Chapter 7:
"I've never worn a top like this before… it's a little… short"
"It's a crop top. It's meant to be short", Paula chuckled as she rummaged through her wardrobe.
Michonne glanced at herself in the mirror, not sure how she felt about exposing her stomach, "I can just wear this with jeans and my converses, right? I'm not really in the mood to dress up"
"Yeah, that's fine. I'm wearing my basketball jersey, so at least if I throw up, it won't be on anything I genuinely love".
Michonne picked up Rocky from the bed and sat down in her spot, "What if Rick and Shane decide to come?"
Paula peered at her from over her shoulder, "Uh, would you wanna talk to him if he is?"
She shook her head.
"Then you don't have to. Just act as if he's not there or something- found them!", Her friend pulled out a pair of black ankle boots with a chunky heel, "My biker babies. Haven't worn these in a while"
"Girls!", Patsy's poked her head through the door before stepping in completely. The older redhead wore a tight electric blue dress, and white heels as she placed herself in front of the mirror, "Where are you going?"
"Somewhere you're not", Paula responded dryly as she stood up from the floor.
"Oh be nice, Pee-Pee", Her mouth pouted, "I left you money for food and everything. I'll be back on Sunday, but if I'm not then just go by the bar and tell Grant to give you some money"
"We're moving in to our dorms over the weekend, so we won't be here either".
Patsy whipped around to look at her, "What? You're moving in already?"
"Yeah. We already got our stuff up there-"
"Why didn't you tell me! I could have told Michael to come over here this weekend!"
Paula rolled her eyes, "Well, sorry. Don't be too sad when I leave, huh?
"Great. Just great. Alright fine, make sure you don't leave the house a state when you go", her mother huffed as she stalked out the room.
"I'm sure Michael won't mind! He just wants your pussy anyway!"
"Oh stop it Pee-Pee!", her mother slammed the door behind her.
Paula snickered as she slipped into her boots, "He probably can't even get it up"
Michonne's mouth hung open in horror when she watched the exchange, but she quickly straightened up, "I should probably give Sasha a call"
"Go ahead, I need to fix my face"
She took out her phone from her backpack and tapped the screen until she found Sasha's number.
"Hey! I'm nearly ready but there's a small problem", Sasha explained hurriedly as soon as she answered the phone.
"What?", Michonne frowned with concern.
"Daryl called me and said he'd pick me up… with Rick and Shane…"
She dropped her head back as she growled, "I knew this was a bad idea"
"No, no it's not! They can just drop me there and then we'll go off and do our own thing. We don't even need to be in the same room as him"
"Your boyfriend probably won't like that", Michonne reminded.
"We'll figure something out, okay? But text me when you get there and I'll come find you"
"Alright"
She hung up the phone and fell back on the bed with a huff, "Great. Just great"
Paula turned and looked at her as she put on her lipstick, "He's gonna be there, right?"
"Yeah…"
Paula cringed, "So what? You can't avoid it, and you haven't even seen him all week so it's not like you're going to keep bumping into each other. We'll go, we'll be civil, and we'll dance until our feet hurt. Deal?"
"Yeah. Deal"
"Good"
…
"Is it weird that I'm at this girl's party? Rick stepped with her… and I've spoken to her like, once?"
Paula peered at Michonne from behind her red solo cup, filled to the brim with an alcoholic concoction, "Nah. I was friends with a girl that used to fuck a guy I liked… oh wait.. that was Karen?"
Michonne squinted at her, "Who…"
"Shane. He's literally been the root of a few problems for me", Paula joked, sipping her drink.
"Yeah. He has"
"Hey, better slow it down, I don't want to have to carry you to Mike's car again", Terry joked as he appeared beside Paula.
"He's right", Mike chuckled, joining the three of them, "How are you girls doing?"
"Great! Just waiting for the music to improve", Paula rolled her eyes, "I hate this pop shit"
"You into something a little more… darker?", Terry asked, eyeing her suspiciously.
"I need to get a little bit more drunk before I can talk to you", Paula scowled.
"So you're out tonight?", Mike asked Michonne, leaning against the kitchen counter.
"I am", She nodded.
"Still not drinking I see?"
"Nope. And I'm driving too so-"
"Oh you're driving too? So I can't give you a ride anymore?"
She shook her head, ignoring the underlying message of his remark, "Afraid not…"
"You got a car and everything?"
"Yeah. My mom gave me hers"
"Really? So you're good with your parents now? I know you said you moved out and all…"
"I talk to my mom. Just her", Michonne corrected, opening her bottle of water.
He slowed nodded, his gaze trailing around her face, "Well that's good then. How's she feeling about you going off to college?"
Michonne gave a little shrug as she moved the bottle from her lips, "She's not really… I mean, she's happy for me, I guess"
"Mine has been freaking out. She doesn't really want a repeat of my current situation…"
She froze, "Oh yeah…"
"Yeah", He released a strained sigh, "Not ideal…"
"No…"
She shifted her stance, feeling awkward from the turn of the conversation, "So… how's it going at the store?"
