It was a lonely Friday evening in Michelle's little flat. Most girls would be out enjoying themselves, going to see a movie or dancing at a club, but not Michelle.
Her boyfriend of two years, Oliver, had broken up with her and she was collapsed on the floor of her living room. The couch was right next to her, but when she had sat down on it her depression immediately sent her rolling to the floor.
Crying was out of the question. Michelle only saved it for the really awful days. This was only over a silly little break up, nothing serious.
Except she had really loved Oliver. At least before the cheating and the lying. Now she despised him and only wanted to wallow in self-pity and ice cream. He had finally finished moving his belongings out of her home that afternoon and left her life for good, but now Michelle only felt a void in her chest.
Her cellphone rang and she glanced at it with bored eyes. It was only a few inches away but she had no motivation to move her hand towards the device. It sat there ringing for about a minute before it stopped and went to voicemail. Michelle sighed and looked back up to the ceiling. She wanted it to be Oliver calling, just so she could laugh later on at him trying to talk to her again. Good luck with that, Ollie. Try that with your next girlfriend.
Before she could relish in the idea of laughing at him, her phone rang again and this time she threw her arm out from under the blanket, her agitation increasing tenfold at his persistence. She checked the caller ID, but instead of it being a desperate ex-boyfriend, it was Michelle's dearest best friend Grell. She immediately slid her finger across the screen and held the phone up to her ear.
"Oh darling, I've been worried sick about you, what are you doing right now?" he asked, his voice rising and falling with the dramatic flare he had about him.
"Lying on the floor. You?" Michelle replied in a monotonous voice.
"Oh honey, it's no time to be worrying about me, I'm worrying about you right now. I'd kill Oliver right now if only I could."
"Please don't mention him. He's out of my life for good."
"Then let's go out and have a bash, darling! No sense in lying about when you can be enjoying your new single status!"
"I'd rather not. Celebration isn't how I'd like to spend my time."
"Well then, how about a sleepover? Just you and me."
Michelle thought about it. Sure, they were adults with jobs and taxes. However, Michelle couldn't shake her excitement at having a sleepover with Grell. They could eat ice cream and play video games and tell scary stories and wander around the apartment building at three in the morning…she wanted to feel like a kid again, at least for one night.
"I would love to have a sleepover with you, Grell," Michelle smiled, and she giggled when she heard him cheer on the other end.
"Wonderful, darling! I'll be over with ice cream and games. Do you like Rock Band?"
"Will it be the Beatles?"
"Of course it will, love."
"Perfect," Michelle grinned. Her evening would be perfect, far better than lying on a hard floor all night. "I'll handle the bedding and movies."
"Excellent! I'll be over in thirty minutes with all the supplies for a glorious slumber party!"
"I'll see you soon, Grell."
"See you very soon, my dear."
He hung up immediately, and Michelle stood up. She was already in her pajamas, so she began to move furniture around to make space. After that, she went into her linen closet and pulled out a sleeping bag, several blankets, and a comforter. She brought them back out to the living room and laid everything out in a sort of neat fashion.
After preparing the main party room, she went into the kitchen and turned the lights on. She looked at the time on the oven and saw that it was only 6:53 and decided she would order pizza. She pulled out her cell and ordered their favorites, remembering the parties she and Grell had had before. After making the call, she cleared a space on the counter for the pizzas and set out two plates for them.
Once everything was prepared, she went to her movie station and looked through the horror movies. She found her and Grell's favorite, The Grudge, and set it aside for later. She turned on her stereo, which had already been playing the Beatles, and began to sway to the music.
After a few minutes of dancing and loudly singing the lyrics to her favorites, she heard a knock at the door and guessed it was Grell. She turned the music down a little and went to answer the door.
"Oh no, dear, turn it back up, I want us to anger the neighbors!" Grell cried when she opened the door. Michelle smiled, looked at the bags of ice creams and games he had on his arms. He was already dressed in a white T-shirt and red pajama pants, and Michelle laughed at the thought of London's best-dressed male buying ice cream in his pajamas.
"Come in, Grell," Michelle gestured, unable to erase the grin from her face.
"I'm glad to see you're smiling, love. I was worried you'd be all mopey," Grell said, wrapping his arms around Michelle in a loving embrace before sauntering into the apartment. "Love what you've done with the place," he added, smiling at the mess of blankets and pillows.
Michelle giggled and took the bags of ice cream off his hands. "Why thank you, I prepared it just for our little slumber party."
"I feel so special!" Grell laughed, raising a hand to his forehead for dramatic emphasis.
