I DO NOT OWN ANYONE OR ANYTHING IN THIS STORY BESIDES THE OC'S.
Lola's Point of View-
After the credits had ended, I stood up beside Mike sliding out his way and went down the few steps and out the ramp to the main theater seeing most of the theater closed besides people like us leaving the screenings of the movie.
"I don't know if there will be anything open to go grab some food, if you're hungry that is…" Mike said.
"Why don't we just go back to my place? I'll cook us up something…it won't be nothing spectacular but it'll be food…." I offered.
"That sounds amazing…you have wine?"
"No, but you shouldn't be drinking wine if you are going to be driving home." I said.
"True…" Mike said as he pulled open the door that had led outside feeling the instant breeze and I wrapped my arms around myself to try to warm myself up then I felt his muscled arm wrap around me pulling me close to his embrace and I cuddled up to his side feeling his body give off limited body heat. We walked to his car that was one of very few that were left in the parking lot, I let him pull my door open for me as I slid in buckling up enjoying the heat inside his car but yet it was still cold from sitting outside thus long. Mike walked around joining me in the car where he started and immediately turned the heater on. He drove us back to my apartment complex, and he got there without me giving him any instructions and it was scary that he knew how to get there without any help. He parked his car in the closest spot to the door where I allowed him to come open my door for me, he wrapped his arm around me pulling me close to his embrace feeling his warmth yet again until we got into the apartment complex where we headed up the stairs to my floor and I led him to my room pushing the door open after unlocking it and stood aside to let him step in behind me shutting the door locking it for the time being.
"Make yourself at home." I said.
"What if I wanted to help you cook?" Mike asked.
"You don't have to…" I said as I set my things down on the corner of the kitchen counter.
"I would love to…at least keep you company…" Mike said smirking as I pushed a strand of hair behind my ear.
"Okay…well…I was thinking cooking this…" I said pulling down a box of Velveeta Cheesy Skillets that usually makes four separate meals for me to finish one box. "It's real good…" I said as I looked at the back of the box to see what I needed and making sure I would have all the ingredients to make it.
"It looks good…" Mike said.
"I've bought stock in them…it takes me four separate times to finish it…."
"You sure you don't have wine?" Mike asked.
"What's with you and wine? You need to be tipsy to talk to me?" I asked as I ripped the box open.
"No…just figured it'll lighten up the mood…" Mike said.
"Why don't you walk your little bum down to your car and drive to the local market that is down the street and pick up the cheapest wine available?" I asked.
"I just might…" Mike asked.
"Do it…" I said encouraging him as I pulled out all the contents in the box setting it out before I begun gathering all the other things as I saw Mike grab my apartment keys out of the corner of my eyes, "Why you taking my keys?" I asked.
"If you lock the door, how will I get in?"
"Knock?"
"That's too easy…" Mike said smirking as I rolled my eyes.
"Just don't lose them because that's my only set…" I said.
"I won't…" Mike said smirking as he pulled open my door heading out as I walked over locking it behind him as I went back into the kitchen starting the process of making the dinner for us pulling down the plates to put such meal on and thinking of what else to cook with the meal and knew of only toast and possibly a vegetable. I went to a different cupboard pulling it open realizing I only had the small cans of vegetables and just went with it so I grabbed another pan to heat the vegetables in. I took the plates out to the table setting them down in front of two chairs before I walked back into the kitchen grabbing paper towels folding them in half before I carried them out to the table setting them beside the plates before I went back into the kitchen grabbing two forks and two spoons and two knifes, wasn't sure what silverware he'll need so might as well grab them all as I took those out to the table setting them onto the paper towel how I was taught to do it when I was a kid before I went back into the kitchen stirring the vegetables and the main dish getting the bread off the counter carrying it to the toaster popping a couple pieces in to toast as I went back to the stove putting a certain sauce into the pan with the main dish stirring it in. I was busy at work cooking everything and surprisingly I was able to get everything cooked by the time I heard the lock on my door starting to jiggle to become unlock. "I hope you don't mind white wine…" Mike said when the door opened and he slid into the room with me.
"That's fine…" I said shrugging as I pulled down a couple of my nice cups carrying them out to the table considering that is where we'll need them and will keep the wine.
"You were busy…it smells delicious…" Mike said smirking as I picked the pan with the main dish off the stove.