Mike perked up, "Andrea chased Philip around the store yesterday with a bottle of wine as a weapon"
Michonne's eyes widened, "What? Why?"
"I don't even know, she was just calling him a 'dog'... she was grabbing things off the shelf and throwing at him. We took our time to try and stop her because it was pretty funny"
Michonne smirked, "He probably did something he wasn't meant to"
"Well she caught him for it", Mike took a sip of the beer he held as he looked around the room, "So… I haven't seen your boyfriend around?"
She narrowed her eyes at him, "I thought we agreed to keep him out of our conversations?"
"Can I not ask?"
"No. If you want us to get along then you can't ask me anything about him"
He held one hand up in surrender, "Fine. I do want us to get along so I won't ask"
"Thank you", her eyes sailed across the crowd of teens in the small apartment. She only recognised a hand full of people from her grade at high school, while the rest were older. Her gaze soon fell on Sasha, who was snaking her way towards her.
"Oh, hey!", Michonne smiled as she approached them, "Did you just get here?"
"Yeah!", Sasha's eyes darted to Mike, and her smile tightened, "Hey Mike!"
"Hey, how are you doing?", He gave her a little wave with his free hand.
"Great… I'm great…", Sasha turned back to Michonne, "I need the bathroom"
She understood the code, "Uh, Mike I'm just gonna-"
"Go ahead, I'll be right here", He nodded.
"Okay… Paula, come on", Michonne grabbed the redhead's arm, and tugged her away from Terry.
Michonne was glad for the break, and the three of them wormed their way through the crowd of bodies, to a small hallway which had two doors. They quickly found the bathroom, and the teens swiftly piled in.
"What the hell are you doing with Mike?!", Sasha hissed as soon as the door closed.
"Talking! We're just talking! Nothing else!", Michonne explained, turning her back to Paula as she used the toilet.
"Well, Rick's here, and I don't know if he saw you two-"
"It doesn't matter if he did. We're not together anymore-"
"Oh, can you stop it!", Sasha snapped, "You cried for like three whole days! Of course it matters!"
Michonne's head reeled back, "Sasha, what do you want me to do?"
"I don't want you to do anything stupid!"
"Like what? Kiss my other ex who fathered a child that they plan to put up for adoption?"
Sasha's eyes widened and Paula gasped on the toilet, "Shit. What?"
Michonne slapped her hand over her mouth, "Crap. I probably shouldn't have-"
"That's even more reason to avoid him! He probably thinks he's a free man! All the while Karen's sat at home doing what? I don't even like her but he's a slime ball for being here, trying to get back in your good book!", Sasha argued.
"You're right! I'm not arguing with that! But can you take into consideration that I don't even like Mike anymore!"
"You two had puppy eyes before you left!"
"Puppy eyes? What the hell is puppy eyes?", Paula quizzed as she flushed the toilet.
"It's when you stare at someone for a little too long", Sasha explained.
"He had puppy eyes, I just didn't know where to look. There's a big difference, but the fact is, I don't like him like that anymore! We're just talking about college and his job and that's it! He brought up Rick and I shut it down!", Michonne pleaded.
Sasha eyed her as she crossed her arms, "Fine. I trust you"
"Thanks. I appreciate it", Michonne huffed sarcastically, "We're going to dance, come with?"
"Yeah. Let me just find Daryl and tell him where I am", Sasha waited until Paula finished drying her hands to open the door, and they all seeped back into the living area.
Michonne purposely kept her gaze away from the kitchen area, as she figured that would be the place that Rick and his friends would settle. Paula dragged her to the centre of the room and the two of them lost themselves in the music. Dancing had always been the highlight of her night when she was at a party, and being able to have her awful singing drowned out by the people around her was a bonus. Sasha joined them when they were in the midst of belting out their favourite song, and soon immersed herself in the mood. Paula was a sensual dancer, flicking her hips and waving her hands in the air, though Michonne could tell when her alcohol consumption was taking effect, as her moves became more sloppy.
"Has she drank a lot?!", Sasha yelled in Michonne's ear as they both watched their friend.
"Not that much!", She yelled back.
"Paula!", Jessie seemed to appear from nowhere as she threw her arms around the teen.
Michonne groaned aloud, sending Sasha a knowing look. If there was one person that she desperately didn't want to see, it would be Jessie, as the girl was the bane of her relationship with Rick.
The blonde turned her attentions to Michonne and Sasha, and gave them a small wave, before disappearing in the crowd again.
"Here!", Michonne held out her bottle of water to Paula.
"What is it?!", The redhead asked, though she still took and proceeded to drink it. Her lip curled in disgust, "Oh! It's water!"
Sasha chuckled, "Yeah! You have to drink it!"
"Boo! This is no fun! I need something… better! Come on!", The redhead marched ahead, and Michonne could have strangled her for heading back to the kitchen area.