"I ordered some pizza for us, but it won't be here for another fifteen minutes probably."
"Oh perfect darling, I haven't had dinner yet," Grell cheered. "But let's dig into some delicious ice cream before we fill our tummies with pizza."
"I can agree to that," Michelle smiled, going into the kitchen to get two spoons for them.
"Here love, I got your favorite, Rocky Road," Grell offered, holding a pint of ice cream out to her.
"Oh, thank you so much!" Michelle gasped, her eyes widening in excitement and hunger.
"Of course. I would get only the finest ice cream for my cupcake," Grell chuckled, exchanging the ice cream for the spoon.
Michelle hurriedly opened the pint and shoveled a spoonful of Rocky Road into her mouth, moaning in sweet bliss.
"Don't rush through it all in one sitting. I bought plenty of ice cream to last the night," Grell chuckled, pulling out his own pint of red velvet ice cream.
"Oh Grell, you are the best," Michelle mumbled, her mouth full of ice cream.
"Oh I know, love," Grell winked, walking over to the stereo and turning the music up, swaying to the music. They danced around for about ten minutes, shoveling ice cream into their mouths and offering each other tastes of theirs. At last, there was a knock at the door, and Michelle turned the music down and pulled her wallet out.
"No worries darling, I'll pay for this one," Grell offered, already walking to the door.
"No, you've already bought the ice cream, I'll do it," Michelle raced him to the door.
"Honestly love, you don't need to worry. Tonight will be my treat," he smiled, opening the door and flashing a charming smile to the pizza deliveryman. "Here you go love, keep the change," he said, handing the man twenty pounds and taking the pizza.
"Thank you sir," the man replied, and Grell closed the door in his face.
Michelle sighed. "Thank you Grell."
"It's the least I can do for my most dearest friend," he grinned, bringing the pizza boxes to the kitchen and laying them in the spot Michelle had cleared. He then took the plates and turned to Michelle. "For you, my lady," he offered, handing her the plate.
"Why thank you, my good sir," Michelle replied in a funny, nasally accent.
They collected their pizza and sat in the living room to eat. After a few minutes, Grell stood up and turned the music off and started up Michelle's Xbox.
"Ready for some Rock Band, my dear?" he questioned, grinning at her over his spectacles.
"Always!" Michelle cheered, taking another bite out of her veggie lover's slice. She set aside her plate and pulled out her two rock band guitars, handing the red Fender controller to Grell. They played for a couple of hours before Grell became restless.
"Let's play hide and seek, darling!" he cried after they'd finished "Octopus's Garden".
Michelle pouted a bit but agreed to it. They'd been playing long enough, so it was time for some exercise.
"I'll go first," Michelle offered, and Grell clapped his hands together.
"Ooh, wonderful! Let's head out into the hall and start counting there."
Michelle nodded and grabbed her keys and cellphone, and they went out into the hall, turning off all the lights as they went.
Once the door was closed behind them, Grell turned to Michelle with a huge grin across his face.
"Alright, count to twenty and then come look for me, kay?" Michelle nodded. "Good, go ahead and start."
Michelle smiled and hid her face in her hands. "One, two, three…"
Grell giggled and ran off while Michelle continued counting. Once she reached twenty she hurried off and immediately made her way down to the third floor. Grell always had a favorite hiding spot right behind the plant the window on that level, so that's where she headed first.
And just as she expected, he was hiding there trying to be inconspicuous.
"Found you," Michelle whispered, catching him off guard and causing him to shriek.
"Darn it all, you always know I'm here," Grell pouted, and Michelle laughed.
"Maybe if you wouldn't hide there every time, I wouldn't find you so quickly."
"Oh shush, just go hide," Grell brushed her off, putting his hands over his eyes.
Before he could start counting, Michelle ran off and already had an idea of where to hide. She made her way to the roof by way of the stairwell, and found herself gasping for air when she finally made it. As she stepped out into the cold night air, she felt the sounds of the city surround her and she felt at ease. She almost never looked over the edge due to a fear of heights, but she stepped close to the railing this time and peeked over. The drop to the ground immediately made her head feel dizzy and Michelle jumped back before she could throw up.
She shuffled over to a lawn chair sitting on the roof and sat down, gazing out across the city. She enjoyed the cool breeze and the sounds of traffic down below. The birds were finally asleep at this time, so she heard nothing but the rushing vehicles and the chattering people. She lay down on the chair and closed her eyes, letting the sounds surround her.
After a few minutes, she heard the door burst open and footsteps grow nearer. Michelle's eyes flashed open in surprise, but it was Grell.
"Found you darling," he said softly.