"It always does…excuse me…" I said as he stepped out of the way letting me slide by him out to the table where I scooped some of the dish onto each plate.
"How'd you know I loved corn?" Mike asked from inside the kitchen.
"It's mine too…" I said.
"It's meant to be then…do you have a cork opener?" Mike asked.
"Um…" I said trying to think as I carried the still half full pan back to the kitchen setting it onto the stove in case he or I would want some more later on as I was pulling open drawers until I found the right drawer shuffling through pulling out what he needed, "Here you go…" I said.
"Thanks…" He said grabbing it from me and carried it with him to the table picking up one of the glasses just in case if the wine was to spill out I begun to put all the dirty utensils into the sink washing my hands drying them before carrying the corn out putting some on each plate before going back into the kitchen pulling the slices of bread that has been popped out of the toaster for a while now carrying them out setting one on each plate.
"You want some butter for your toast?" I asked.
"Please…" He said as he continued working at the cork and I bent into the fridge hearing the pop of the cork coming off knowing he had succeeded. I grabbed the miniature tub of butter I had bringing it with me out to the table setting it down in the middle of the table for us to both use. "Thanks for dinner…a girl has never cooked me dinner, ever…well besides my mom."
"Never?" I asked as I put my knife back on my napkin after I had put some butter on my toast.
"No…it's a nice change." He said smirking.
"I usually love cooking…since I had hit old enough to cook by myself, I was in a routine to cook dinner at least once or twice a week." I said
"I wish my parents did that….so cooking is kind of a second nature to you?"
"Yeah, and I love it…"
"Why don't you go to school to become a chef?" Mike asked.
"Well, first before you say that try the food and tell me if you like it then encourage me to become a chef." I said as I smiled as I scooped some up onto my fork holding it there waiting for him to do so as well and we took a bite together, I mainly watched his expression as I slowly ate my bite.
"This is amazing…got to buy some of this stuff…" Mike said.
"I think so…" I said smiling.
"What's your favorite thing to cook?"
"Obviously not sandwiches…"
"Obviously…I mean, who doesn't love cooking those after spending all day making them pretty much?"
"Honestly, who doesn't love sandwiches though? They are like the simplest things to cook besides toast…" I said as I put another bite into my mouth.
"That is probably why my diet consists of them…"
"What diet are you on? I mean, you got to keep toned and muscled for your career, right?" I asked curiously.
"Yeah, got to watch what I eat, I don't need to necessarily watch my weight, because have you seen Big Show or Mark Henry?" He said letting out a chuckle as I just looked at him seriously, "You don't watch wrestling do you?" He asked as he poked at his plate.
"I've caught like two episodes to see if the rumors about you being there were true and that was back when you were with all those girls and were really annoying…"
"Not much as changed…many people still think I'm annoying as fuck…" Mike said honestly as I could tell that idea made him upset and I felt guilty because I don't think people were giving him a fair opportunity.
"You aren't as annoying as you were then…"
"Thanks…" He said sarcastically.
"I'm just being truthful…" I said shrugging.
"You think I'm annoying?"
"Used to…I realized that you are just trying to have fun and it's just…you…" I said smirking as I looked down at my plate of pasta playing with it before I even tried to scoop more up on my fork to eat.
"I guess looks could be deceiving…" He said as his one side curled up into a smirk as he poked at a noodle picking it up, "The diet thing…well, we try to eat healthy but it's hard when you are on the road so yeah we do go out to eat but we don't eat the bun…."
"The carbs?" I asked.
"Pretty much…we try to eat meat and things like that…but I figured since I'll be here for a little while, I might as well splurge and work it off later…"
"Maybe you can help me lose a few pounds and I can hit the gym with you…" I said smirking.
"I'll think about it…I was serious about making the movies a weekly thing…" Mike said.
"And I was serious about you training me…" I said.
"Maybe it's something we should talk about during work tomorrow to try to plan these things out…"
"I guess that will make time pass by fast…"
"How do you like living on your own? I mean, it's got to be lonely…" Mike said.
"I'm sure it is the same as you feel in LA…"
"True but here you have at least friends…" Mike said.
"Psh, you think I have friends, that's hilarious…." I said letting a chuckle.
"What about all those people from high school?" Mike asked.
"Do you remember high school Mike?"
"Mostly…"
"Then you'll know I didn't have many friends much less any that would keep in contact with me…I guess that was what shocked me most about you…"
"I shocked you?"
