Chapter 19

LYNN-

"Hey, Evelynn. How was the weekend with your dad?" I met Billy at the door of his house. He seemed busy for a week day, sweating at his brow and towels and clothes gathered in his lap. Was Jacob not here to help his father?

"It was great. We bonded pretty well. And Paul met him too… Uh, I mean." Billy grinned at me when he heard me stumble over words.

"Paul? Sam's gang, as Jake calls them? So they really aren't bad people," The man winked over at me before wheeling through the hall to Jacob's cracked door. "Maybe you should finally introduce my son to them. He's about ready to give up, with him being sick at the moment." He said before disappearing from sight.

"He's sick?" I sounded alarmed. I was only gone two days and the kid goes contagious on me. I went to the kitchen to start fixing some warm soup. Maybe that's all he needed. I didn't know what he was sick with, but my theory was chicken noodle soup cured aches.

When I went to bring it to him though, Billy closed the door in my face and almost glared up at me.

"No Lynn. No visitors. You don't want to see him right now. He's not in the best of moods and is very contagious." I nodded and put the soup on a tray and into Billy's lap. No point in arguing when all I had to do was sneak in when Billy went to bed. I wanted to be the one to take care of my friend. And I bet that Bella girl got him sick for being out in the rain so much.

Until then, I went to my room. Nothing changed. I didn't think it ever would, anyhow. But I wanted something done now. I snatched my desk drawers open and threw out all my journals and notes onto my bed. I would have done more but a certain note caught my eye. It was a deep blue construction sheet of paper with jagged edges. It was sticking out of one of my composition books. I didn't remember ever seeing it before.

I tugged it out from in between clean sheets of paper. There was a whole bunch of scribbling on a white sheet taped to the blue colored paper. I laughed when I recognized the hand writing.

It was Mike's from around two years ago, when he couldn't master cursive yet still tried his best. It was close to the time when he became my best friend in Forks. After he broke up with Lauren for starting rumors that he kissed her, and he didn't even find that appealing to him. Ninth grade was crazy for drama.

I sat on the edge of my bed and thumbed through the other notes first, glancing here and there when I saw an intriguing one between Mike and I. Mainly just about the girls he liked and my advice to him to get their attention. I also helped him with the stress from the sports he tried to play all the time. I was his true buddy he would call me. Along with the hottie best friend on the sidelines at all his games. I'd usually end up hitting him after all the games too when his teammates would walk by me whistling and smacking their lips because of his bragging nature.

I finally decided to read the blue note. It was written in blue pen, so nothing was faded.

'Lynn,

You're in math right now, so I can't talk to you. Numbers make us both zone out, so I'm not even going to try.

I was wondering if maybe soon you might be willing to go with me and my family to the movies and to look at sportswear after. I would take you myself, but I can't drive yet. =P

I've been thinking lately, you're the only girl I ever talk to anymore, and I don't mind it. Do you? If not, maybe we could try going a little further.. It's a stupid question I know. But, it's worth a shot. And no, it's not because all the basketball team says I'm a wuss for not asking you out before. Which, if you don't want to that's ok!

Alright, I think I've written and scribbled enough.

None of this will change what we have now though, I won't let it. That's too good to ever lose. I just wanted to know what you think about it.

Let me know.

L, Mikey.'

The corner of my bed was sneaking away from me and I paid no heed until I hit the floor. It surprised me into actual thoughts again.

Mike asked me out, once upon a time! And I never even found out. He probably thought I completely rejected him. Which… at that time, I might well have, with Jacob and all. But, was this the answer to my uncomfortable state of mind lately? Maybe! I mean, Mike liked Bella, and Bella is with Jacob. Which is the same predicament as mine, vice versa.

I never thought of Mike like that, but it was worth a try, to cheer us both up.

I went to pick up the phone but thought better. I had nothing to do, and Mike may be at home. I need to waste time anyways. I grabbed my keys from my table and skipped through the house with new found energy.

"Where are you going to so happily?" Billy was sitting in the living room, watching me with an odd expression of curiosity.

"Going to get myself a date," I smiled cheerfully as I slipped on my converse and my rain jacket. It was drizzly this late morning.

The roads were perfectly clear as I drove myself to Forks. As usual I felt followed. Figuring it was Paul, I sped faster and faster until I crossed the territory line and had to quickly dodge a tree that just popped out of nowhere, on the side of the road. I laughed at myself for being silly and kept going towards the house I visited months before.

I knocked on the door and Mike answered, looking pale and a little weak. He smiled though when he saw me.

"Oh, Mike, you're not sick too are you?" I chided. It really had to be Bella! He was about to walk out on the porch like usual, but I shook my head and walked into the hall of his house.

"I'm just about better now, so don't worry. That isn't what brought you here though, was it? It's been too long since I've seen your face. I should be mad." He was almost pouting as we both sat down on the couch, facing the window to his side yard. The blinds were slightly open, enough to see cracks of washed away daylight.

"Well first, have you eaten yet?" I might as well take care of Mike too, if I was prepared to take the step he wanted to do so long ago. The matter was, if he still wanted to. And if we would end up being happy.

He answered with a 'no', and so I got up to heat up soup. I came back with it in one of the bowls I founds fairly easily in his confusing kitchen. In all actuality it was in a big mug. He thanked me and took little sips while watching me closely.

"Mike, I'm sorry. I think I've gone slightly mad, but I was hoping maybe, if we could try something you suggested a long time ago, things might get better."

"And what suggestion was that?"

"You want to go out with me sometime?" He stared, then stared some more.

"Not once have you ever thought of me that way. Why now? Are you looking for a title because of that dude who you used to live with?" Mike was almost mad when he spoke those words. He set down his mug on the coffee table and put his hands on his knees as he slightly turned to face me.

"What? No, I found your note after these years-"

"You know I ran into him the other day. That Jacob kid. He's the one you liked, right? He's an asshole." When he said Jacob's name, I knew he was harboring some sort of resentment so I bit my tongue and stayed quiet.

Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

My silence confused Mike, and he took another look at me.

"You weren't kidding, were you?" He asked, almost sheepish. I shook my head negatively, a little downcast. "Geez! I am so sorry! Sure, Lynn, sure!" He was bright now, with color to his face again. "But, what brought this on?"

"A change of life plans. I realized I actually needed people in my life. And I found your note asking me out finally. I figured I would give you an answer." I rubbed my hands together while Mike and I looked at each other.

This should have worked better. But I guess I had to let it all sink in before thinking things would change.

"Lynn, this could work. Bella clearly chose the brute Jacob over me last night. And making up what I thought was rejection by you and last night, I'm not single anymore!" He joked, tapping my leg. I rolled my eyes at him.

"You never liked that word anyways. I remember you even went out with one of those snobs who made fun of you in junior high because you felt too alone without a girlfriend. So, yeah. Maybe we will become happy together, and maybe we might even be perfect for each other since we've been friends so long."

"Perfect!" He agreed, grabbing my hand. Well, at least he seemed to feel better.

I don't know what I was hoping for. Some sort of automatic falling in love thing, but it didn't happen. I vaguely remember talking to Emily about some sort of love. Imprinting, was it? Maybe I was looking for that with humans, in a human body. I was wishing for impossibilities. And I was happy that I decided on Mike because we always enjoyed each others' company.

Mike lifted me off the couch by my hand and with a new strength, it had to be the chicken soup, he led me to his body and hugged me gently. I rested my head on his shoulder, and sighed.

"My bestfriend-girlfriend." He kissed my cheek and I closed my eyes.