Michael took a deep breath and prepared himself mentally for whatever was he about to hear and dialed his father's number. He was still on speed dial, but not for the family reasons, unfortunately. ''Uh, father? You wanted to talk to me?'' Michael said as soon as he heard the man picking up, completely unsure of what was even the right way to talk to his father now. Their relationship was undefined... if there was even a relationship to define in the first place.
''Michael.'' His father's voice came though the phone and Michael actually winced. He was unaware of how much he desperately sought his father's approval, regardless of his rebellion and their dispute. ''Is this how you address everyone you call?'' Was the first question that his father asked and Michael felt something like that coming. And the answer was - of course not, he just didn't know anymore what was the proper way or a reaction to use. They haven't had a conversation one on one in as long as he could remember. ''Never mind, don't answer that.'' He didn't even give Michael a chance to answer anyway. ''Yes, I... I wanted to talk to you.''
Michael frowned once more, sitting on the bed as he was still trying to cope with the awkwardness, and wondering if his aunt knew that this call was coming. She knows a lot usually, and if she did know about that, she should have warned Michael. Obviously, that wasn't the situation now. ''About what?'' Was Michael's short question back, but his father didn't have the right to expect any better from a son who was miles away. Both physically and metaphorically in their case.
''Well... about... school. How's school?'' Whoa. Red light in Michael's head and a huge Warning sign along with an annoyingly loud alarm. What was this about? Michael was even more confused than he was in the first place. ''I mean, how are you getting along with your new classmates? I heard you were on basketball team, congratulations.'' The man seemed to go further and further into questions and nice, almost fatherly words, and Michael was having a hard time following. He scratched his head. If the man only knew just how shitty Michael's new college days have been...
''It's, uh, good... great. Everyone's been quite welcoming and the classes don't differ much from NYU.'' Michael answered back, still asking himself what the fuck were they doing and what was all of this. ''And thank you, I did make the basketball team.'' He felt as if repeating his father's statements couldn't result in a catastrophe or something, so he just went for that tactic.
''Good, good to hear that. That's a good start for you there. Make sure to keep it up. You like basketball, right?'' Michael almost snorted because his father sounded as if he barely even knew his son, so he was now checking if his book knowledge was right. ''So it's a great, healthy thing for you.'' He just knew that his father was now just pointing out how Michael should stay on that way and not make a wrong turn like he once did with alcohol and drugs. And he gritted his teeth, almost angrily, because the man had no idea how much has Michael been struggling to maintain his reputation just for the sake of his father's and his family's. He couldn't have cared less for his own. ''And what about girls? Do you have a girl?''
Even if I did, I wouldn't tell you. Michael thought as the anger was starting to build up underneath his skin again. The initial confusion and surprise over the call seemed to have vanished into thin air. And the longer the conversation went, Michael felt angrier. Somewhere deep inside of him, he was aware that he didn't have the actual right to be so angry because it wasn't his father's fault he didn't want to listen and be a normal teenager. The extreme measures were eventually taken and the only thing his father was to be blamed for was not trying harder to fix the relationship with his son afterwards. ''Yeah, I like basketball, and no... no girl.'' Michael's answers were colder and sharper than ever, and he was pretty sure his father could feel it. The silence before he spoke was worse than what it would feel like if they were fighting over something.
''Alright. Well, that's all I wanted to know. I have to go now, Michael. Say hello to your aunt for me. Goodbye.''
And just like that, he hung up the phone, leaving Michael with the irritating, beeping sound in his ear and nothing but anger to settle right back on the bottom of his being again, making a new cradle for the new dosage of stress that was sure to be headed his way pretty soon.
