Then He Kissed Me
Chapter two:
The weekend had come and gone like wind. Mike had finished homework, hung out with his friends and sisters, and most importantly, thought about how he would ask El out. It seemed that every time he spoke with her, he made a fool of himself.
He thought about asking her at school but then he thought about how if she turned him down, he would be humiliated in front of the whole school. He could ask her at the arcade but if she turned him down there, things might be awkward with his friends.
It seemed that regardless of the approach he took, he would be miserable if El decided to turn him down but he had to think positive, after all, there is a possibility she could say yes.
With that, Mike went to bed, he had school tomorrow morning, maybe he could even talk to Lucas and Max and ask how they initiated their relationship.
Monday morning started like most weekday mornings do. Mike woke up at six, got dressed, ate breakfast, biked with his friends and went to first period. The whole day seemed mundane up until lunch, which Mike had been anxiously awaiting.
Mike got to their usual table with his sack lunch in hand, before taking a seat he went up to Max asking to speak to her in private. She rolled her eyes in response, gave Lucas an apologetic look and got up to walk with Mike. “This better be good Wheeler,”
Before turning towards the door to exit the cafeteria, Mike glanced at El. She stared at him with her glossy doe eyes, giving him a sad hopeful smile that didn’t meet her eyes like her smiles normally did. Typically, El smiled wide, teeth showing, eyes crinkled, dimples proud. This smile was not like those. Mike mirrored her smile in return and lead Max outside.
It was a chilly spring day, the dew slicked the grass, bits of poleyn floated in the crisp early afternoon air. Mike ushered Max to a wall near the high school building before stopping to turn in her direction.
“Aright, what’s wrong?” the red-head questioned, eyebrow raising simultaneously. “Why do you assume something’s wrong?” Mike defended, insulted the girls first assumption would be that a problem occurred (to his dismay, she was correct.)
“Come on Mike! You and I both know you don’t just ask me to talk in private because you wanted to chat with me. Tell me what happened, something to do with El I’m assuming?” damn it she was good.
“Yeah,” he stated quietly, “I’ve been thinking-
“That’s a first”
He flipped her off, then continued, “anyways, This weekend I was thinking on how I could ask El out but then I realized that everytime I speak to her alone, I make a complete fool of myself. I always end up looking like an idiot and feeling stupid. Please Max, you gotta help me,” he gave her his puppy dog eyes (rather, the best version of puppy eyes he was capable of.)
Max looked at him for a minute, considering how she could help Mike. She wanted him and El to be together, she really did. The first time the girls had a sleepover El confessed to Max that she thought the boy with “Dark hair, kinda curly, freckles on his nose and around his eyes. He’s pretty tall and wears those adorable sweaters.” was attractive. ‘To each their own I guess’ she thought to herself.
“Well, you’re not wrong about the part where you make a fool of yourself. Like remember that time when you were drinking water from your bottle in science fifth period and El was behind you and tasered you but you were so shocked that you spat the water all over El!” She started
“Yeah, I remember,” Mike scratched his neck in embarrassment but much to his demise, Max continued.
“Or the time when you, me and El were all talking after English and you were so entranced by El that you walked into the girls bathroom with us and it wasn’t until El asked if you needed to use the bathroom that you took notice!” Max laughed like a madman (Mike was not enjoying her bring up his embarrassing past.)
“Oh! What about that time when you and El were talking and you weren’t paying attention to what she was saying and just kept nodding your head so you ended up agreeing that changing your tampon is the worst” She was incoherent with laughter coming out after every word.
“Yeah that was pretty ba- wait. How did you know about that?” Mike didn’t recall Max being in the conversation at the time.
“El told me later that week at our sleepover,” She told him nonchalantly.
Does El bring up Mike often? Maybe she liked him too… maybe the idea of the two of them together wasn’t so insane after all. But the logical side of Mike won, she probably told Max because she thought he was weird or was talking bad about him. Mike always felt she was a person to never gossip but he was also insecure.
“Okay, I get it. I do dumb shit, that’s why I said that. So can you help me or no?” Although it was Max’ first instinct to put up her defense, she knew Mike was just self-conscious and a dumb boy who needed help with a girl.
“Fine I’ll help you.” As much as Mike annoyed her, deep down she cared for him. Yes, he was an asshole to her when she first showed up but she now knows it’s because he wanted to protect his friends, he had good intentions. But Max would never admit that aloud. Plus she wanted El to be happy, she was one of her best friends after all.
“Thanks. Meet me after school? We can go to Benny’s?” Mike looked at her with his hand out and hopeful eyes.
“Okay, but your buying” She raised her eyebrow at him.
Mike sighed, “ok whatever. Just don’t tell El. I want to surprise her” and with that, the two shook hands.
