As the week rolled by, Mike never left Elle's side. He walked her to her classes, lingered around her locker, and even stayed an extra hour at the library just so he could spend more time with her.
He had meant what he said to Elle when he told her he wanted to be with her and he hadn't felt so sure about anything in his life than how absolutely sure he felt right now.
He didn't know what to make of it all, this strange new excitement coursing through him whenever she glanced his way or how flustered he would get whenever she flashed that vibrant smile of hers. It was like his days had meaning again, they were brighter and he actually looked forward to them.
Was this what is what like to be happy?
He sat in his room, having stared at his black corded phone for nearly twenty minutes.
He knew he needed to stop wasting time and go through with it, but he wasn't certain of how things would go, and that's what probably bothered him most.
He took a deep breath and yanked the phone from the receiver and then quickly punched in each number, knowing good and well that now there was no backing out.
The phone dialed for awhile and with each ring, he began to second guess his decision. Maybe she was busy right now, or maybe she just didn't want to talk. Damn, what was he thinking? She probably wasn't even gonna answer.
His attention was instantly grabbed by the shuffling of her picking up the phone. "Hello...? Mike..? " She slowly answered, surprise and confusion potent in her voice.
"Uh hey, Nance."
He hadn't talked to his sister Nancy in what seemed like ages. At first when she had left for college they would call every week, catching up and checking in with each other.
He had tried for the longest to pretend like Nancy wasn't literally the dictionary definition of perfection, but the way his mother coddled her and the way the townspeople would praise her like she was some kinda angel made him increasingly bitter over the years.
She was everything people wanted and he grew sick of hearing the constant "Why aren't you more like your sister?" question. Jealousy and anger rose within him, adding more fuel to the fire his dad had already started.
Soon enough, he stopped calling her and made all types of excuses on why he couldn't answer her calls. They grew more and more distant each passing year, the holidays when she came home not at all what they used to be as tension and silence replaced what used to be light hearted conversations.
"Is everything okay?" She immediately questioned, assuming there had to be an emergency of some sort.
"Everything is-"
"Oh my god! is Holly okay?"
"She's fine."
"And Mom?"
"Geez, she's good, Nance, chill. Everyone is fine, okay." He reassured her, wanting her to calm down.
He could hear Nancy let out a small sigh of relief but then she paused, and Mike could tell she was trying to understand the real reason for his unexpected call.
"I know we haven't talked in awhile but I called.. well.. because I uh.. need your advice on something."
He anxiously waited for her reply. He waited for her to tell him that he was wasting her time or even more so, that he hadn't bothered to call her in years so what the hell was he doing now.
But she didn't, strangely enough she was kind, eagerly offering her help.
The real problem was he hadn't really asked out a girl before.
Of course, he would ask out girls to go make out with him under the bleachers, or go to one of T.J.'s parties with him, and the occasional offers to come over to his house when he was sure nobody was home.
But asking a girl out on an actual date? That was foreign to him and he knew Elle deserved better. And if he was honest with himself she made him feel different in a way that made him want to be better.
Nancy stood on the other line trying to hold in her giggles, finding it utterly adorable how Mike would get tongue tied just mentioning her. Still she was grateful as she soaked in this rare moment between them, also curious on how this girl could have such a profound impact on her little brother in a way that actually pushed him to maturity.
Even after Nancy had finished giving him a few pointers, they stayed on the line, catching up with each other like they used to. It was almost as though they had picked up from where they had left off, like nothing had happened between them. But this time for some strange reason they both felt closer than they ever had before.
Dustin stuck a spoonful of chocolate pudding in his mouth, taking it out slowly as he studied Elle. "There's something different about you, isn't there?"
She smiled and nodded.
"Hmm, but I can't put my finger on it."
"Are you dense?" Lucas jumped in, giving his friend one of his famous are-you-really-that-stupid looks. "It's the sweater!" He pointed at her. "She's got a new sweater."
Dustin's face lit up like he had finally solved the world's hardest puzzle. "Ahh! Yes that's it!"
"I like it, it looks really nice Elle." Will commented.
Elle softly brushed her fingers against the soft pink fabric, admiring it once more. "Thank you, Mike gave it to me."
Dustin sprang up so quickly that his hat almost flew off his head. "Wait, Mike gave that to you? Are you guys a thing now?"
"Yeah, are you? I've seen you two hang around each other a lot." Will inquired, a smirk creeping on his face.
"The whole damn school's seen them together." Lucas rolled his eyes.
And he was right.
After the whole cafeteria incident, Mike and "that weird girl" were currently the hottest topic going around the school. Nobody understood why Mike had given up his popularity for her or why he had punched his used to be best friend in the face but then again nobody was brave enough to ask. However, people would often whisper as they saw the two in the halls together, the rumor mill buzzing now more than ever.
"Aw, don't tell me you're jealous Sinclair." Dustin grinned, pointing his chocolate covered spoon at his friend.
"I'm not." Lucas shot back, his tone turning more serious. "You just need to be careful Elle, because guys like Mike- ."
"It's just a sweater." She calmly interrupted, not really wanting to be rude but also not wanting to be lectured right now.
She knew what he'd say, guys like Mike are players or guys like Mike only care about themselves. She had heard it plenty of times before and sure, it once was true but she knew something that Lucas didn't and that was that Michael Wheeler was definitely not the same boy he used to be.
