One shot. No explanation necessary.
It's not like I'm afraid or anything. I mean, it's not a phobia or like Lilly gets when she sees the creepy elves at the Santa Photo display.
I just don't like them. And I can never sleep until I know it's passed. Until I know I won't be struck down in the prime of my crappy existence…
Actually, now that I think about it, maybe getting caught up in a freak thunderstorm like this one wouldn't be so bad. I'd sure be doing a lot of people a favour.
But no, I think I'll stay here, curled up on the Moscovitz's couch until it passes. Where it's safe. Where I won't be electrocuted.
How can people sleep through this? I know Lilly is one of those freaks who can sleep through anything, even when I dip her hand in warm water to make her pee (it NEVER works. Not with her anyway. It sure works when she does it to me.), but what about the Drs Moscovitz? Or Michael? They can sleep through it too?
"Hey, Thermopolis, can't sleep?"
Speak of the devil and a god (AKA Michael Moscovitz) appears. Maybe he's not a freak like his sister.
"No," I admitted shyly, peering over the couch and hoping that my hair isn't like it usually is when I wake up. Why didn't I think to run my comb through it when I woke up in a cold sweat before? I could do with some make up too, I bet. Damnit. "You can't sleep either?"
"No, that's not it. I just haven't gone to bed yet."
I looked at my watch. It's almost three in the morning!
"Um, isn't it a bit late?"
"Yeah, but I've been working on my computer, and then this storm started and I've been watching it out my window. It really is something; it's beautiful to watch. I came out to get a hot chocolate, you want one?"
"Sure." I stood up and followed him into the kitchen.
I watched as he heated the milk on the stove properly. It amazed me because usually when I make hot chocolate, I cheat and use the microwave. I tend to set fire to the kitchen when I use the stove. And since my mom doesn't cook I don't think the stove had been used in about ten years until Mr. G moved in. Maybe men are better in the kitchen than women these days.
A loud clap of thunder sounded and I jumped in my chair. It was followed a second later by a streak of lightning. The storm is really close.
Michael must've noticed my little (or not so little. Whatever.) jump, because he said, "You're not…scared of a little thunderstorm are you, Mia?"
"No," I faked a laugh. "Of course not."
Another clap of thunder proved me not only a liar, but a scaredy-cat. Now I have one more reason to hate storms!
"Ok," I admitted. "So maybe I am. Just a little bit…You're not afraid at all?"
"Nope." He handed me my hot chocolate. "I only see the beauty in them. I mean, sure, they can do devastating things to houses and buildings, and even people, but from the view in my room, it's hard to remember that."
"It really makes it look beautiful?"
"Thermopolis, have you ever even seen a thunderstorm? I mean really seen one. Not just a quick glance out the window before ducking for cover."
I blushed and took a gulp of my drink. Not too hot, not to cold, just right.
"Well…no. Usually I just duck for cover…"
"Well come on then." He held out his hand for me to take. Which I gladly did, picking up my novelty mug with the other hand. "I'll show you just how beautiful it can be."
He sat me down in the chair in front of his windowsill.
"Do you mind?" he asked, indicating to the chair.
"No, go ahead." I moved across as much as I could and he sat next to me. We were both half on, half off. He put his arm around my waist to keep us stable. I would've died at the niceness of it all, but then I wouldn't be able to see just what is so beautiful about these stupid weather occurrences.
As I sat there, Michael pointed out all the lighting and made me see that it really is beautiful. It's not just scary and loud, it's something else.
And every time I shuddered involuntarily when it seemed like it was so close it was going to hit us, he just squeezed me round the waist and it calmed me right down.
Finally, after what seemed like forever (thought it totally wasn't long enough) the storm seemed to move away and it was over.
"Wow, Michael. That really was…beautiful."
"Yeah," he agreed, looking at me intently. We're so close on this seat, if I leaned forward just a little, and our lips would be touching. "It's beautiful."
"Thanks for showing me a different way of looking at them."
"No problem, Mia. Anytime."
"So, um," I didn't know what else to say, but I didn't want to move from the snug seat. "You're going to bed now?"
"I guess so," he said. "Are you going to be able to sleep now?"
"Yeah, I think so. The storm is gone, and even if it wasn't, it's nothing to be afraid of, right?"
"Right."
Neither of us moved to get up and go to bed like we'd just said we would. We both just sat there, his arm around me, looking at each other.
Suddenly Michael's door creaked open and we both almost snapped our heads in our haste to see who it was. His arm dropped from my waist and I almost fell off the chair.
"Mia? What are you doing in here? I woke up and you were gone."
I sat back on the chair as best as I could. "Um, Michael and I were watching the storm."
"That ended like, ten minutes ago."
"Yeah, I know. I was just coming." I stood up and walked towards the door. When I reached it, I turned back to Michael, who was still half sitting on the chair, only he didn't look as comfortable as he'd been just minutes before. "I'll see you tomorrow, Michael."
"See you, Thermopolis."
Lilly stared at me from her bed as I sat down on the mattress next to her. "What?" I asked.
"I thought you were afraid of storms," she said simply.
"I was. But Michael showed them to me and they aren't scary any more."
"Oh. So you and Michael are together now?"
"What? Where did you get that from?"
"Well, a middle of the night rendezvous tends to look like that."
"No, we're not. And it wasn't a rendezvous. He was just helping me not be afraid any more. That's all."
"Sure."
I glared at her. What is she talking about? Sure, I want something more to have been going on, but alas, it wasn't. It was just our close proximity and the beautifulness of the storm that made Michael and I like that.