"Anyways, you want to listen to some music?" I asked trying to change the subject.
"No, not until you answer the question…"
"No one really remembers me…with that being said when you knew my name it kind of shocked me and that you would want to hang out with me was more surprising…" I said honestly.
"Why would I forget you? You were the only girl that actually cared about me when I got hurt at the basketball game and when I got stood up at that one dance…"
"I wasn't there for you per say…"
"Ouch…" He said putting a hand over his heart.
"Not that I didn't care, I care about ones well being but there were other circumstances of why I was randomly there when you needed it…" I said pushing a strand of hair behind my ear kind of glad he didn't bring up that prank that was pulled on me.
"Why were you there then?" Mike asked.
"For which one?" I asked sipping at the wine knowing I needed it.
"The basketball game?" Mike asked.
"I was trying to find a place to hide and chill until my parents came…" I said remembering that night when I sat in first aide when he came in getting hurt during the game, well that is what he claims.
"We always had moments but we never hung out…"
"That's because I wasn't as cool as you were…we were in two different groups…" I said as I took a bite of my noodles.
"I think you gave up on yourself…"
"No I didn't….I just let others push over me and walk all over me…I tried too hard to fit in and it bit me in the ass." I said truthfully as I stood up bringing the wine glass with me as I went to where my TV set up was turning it on to turn a CD on.
"Isn't that with any high school student? Some succeed and others didn't…."
"I didn't see you trying to help me out…" I shot back realizing how mean that sounded, "I didn't mean for it to be like that…" I said turning around.
"No, totally understand…I felt bad for you and guilty for the actions of my friends…I was a jerk then…you still don't think that I'm that same person do you?" Mike asked as I didn't turn around just focused on the CD book, "Lola, I asked you a question…"
"I am still questioning that…you look the same, but you have always looked like that even in middle school…but I haven't talked to you since the day you graduated, how am I to judge if you changed or not?" I asked shrugging as I pulled out a CD I think would be okay for both of us to enjoy pushing play on it
"Do I seem different?" Mike asked as I turned around seeing him sip at his wine.
"You definitely seem more responsible than the Mike in high school was." I said as I walked back to the table setting my wine down before I slid into my seat to continue eating.
"I guess that is a step…am I in the proving to you stage?"
"You don't need to prove to me you are different…if you say it was your friends then I believe you…" I lied as I took a bite of the corn I hadn't touched.
"You don't believe me…"
"I just said I did so it's you that doesn't believe me…" I said as I sipped my wine as he let out a chuckle.
"Do you even remember why I had to go to first aide at that basketball game?" Mike asked.
"You sprained your ankle, at least that is what you claimed…" I said.
"Riiight…"
"Did you ever want to play basketball?" I asked curiously.
"Did you ever want to always win the science fair?"
"Psh, I hated science…I cheated on most of that shit…" I said laughing and he gave me a dead serious look.
"How do you cheat on that shit?" Mike asked.
"I would have thought you would have known slacker boy…" I said smiling as I took a bite of my pasta.
"You still know the tricks?" Mike asked.
"How do you think I'm scraping by in my college classes?"
"What classes you taking?"
"Business 212, Sign Language 101 which is the hardest online class and I'm taking Health 100." I said.
"All that and working with my dad?"
"Yeah?"
"How do you find time?"
"I just do…" I said shrugging, "You got your degree, why are you questioning me?" I asked.
"How'd you know I got mine?"
"I work with your dad, he is a proud father who keeps very well tabs on you and brags about you all the time…" I said honestly twirling my fork not sure if I wanted to eat anymore.
"Did he?"
"Yeah, he had your diploma, or a copy of it on display in the shop for like a month….when you got to WWE even tried to start selling fake Miz cards forging your signature…" I said.
"I remember that…now that I'm here, I'm sure he's going to try to do it for real this time…" Mike said as we both chuckled.
"How is your dad?" I asked running a hand through my hair before I leant my head against my hand as I rested it onto the table.
"He's home and trying to get him to relax…he has tried to come to work with me a few times…"
"At least he is home…like father like son, you're just as much of a workhorse as he is…" I said.
"Wasn't this the song for my graduation?" He asked just now realizing it.
"Yes sir…was wondering how long it would take you….figured since we were talking about high school might as well put it on…"
"What was your graduation song? You graduated what? 2 years later?" Mike asked.