"Yes indeed," Michelle smiled.
Grell stood very awkwardly for about a minute before speaking up. "Would you mind if I joined you?"
"Not at all," Michelle gestured, making space for him on the lawn chair.
Grell scooted close to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, laying his head on hers. They sat in silence for a few minutes before Grell spoke again.
"I wish Oliver did not hurt you. You deserve so much more than someone who doesn't even consider you enough to be his only woman," he said quietly, almost a whisper.
"Grell…"
"I know you don't wish to talk about it, but it just frustrates me so. How cruel and selfish does one have to be to think that one woman is not enough? I hate him for it."
"I feel the same," Michelle muttered, holding onto Grell's hands.
More silence. Michelle snuggled into Grell, closing her eyes and listening to the traffic once more.
Grell sighed. "Well, we can't change the past, so we might as well move forward. Shall we return downstairs and watch a movie?"
Michelle smiled and sat up. "Yes we shall." She stood and pulled Grell up as well. They returned to Michelle's apartment and brought the pizza and ice cream into the living room for the movie. Some point during the movie, Grell found himself next to Michelle with an arm wrapped around her shoulders, while Michelle had her head on Grell's shoulder and held the ice cream they were sharing.
After the movie, Michelle checked the clock. It read 1:00 AM, and she smiled at how late it was getting. Grell turned on the stereo and turned it down so it was at the perfect level for them to listen and not disturb the neighbors. "Michelle" came on, and Grell started swaying to the beat.
"Oh, this is my favorite," he smiled, pulling Michelle up off the floor and placing his other hand on her hip. Michelle smiled and placed her hand on his shoulder. They spun slowly around the room, smiling and singing along with the music. At the end of the song, Grell released Michelle and bowed to her. Michelle giggled and curtseyed in return.
"Would you like to dance some more, m'lady?" Grell said in a silly accent, and Michelle laughed.
"I would love to, my good sir," she tittered in a high-pitched voice.
They laughed and danced around the room until their legs gave out. They collapsed on the floor, still holding tight to each other.
"Are you feeling sleepy yet, love?" Grell asked.
"Only a little bit. Let's tell scary stories!"
"The Grudge wasn't enough for you?" Grell chuckled.
"It's never enough for me," Michelle cackled, sending Grell into a fit of giggles.
"Alright Miss Silly-Pants, you go first then," Grell laughed, poking her shoulder.
"Okay then," Michelle agreed. She released Grell for a second to turn the stereo and the lights off, then returned and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She began an awful story about a young man who killed women every week, and Grell was shaking by the end.
"…When he opened the door at the end of the dark hall, his heart nearly gave out when he was greeted by the ghost of every woman he killed. They slowly surrounded him, closing the door and trapping him for good. Every one of his victims grabbed him, and they slowly dragged him down to hell, where he would suffer a fate worse than theirs for all eternity," Michelle finished dramatically, leaving Grell close to tears.
"That was far to scary, I want to go to bed now," he trembled.
"You don't want to try and scare me?" Michelle offered. "C'mon, try your best."
"I'll try, but I can't guarantee I'll scare the pants off you."
Grell's story began with a young girl lost in the woods on a Saturday night being followed by a tall, dark creature. Michelle stopped him right there.
"That's just the plot of Slenderman, you cheater," she giggled, poking Grell's nose.
"Well, I couldn't come up with anything on the spot, okay?" Grell whined.
"Hey, maybe I can pull it up on my computer, let's play it!" Michelle cheered, jumping up to turn her computer on.
"No please, it's so creepy and I always scream," Grell moaned, his arm over his eyes in a dramatic pose.
"Which is why we should play it!" Michelle laughed, sitting at her computer chair. "One of us should be the mouse, and the other should be the legs."
"I call the legs," Grell sighed solemnly. "I don't like turning around and finding the Slender. You have more fun with that."
"Sounds like a plan to me!" Michelle nodded, standing up to let Grell sit before plopping herself on his lap. Grell laid his head on Michelle shoulder and began walking forward. Michelle enjoyed turning the mouse every which way, which always made Grell jumpy.
After some time, they'd collected the sixth page and were making their way to the seventh when static began building on the screen. Grell shrieked a little and pressed the sprint button, Michelle laughing and clicking the flashlight on and off.
"Stop that, Michelle!" Grell yelled out of fear, and Michelle cackled.
They finally collected the seventh page, and that's when everything broke loose. Grell shook violently in his seat, and Michelle just tried to keep him calm while they made their way to the last possible place it could be, the giant tree. However, with Slenderman teleporting left and right all over the place, they were quickly trapped and lost the game.
