It took Mike about an hour to set up Holly's vanity. When he had finally finished, he flicked on the switch, and the light bulbs around the mirror lit up. Holly gasped.
''There you go, bug,'' said Mike, placing his hands on his hips as he inspected his work.
''Mike, it's so pretty!'' She immediately began to transfer her new makeup into her drawers, as well as her hair and nail accessories.
''Will you help me with my proposal speech, Hol?'' asked Mike, grabbing a notepad and feathery pink pen from Holly's stationary on her nightstand. He took a seat on her bed, propping himself up against the wall.
''Um, YES,'' replied Holly, glancing at him excitedly through her vanity mirror as she continued to organize her makeup.
''Okay,'' he said, racking his brain as he tried to figure out where to start.
''Can I play with your hair?'' asked Holly. ''Nancy got me these cute, glittery butterfly clips.''
Mike sighed. ''Okay, sure,'' he conceded, moving himself to the center of Holly's bed, and folded his legs over indian-style. Holly kneeled behind him, and started to section his hair with clips, twisting it here and there.
''El, I knew from the moment I met you that you were the one,'' he started. ''No - too cheesy. Eleven, the first time I saw you, I had no idea what crazy adventure lied ahead of us…''
''I like that,'' said Holly. ''But you should say, from the moment I found you in the woods. Because it's cute that you're the one who found her.''
Mike nodded. ''Right.'' He cleared his throat. ''Eleven, when I found you in the woods, that rainy November night, I had no idea what crazy adventure lied ahead of us.''
''Perfect,'' Holly weighed in, as she continued to twist Mike's hair into knots, pinning it down with her butterfly clips.
A knock at the door. Karen peered her head inside Holly's room.
''Honey, Will - ''
When she spotted Mike with the butterfly clips in his hair, she lost it.
''What? Don't I look beautiful?'' he asked his mother, batting his eyelashes as he struck a pose.
''I have to get my camera,'' she wheezed, clutching her stomach as she disappeared into the hallway. She returned, moments later, with the brand new camera El and Mike had just gotten her for Christmas.
''Smile!'' She tried to steady herself, but lost it once again when Mike made a seductive face. Hot tears flowed down her cheeks. Mike couldn't remember the last time he'd seen Karen laugh like that, and it made his heart swell to see her happy.
''Whew, okay,'' said Karen, wiping the tears from her cheeks. ''Honey, I just came by to tell you that Will called. He said he'd be coming over with some decorations for your engagement party.''
''Sounds good,'' replied Mike. ''Thanks, Mom.''
''Okay, then. I'll leave you to it,'' she said, barely able to keep a straight face as she closed the door.
''Okay, where were we...'' mused Mike, glancing down at his paper. ''Right.''
''Okay, all done!'' declared Holly. ''Do you think… I could paint your nails, Mike?''
Mike rolled his eyes. ''Hol, come on. No.''
Holly pouted. ''I'll remove it right after, I promise. You won't even know it was there. I just want to practice on someone else.''
''Don't you have Mom and Nancy for this kind of stuff?''
''You have bigger nails,'' she lied. ''It's a... different kind of practice.''
Mike gave her a suspicious look. Holly was a terrible liar.
''Plus, Nancy is really busy these days. And when she's not busy studying here, she's with Jonathan.''
Mike sighed. ''Okay.''
''Yes!'' she exclaimed, running to her vanity to retrieve a bright purple varnish, her favorite color. ''I'm gonna start with your toes, so you can use your hands.''
''Alright, but I have to work on my speech, okay? So just… concentrate on your work, and stay quiet for a minute.''
''Promise.''
Mike returned to his draft. ''You stood there, soaked and alone, and I immediately felt the need to protect you. This mysterious, bald little girl…''
''Are you really going to say she was bald?''
Mike groaned, considering his little sister's input. ''You're right. Guess not.''
Another knock at the door. Mike put his pen and paper down, exasperated by the constant interruptions. No wonder he couldn't come up with anything decent.
''Yeah?''
Will opened the door, with James in tow. They took in the scene before them, and immediately burst into a fit of laughter.
''Oh my God,'' cried Will. ''Priceless. Beautiful, Mike.''
''Welcome to the community,'' teased James, gasping for air. ''You know, when you said you were open…''
Mike made a face. ''Yeah, yeah. Have your laugh, you two.''
Around 8 pm, Mike returned to the Buyers' house, finally content with his proposal speech. Will and James had stayed over for dinner at the Wheeler house, after spending the afternoon with him and Holly, making friendship bracelets and helping Mike with his speech, as well as planning the engagement party.
''Hey, you,'' said El, removing her glasses and setting her book down when Mike walked into the room.
''Hey,'' he replied, sitting down beside her.
''Did you have fun with Holly?''
''Yeah. She painted my nails, did my hair. Then we made friendship bracelets,'' he said, showing off his purple and yellow bracelet.
El's eyebrows shot up, her face lighting up with amusement. ''Hair and nails. Wow. I can't believe I missed that.''
''Don't worry, my mom took a picture. You know she was all over that.''
El laughed. ''Remind me to ask her for a copy of it.''
''No, I won't,'' he replied, grinning. ''Hey, where is everyone? All the lights were out when I came in.''
''They're having dinner at my aunt Catherine's house tonight. And Jonathan is out with your sister with friends.''
Mike's eyes widened. ''Are you saying you've been alone here for hours, and didn't tell me?''
El laughed. ''Mike, you were spending time with your family. It's okay.'' She shifted her leg over his body to straddle him.
''We still got time. Besides, I have a surprise for you,'' she whispered into his ear seductively, and kissed his neck.
Mike bunched her oversized t-shirt in both hands. ''God, I love when you say that.''
''It's a Christmas surprise.''
''What is it?'' he begged, reaching under her shirt to place his hands on her hips. He needed to touch her body.
''Close your eyes.''
Mike obeyed, but it killed him. He felt her get off him in one swift motion.
''Where are you going? Get back here!''
''Just hold on.'' He thought he heard clothes fall to the floor.
''Can I open my eyes now?''
''Yes.''
Mike opened his eyes. El stood before him wearing a sheer red corset, complete with a red lace thong and a black garter belt and knee high sheer stockings.
And of course, her Louboutin heels. The cherry on top.
''El…''
''You like it?'' she asked in her most seductive voice, doing a turn on herself. Nothing beat his facial expressions whenever she got new lingerie. He made her feel sexy, even without saying a word.
Mike just sat there, gaping. He extended his hand out to her.
''Get. Over. Here.''
El giggled as she slipped off her shoes and took his hand. He yanked her closer to him, closing in the distance between them in less than a second. She straddled him once again, and he kissed her, placing one hand behind her neck and one hand at the small of her back.
''You. Are. So. Gorgeous,'' he told her, in between kisses. His mouth was running wild on her body. El moaned in delight, tightening her grip on the nape of his neck.
''I swear, you kill me with these outfits, El.''
''Mike, I love you, but shut up and make love to me.''
He flipped her over in a second, moving on top of her. El squealed in delight.
''Won't need to tell me that twice.'''