"Same song, they never let us choose any other song unfortunately…I actually graduated a year earlier, took a few courses through summer school and college classes…"
"You were eager to get out…"
"Much so…" I said.
"You have your year book from my graduation year?"
"Yeah…you never signed it…"
"I was never asked…I'll bring mine to work so you can sign mine…"
"Do you still have your track jacket?" I asked as I stood up grabbing my plate carrying it out to the kitchen with him not that far behind me.
"I don't know…all my high school things were packed up in the attic besides my year books…"
"Why was that?" I asked as I looked up at him from where I scraped the food into the trash can before setting the dishes into the sink to wash later.
"Memories, the other stuff consumed space…" He said as I leant back against the counter and he stood in front of me with his arms crossed over his chest.
"I love how during high school the simplest things like the class rings, the shirts saying that you were seniors, or what year you were to graduate, the year books to see if you had made it other than the classic shots we take on picture day but when we get this age we don't give a fuck about it and regret a lot of the stuff." I said as I tapped my fingers against the counter looking down.
"Yeah…people change." Mike said shrugging.
"You want more wine? Would you like to take some of this home for your parents?" I asked curiously.
"Nah…I won't be eating it anytime soon…but I will go for more wine, what about you?" Mike asked.
"Please…" I said as I started putting the leftover food into containers marking them as I put them into the fridge as he poured more wine into our glasses and he handed me mine as I led him out to the living room where I had pulled my high school yearbook out from where I kept my books below the coffee table.
"You don't have a lot of books…"
"I don't read much…" I said as he wrapped his arm around me onto the back of the couch as I scooted closer to him laying the book across both our laps, I opened it trying to flip past the messages people had signed but Mike stopped it.
"Who signed your book?" Mike asked.
"Does it matter?" I asked.
"Just curious…" Mike said as he stopped me pulling the pages back as I sat there uncomfortably as he read over the messages chuckling at them. "Sounds like your group was more fun than my group…what'd Christine mean by that you'll get me back?" Mike asked pointing to a specific signature that was written in pink.
"It's nothing…" I said as I reached over to turn the page but he put his hand on top so I won't be able to turn it, "Mike!" I said.
"Lola!" Mike rhetoric back.
"It was after that prank you were a part of…"
"What prank?"
"You don't remember?" I asked.
"Obviously not if I'm asking…" Mike said.
"That day where you told me to meet you behind the gym because you wanted to talk to me privately then when I got there I got covered with tar from your friends…" I said.
"That was you?" Mike asked as I nodded.
"That was the most embarrassing day of my life." I said.
"I'm sorry…" Mike said.
"It's kind of late now…" I said shutting the book and stood up to put it up.
"I wasn't finished looking through it…" He said reaching out for it.
"My bad…" I said handing it back to him before I sat down bringing my wine glass that I had rested on my coffee table with me so I could sip at it.
"You went home that day too…I never did talk to you that day…"
"You seriously wanted to talk to me?"
"I seriously did…how come you never believed me or even showed up whenever I tried to set a meeting to see you?"
"Because of that…that played a part and why would the popular guy at the school want to talk to me?" I asked shrugging.
"You don't have a lot of self-esteem do you?"
"Psh, yes I do…have you seen me at work? I'm as confident as I ever can be…" I said as I sipped my wine.
"That's work, I'm talking about in yourself…"
"That doesn't matter…" I said.
"It does matter…actually, what the guys I thought were my friends did to you change the way you thought of me? I mean, do you hate me or have this problem with me?" Mike asked as he hadn't re-opened the yearbook yet as I just sat there quietly as he nodded. "Is that why you haven't really wanted to do tonight or anything with me?"
"I never said that I didn't…I was just hesitant because I don't want to get hurt, for so long I thought it was all your plan and your idea…you never apologized or tried to clear it up so I just thought that was it between us…." I said as I stood up taking my wine with me as I climbed over him walking aimlessly in my apartment.
"You just don't trust me…"
"I trust you…I kind of have to…" I said leaning back against the table that we were sitting at earlier.
"Will you forgive me?" Mike asked.
"I don't need to forgive you, you didn't do anything from what you claim…"
"I don't want you to hate me because that's not going to settle right with me." Mike said as he put the yearbook onto the coffee table before he stood up walking towards me.