"Can we go to bed now, please?" Grell whined loudly.
"Wait, let's go through it again and switch roles!"
"I hate it when you do this."
They played through again and this time only got five pages before losing. Slenderman had appeared right behind them and Grell was so scared that he screamed and put his hands over his eyes.
"Alright, dear, we can go to bed," Michelle laughed softly, shutting off her computer and getting off Grell.
"Finally," Grell sighed, rolling onto the floor and laying there.
"I think it would be more comfortable on the blankets."
"I don't want to move."
"Too bad, you have to," Michelle stuck her tongue out.
Grell groaned and stood up, allowing Michelle to take his hand and guide him into the living room. Grell collapsed on the floor when they got to the living room, so Michelle gathered the pizza boxes and ice cream pints to put away in the kitchen. The pints that still had ice cream were stowed away in the fridge and the rest put in the trash, while the pizza that was left was compiled into two boxes and the other two were also put in the trash. After she finished cleaning up, Michelle turned off the lights and went back into the living room, lying down next to Grell.
She felt restless. She turned this way and that, but every position she tried was uncomfortable and stifling. She sat up, her hair in an odd angle, and looked down at her best friend.
Grell was already fast asleep, and Michelle smiled. He looked so peaceful in his sleep. She carefully removed his spectacles and placed them on the table beside the couch. She returned her gaze to Grell's sleeping face and smiled down at him, watching as his eyelashes fluttered, his mouth slightly hanging open, his vibrant red bangs dancing with every exhale. She admired how beautiful he was, and in that moment longed to place a kiss on his lips, but she restrained herself.
Instead, in her restlessness, Michelle turned her Xbox on and pulled out Halo Reach. She turned the sound down all the way and continued with her story from where she left off. About thirty minutes into gameplay, Grell began shifting uncomfortably in his sleep and his eyes fluttered open.
"Honey, why aren't you sleeping?" he asked groggily, squinting up at her in the darkness.
"I couldn't sleep," Michelle replied, killing another alien before pausing the game and looking down at him.
"Why not, love?"
"I don't know," Michelle mumbled, turning towards the television screen. Grell was watching her, and she eventually turned back to him. "Every time I try to fall asleep, I begin asking myself why Oliver would want to cheat on me. Maybe I wasn't pleasing enough for him, maybe I wasn't thoughtful enough…maybe I wasn't pretty enough."
"It is none of that, I assure you," Grell growled, sitting up. "You are the most wonderful person to be around, you care more about anyone than I've ever met, and you are the most beautiful human being on this planet. Any man would be lucky to have you."
Michelle stared at Grell with her eyes wide. "You really think so?" she whispered, tears coming to her eyes.
"Of course I do," Grell nodded, a blush spreading across his cheeks. "I have wanted to tell for quite some time, but you were always so happy with Oliver, I didn't want to ruin anything…"
"What is it?" she asked, her face heating up as her tears threatened to spill over.
"I…I love you, Michelle. You are beautiful, you are my belle, ma cheri."
Michelle sat in silence as her tears slowly spilled over. She couldn't believe that he hadn't told her all these years just because he wanted her to be happy.
Grell watched her uneasily, and assumed that she did not feel the same. "You are probably just trying to think of a way to let me down easy, I know. This shouldn't change anything between us, you k—"
Michelle refused to let him finish that sentence before wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him roughly on the lips. Grell made a noise of surprise, but immediately caught Michelle around the waist and held her up. Michelle ran her fingers through Grell's crimson locks, moving her head to get better access.
Grell slowly—carefully—pulled Michelle closer to him until she was on his lap, her chest pressed up against his. He pressed his palms into her lower back, and she squirmed under his touch. He then brushed his tongue along Michelle's bottom lip, smirking into the kiss. Michelle pulled away and opened her eyes just slightly.
Grell's eyes were hazy, staring up into hers with a look of dazed arousal. Michelle giggled, and he smiled in return.
"Oh darling, you are as radiant as the sun," Grell whispered, cupping her cheek with his hand.
Michelle's face lit up, and she laid her hand over his. "And your beauty could rival the moon's."
Grell chuckled and slowly moved her off his lap. "Now, let's try and get you to sleep, eh?" he chuckled, cutting her game off and laying down next to her.
Michelle nodded, and Grell wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. She nuzzled the crook of his neck, and he chuckled.
"Your hair tickles, love."
"So does yours," Michelle frowned, a red lock of hair tickling her nose.
Grell laughed softly and brushed the hair aside. "Sleep well, belle."
"And you, mon cher."