Glenn was stood by the drinks, making a cocktail that would have rivalled Paula's, while Shane was sat on the counter, having a very loud discussion with Daryl, with Rick sat beside him, looking down at his phone screen. Michonne didn't allow her eyes to linger on him for too long, so she stood on the other side of Paula as she nudged Glenn out the way.
"Hey", She greeted the male.
Glenn's eyes lit up, "Hey! What's up? Did you just get here?"
"No… we've been here for a while", She explained, holding the cup steady for Paula, "We were dancing"
"What are you drinking?"
She shook her head, "Nothing at all. I'm driving"
"Oh yeah? Cool! I call shotgun!"
"No you don't! I call shotgun", Paula snorted as him as she closed the cap on a bottle of Vodka.
"You can ride with Shane", Glenn shrugged as he looked to his friend.
"I like Michonne's car better than Shane's", Paula teased.
Shane raised an eyebrow at her, "Get over here girl!"
"Thank God I'm here, huh?", Sasha muttered as she stood next to Michonne.
"Yes. Thank you", she muttered back, facing away from the males, "I don't think I'll stay long"
Sasha gave her a slow, understanding nod, "I get it. I'd probably feel the same if I were you-"
"Fire in the whole!"
Michonne and Sasha whipped their heads around to see why Shane yelled, just as Paula threw up on the kitchen floor, causing everyone to move out the way in horror.
"Guess you were right", Sasha sighed, "Come on, I'll help you get her to your car"
Michonne carefully stepped over to the intoxicated teen, and took hold of her hand, "Let's get you some fresh air"
"I'll carry her 'Chonne. She's not a light one", Shane announced, jumping off the counter and side stepping the mess, before scooping Paula off the ground.
Michonne followed behind him as they left the apartment, feeling slightly sorry for Jenny, as she would have to clean up the contents of Paula's stomach.
"Let her sit outside for a while. You don't want her hurling in your car", Shane advised as he placed her on a low brick wall at the front of the small complex, "Some fresh air ought to do her good"
"Thanks", Michonne exhaled tiredly as she gave Paula the rest of her water, "Well at least you didn't get any on your jersey"
"I'm getting better", Paula slurred with a grin.
"Go on back in, I got her", Shane suggested.
Michonne shook her head, "Nah, I didn't want to stay out too late anyway"
His gaze fell as he nodded, "Alright."
"Jenny's kicking everyone out", Daryl snickered as he approached them with Sasha, "Someone else threw up on her couch too. Smells like death in there"
"What a damn shame", Shane huffed, turning back to Paula, "Let's get you home then"
Michonne peered down at herself as she fished in her jean pocket for her keys, muttering to herself, "Come on"
"Now let's just hold on a minute…", Shane stopped what he was doing, looking towards the front lawn, "Fight!"
Two males, that Michonne was unfamiliar with, began to throw punches at each other, leading everyone to circle around them in glee. Shane stood on the wall beside Daryl and Rick to watch, and Glenn quickly joined them. Michonne had forgotten how much they enjoyed such violence amongst other boys, and she was surprised neither of them had voluntarily jumped in.
"Boys", Sasha scoffed, "Come on, I'll help you get her in"
"Thanks", Michonne smirked.
They each threw Paula's arms over their shoulders and carried her over to Michonne's car. She didn't want to admit it, but Paula was quite heavy, and they struggled to get her in the back seat. She didn't know what she was going to do when they actually arrived at her home, as it would be an even bigger struggle moving her alone.
"That wasn't too awkward, was it?", Sasha queried as they panted beside the vehicle.
"Not entirely", Michonne lied, attempting to tug her top down.
"Good. I'll tell Shane to follow you so he can help get her in the house. I'll ride with you guys so just wait here"
"Alright"
Sasha walked back to the complex, while Michonne leaned against the car, crossing her arms over her chest as the cool breeze kissed her skin. She could see the stars clearly in the night sky, and she couldn't take her eyes off them, her gaze trailing from one to the other. She still felt unsettled, so much so that it left her chest tight most days. She longed to feel some kind of stability again, something that reminded her of home, but the person who offered her that safety was no longer an option.
She ran her hands over her face when her eyes began to sting with tears, whispering to herself, "Just stop it, Michonne"
"Uh…"
His voice was close, closer than she'd like. She looked to the left of her, and saw him stood only a few feet away, his hands in his black jean pockets. She exhaled a long, unsteady breath as she turned away from him.
"I'm sorry…"
She didn't dare look back at him, choosing instead to focus on the street lights the glowed in the horizon.
"I know you probably don't wanna hear that now, but I am"
She shook her head, causing the tears that rimmed her eyes to fall. She was afraid to open her mouth, in case a sob escaped her.
"I just wasn't… you were right. You were right about everythan' and I'm sorry… I'm working on somethan' here and-", His gaze dropped as he sighed, "I'm not gonna ask you to look at me until I want you to"
Her brows knitted together as she failed to understand what he meant. She only turned slightly when she was sure she heard him turn and leave, and to her relief he was gone.