"I don't hate you…just I always thought differently of you, because when that happened, I was furious for years then you left without saying good-bye…" I said not even wanting to look at him, "I think it's best that we call it a night." I said not wanting to go into depth about my feelings and why I felt the way I felt about him due to the past, I think the things that had happened caused how I viewed the man now and moments like this were changing the views back to what they once were in high school.
"I don't think so…we got all night." Mike said smirking as he took a sip of his wine.
"Mike, I'm done with this conversation." I said as I pushed strands of hair behind my ear.
"I'm not…I need to know what I have to fix…" Mike said.
"Well, there's nothing to fix…I have moved on and you moved on…it's the past and what I thought and felt has changed a little after we reacquainted." I said as I looked down at the wine glass that now had very little liquid in it.
"I want to know, I'm curious…"
"I hated you…I thought you were annoying, rude, conceited, and couldn't care less about those that cared about you or that lived here…you never paid homage, you are set and yet those who live here that are struggling…." I said honestly, "A lot of that I didn't originally feel…I was angry at you when that prank happened and ever since then, I just critiqued everything you did and every slight thing made me angrier…what made it worse was I didn't get a good-bye where as everyone I talked to said you went and saw them before you left…"
"How do you feel now?" Mike asked.
"I have a lot of thinking to do…" I said.
"Look, I never meant to do whatever happened…I honestly didn't know they were going to do what they did…I'm sorry for not saying good-bye, I was on the way to say good-bye but I was pulled away from it because my flight got pushed up an hour…I regretted not saying good-bye, every time I had came back, you were always 'busy' or weren't home…I just assumed you hated my guts and didn't want to be associated with me…boy has times changed…"
"We were young and stupid…" I said as Mike downed rest of the wine he had in his glass.
"As long as the air is clear between us…I think I kind of like you Lola."
"Kind of?" I asked.
"I'm not sure…still contemplating it…why so offended about it? You like me?" Mike asked as I downed rest of mine.
"Kind of…"
"Let's see where it goes, shall we?" Mike asked.
"I make no promises I'm any good at this relationship thingy."
"Who said anything about this being a relationship yet? I was going to see if you want to go out with me again, let's say Saturday? Neither of us have work." Mike said.
"I will if I could, weekend is my homework time…" I said.
"I'll come over and help, I'll rent movies and we'll have a study session…"
"Won't that be a bit boring for you?"
"No…if I want to do it, why should you care?"
"I'll order pizza and I'll grab some more wine…" I said looking down at my empty glass.
"Sounds good…so is it a date?" Mike asked as I glanced over to him trying to stop the smile that was creeping onto my face and it was hard when his piercing blue eyes met mine and his bright smile was planted on his face.
"I guess it is." I said nervously pushing a strand of hair behind my ear.
"I should get going, it's kind of late…" He said.
"Yeah…are you going to be safe to drive?" I asked worried about his capability to drive after drinking two glasses of wine.
"I'm fine, on the road you learn how to hold your liquor, those boys know how to party…" Mike said.
"I am sure they do…" I said not going to argue about that as I followed him into the kitchen putting my glass in the sink with his, "You want to at least take some water with you?"
"That might be helpful…" He said as I reached into my fridge handing him a bottle of water.
"Here…" I said handing it over to him tugging at my shirt to fix it after wrinkling up from bending over.
"Thanks….I had real fun tonight Brittney, even with our awkwardness and I think we have really expressed our feelings and moved on…you have grown up to be a beautiful woman Lola…" Mike said and I could tell he was very honest and it came from his heart.
"Thanks Mike…you certainly have matured since high school…turned into a real adult…" I said trying to think of things to say to him.
"Am I handsome?"
"Very." I said rolling my eyes as he smirked as he lunged at me getting me to jump a little as he wrapped his arms around me for a hug realizing that is what he wanted so I slowly wrapped my arms around him embracing the hug from him before I unlocked the door. "I have my keys right?" I asked.
"I put them on your counter." He said nodding to where he put them looking over to where he nodded seeing them.
"Okay…good night Mike, drive safe and text me when you get home." I said.
"Will do…night Lola, sleep tight…" Mike said as he smiled as he slid his hands into his pockets before he turned heading down the hall as I slowly shut the door hearing it click locking it before I turned around leaning back against it letting out a breath not believing what was said or done tonight.