Wait a second, like what? It's not as if he kissed me. It was just a look. An intense look, but nonetheless, just a look.
I looked up at Lilly, who was still staring at me, watching the gears working in my mind, and I contemplated asking her advice. But then I snapped out of it and decided against it. It's not as if there's even anything to tell!
"What is it?" she asked.
"Nothing. It's nothing. I'm going to sleep. Night."
"Yeah right it's nothing, Mia. But if you don't want to tell me, that's fine. I'll find out eventually."
Not if there's nothing to find out.
- - -
Since I stayed up half the night, I didn't wake up very early Saturday morning. In fact, I slept until lunchtime.
When I finally woke up and stumbled out into the kitchen, Lilly was sitting at the tiny table drinking a cup of tea. "Morning," she said dully. "Michael's in the shower right now, but he shouldn't be too long if you guys want to have a little chat about what happened last night."
"What are you talking about?" I asked, grabbing the box of Cheerios from the cupboard and sitting down with the milk and a bowl.
"Last night. Remember? Me walking in on something with you and Michael. It looked like I'd interrupted a moment. So you'll probably be wanting to talk about it now, right?"
"I have no idea what you are talking about, Lillian. That certainly wasn't a…moment."
"Whatever, Mia. I'm going over to Boris's. So feel free to hang around until you want to call Lars or whatever."
"I'll call him right now," I said pointedly. "It's not as if there's something to stay around for."
Lilly shrugged and stood up, grabbed her bag and walked towards the front door.
I can't believe she's leaving me alone with him! It's not as if it really is how she's saying it is, but still! I don't want to be left alone with him after last night, because I just know I'll say something stupid and make a fool out of myself!
Deserting my brunch, I grabbed the cordless and dialled Lars' cell phone.
"Of course, Princess, I'll be there in about half an hour."
Half an hour. I hung up the phone with a sinking feeling in my heart. There's no way Michael is going to stay in the shower for another half an hour. I've already heard him turn the taps off. He'll be out in ten minutes, tops.
I scoffed down the last of my soggy Cheerios and retreated to Lilly's room. Maybe he won't even realise I'm here until Lars knocks on the door. Then I can just leave, no awkward conversation necessary.
Silently, I dressed and got ready to go. I even managed to brush my teeth in the Dr Moscovitz's bathroom before Michael finally walked out.
Twenty minutes to go. I sat silently in the dark room and waited. I feel a bit rude, but hey, what else can I do?
Nineteen minutes…I can survive another nineteen minutes here. Even if Lars is a little late, I can stay here for thirty if I ha…
The door opened and I gulped. Michael walked in and turned on the light.
"Thermopolis?"
"Uh, hi, Michael."
"What are you doing sitting here in the dark? Is everything ok?"
"Yeah. Everything's peachy. I'm just waiting for Lars to come." Now I feel incredibly stupid. Just what I was hoping to avoid.
"Well, why don't you wait out here? Or do you want to sit alone in the dark?"
"No, no, I just didn't want to bother you is all."
"Mia, you're not a bother. Come out."
There he goes with the calling me Mia thing again. What's up with that? He never calls me Mia.
I sheepishly picked up my things and followed him into the TV room.
"Wait a minute," I said, setting my bags down. "If you didn't know I was in there, what were you doing going into Lilly's room?"
"Oh…Um, I was just looking for something. But it's not important."
"Michael," I said slowly. "Were you going to go through Lilly's video collection for old copies of Seventh Heaven episodes?"
"No!" He turned bright red. "…She has the Dawson's Creek DVD's, if you must know."
Ha! That's just as bad.
"So how long is Lars going to be?"
"Oh, only another fifteen minutes or so. But if you want to start watching Dawson's Creek, you can."
He grinned and jumped up to get it. Boys are so weird.
"So did you used to watch this all the time?" I asked when he was sitting back on the couch.
"Nah, I've only seen a few episodes. But I saw Lilly watching it last week, and I got hooked on the whole Joey, Dawson and Pacey triangle thing."
"Ah. So you don't know who she ends up with?"
"No, and if you tell me I'll kill you."
"Ok, I won't."
Five minutes later, Lars still hadn't arrived and Michael was yelling at the TV. "Why is she so stupid? Doesn't she know that Pacey is her one true love? Why does she keep thinking about Dawson like that?"
"It's just a TV show, Michael. Calm down."
He laughed and looked over at me. "I know it is. I just get frustrated sometimes when people don't see what's right in front of them. Ya know?"
He was looking at me the same way he was last night again. I could only nod in reply, my eyes transfixed on his.
"Like some people," he continued, "they don't see that what they want, what they need, is right there. Waiting for them…"
"Well maybe," I said, finding my voice. "They don't know if what they want wants them back, so they're afraid."
"Like you're afraid of thunder storms?"
"Yeah. But I'm not afraid of them any more."
"Good," he said. "Then you shouldn't be afraid of anything else either."
Then he moved a few inches closer to me and our lips met. I was so surprised by it (even though I'd been hoping it would happen) that I pulled back quickly.
"What are you doing?" I whispered.
"I'm not being afraid. I'm showing you what's right in front of you. Do you…not want me to?"
"No…I mean, yes, I want you to. But, I guess I was just being afraid."
"Afraid of what?" he asked.
"Of you not liking me the same way I like you."
"Well I think I've just demonstrated that that's not true."
"I guess so," I whispered, and he kissed me again.
That was a one shot, no more chapters. But I'll update something else this weekend, before I go away for a week.