"Well yeah, it's just a sweater now, but what's next? joints? booze? a one nighter? Don't allow yourself to get wrapped up in him, you're too smart for that."
"It's not like that alright.." Elle retorted, holding back her frustration. She had for the longest a hard time coming to grips with this herself so she knew Lucas in all his stubbornness wouldn't understand and she couldn't expect him to.
She got up and swung her backpack over her shoulder. "I actually have to get going, I need to squeeze in some more study time before Stanisky's calc test anyways. I'll see you guys around though." she waved as she hastily left the lunchroom.
"Man, look what you did." Dustin grumbled, giving Lucas a quick shove.
"Well somebody's gotta be the one to warn her."
"But didn't you see the way Mike stood up for Elle that day? He could've went along with the others and humiliated her too, but no.. he came to her defense." Will reminded him. "Lucas, don't you think that's odd? you and I both know that's unlike him, what if.. maybe he's changing?" He then paused for a second, a faint smile gracing his lips. "Kinda reminds me of how he was when we were kids, ya know?"
Dustin pondered what was said for a bit, before a toothy smile grew on his face as he too began remembering the old Mike. "Wow, you're right."
"You guys must be blind if you can't see that he's completely bullshitting." Lucas snapped, purposely ignoring the wounded looks of disappointment on his friends faces. "This is probably some fake act he's putting on so he can get inside her pants. I even bet you his friends are in on it too, probably some huge elaborate prank or somethin."
Even as he said those words he wasn't sure he believed them himself, but Lucas didn't want to trust Mike or have anyone else trust him for that matter. He worried that if they trusted him he'd only hurt them again.
No, he couldn't have that.
He'd protect himself and his friends whatever the cost.
"So I was gonna tell you this earlier, but um.. I got accepted into Indiana State." Mike said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.
Elle immediately put down the watering can and looked up at him, a huge grin stretching across her cheeks. "Really? Congrats! That's amazing!" She squealed excitedly.
He awkwardly smiled back, not at all used to this type of attention. "It's no big deal." He shrugged off, glancing over at the bed of tulips.
He hadn't said it but she was actually the main reason he went through and applied in the first place.
Whenever he talked to Elle she encouraged him, she spoke to him, instead of down on him and for once in his life he didn't feel like he was just some screw up as hope started to replace the restless feeling of uncertainty he was so used to carrying around.
Elle shot him an appalled look. "What? Are you kidding? That's a huge deal!"
She noticed as he nervously looked away again and she reached out to grab his arm, this time getting his attention as she met his gaze. "Mike.. I always knew you could do it."
An indescribable warmth filled his chest as he drank in her words, their taste unforgettable. Damn, For once someone was actually proud of him.
Heat rose in his face and he glanced down and bit his lip, fighting his growing urge to kiss her. "So err.. yeah.. well you?" he cleared his throat. "I mean, what about you? What college are you going to?" He asked, purposely redirecting their convo.
"I don't think I'm going." She replied rather nonchalantly, grabbing a hand shovel as she got on her knees to place new compost in the box.
Mike was suddenly taken back.
Elle had to be one of the smartest girls he had ever met and he knew she could get into any great school, possibly even an Ivy league school. But what the hell, why wasn't she going?
He stayed silent for a second as he contemplated every possible answer. Then a slow smirk tugged his lip as finally reached a conclusion. "So let me guess, peace corps, right?"
"No.."
He watched as she shoveled more dirt, and the sudden realization dawned on him that she had never even told him of her future goals. Each time they talked about what was next after high school somehow she always looped the discussion around him.
He anxiously shifted on the balls of his feet, feeling kinda guilty for not knowing more about her. "So then what do you plan on doing after graduation?"
"I'm not sure." she softly sighed. She had tried to disguise the sadness in her tone, yet he couldn't help but notice it.
Mike decided not to press the subject, fully catching the hint thrown at him that she didn't wanna talk about it anymore.
Elle stood up, taking off her gloves and setting them aside along with the shovel. "By the way, I meant to tell you this earlier.. but, thank you."
"For what?"
She gave him a small smile. "For saving me last week, I really appreciate it." she replied, her voice full of gratitude.
"Oh, you're welcome."
He watched as she started to walk out of the greenhouse, and he quickly remembered the real reason why he met up with her here in the first place. "Hey, wait!"
It was now or never.
She turned back around, standing in the middle of the door post.
"I.. uh, well I wanted to ask you something."
"What is it?" She asked, looking up at him with curious eyes.
He could feel his palms begin to sweat and he quickly swallowed down the large lump that was building in the back of his throat. "Will you.. um, go out with me on Friday night?"
She hesitated for a moment, old doubts along with new ones creeping in, further reminding her that it would end up being a big mistake.
But she glanced over at the boy in front of her and her heart fluttered, almost as if it completely went against everything her mind was telling her right now.
Slowly but surely a bright smile appeared on her face. "I'd love to."
I'm late with this update, I knowww I'm sorry but work and school have been kickin my butt :(
However, hope ya'll are as excited as I am for their date! oooh! But on another note do you guys agree or disagree with Lucas? and why do you think Elle has no clue on what she wants to do after school? would love to hear your thoughts, theories, or even suggestions if you have any!
