Chapter 8 "Attachment"
It is one of the most important things to all of us if not the most. We depend on our relationships with others to keep going in our lives. Whether it's with family or friends or a lover. It's the core of us, so it can also be our downfall.
- Michael Mules, Journal Entry
It was early morning but the weather was friendly enough for people to be out. It wasn't too cold or hot and that's how Michael liked it. He had always been a morning bird, up until recently; his dreams now kept him up.
He waited inside his car for Wendy to come out of her house. She had called asked and him to come over right away and he obliged. The front door opened slightly, and she crept out through the front door, afraid of stepping outside, darting her head to either side before exiting out of the door completely and walking into the car's front passenger seat.
"Hey, so what did you need me to come over for?"
His friend hesitated for a moment before starting to talk. "I don't know about the dance. I don't think I should go."
"What? Come on, you already have your dress and it's going to be fun," he argued.
"But I won't ft there." Her eyes gazed out through her window and beyond it's view. "People will either not notice me or they'll think I'm some intruder."
"You're talking about things that aren't true." He shook his head and reached to gently turn her gaze to him. "We're going to have a fun time. I know it."
"But the other people-"
"So what," he said sharply. "They're just other people that are there. This is about you and me having a fun and memorable night, in spite of anything else."
Wendy didn't reply. She just looked down the street with a light frown. She was scared of this. The private outings him and several dinners with his family she could handle, but a dance with hundreds of other people. She didn't know what that would be like.
"Wendy, I know you want to go tonight," he added when she didn't speak. "When I first asked you to go, I saw your face light up."
She looked at him again, the frown now gone. "But before we met - or even when we first met, you didn't have a girl like me in mind to take to prom."
"The things we don't see coming turn out to be the good things in life," he said in a poetic matter.
Now she finally smiled. "I'm just not sure what this will mean."
A second of flickering fear appeared on Michael's face before he leaned towards her and brushed his lips against hers. Wendy found herself losing all awareness except for this and closed her eyes to add to her sense of feeling in what was happening.
He back away moments after having done it but for Wendy the kiss had been eternity.
"Have you thought this just being an allusion?" Michael brushed his hand on her lower cheek. "That's not my power."
"You're something, you know," she said in a low tone. "Not just with your powers, that just adds more character."
"Do you want to have breakfast?"
"Yeah."
Later that day, Michael was back at his house, staring at himself in the mirror of the bathroom. This time, he wasn't judging his entire being, just his appearance. For the prom, he went with a completely black-colored tuxedo
It was time for him to go pick up Wendy, but his insecurity was getting the better of him at the moment. He checked his mint-scent breath again, brushed a hand on his combed-back hair, tucked at his coat and stood straight while he stared at his reflection.
He was ready.
There was no time for anymore hesitating.
Exiting the bathroom, he found his father standing outside in the hall, apparently having waited for him for a good amount of time.
"You were in there for a good half-hour," Daniel pointed out.
Michael pulled down on his coat, again. "I know. I just wanted to make sure everything's right."
"You're a knock out, son. Just like every man in this family"
Dan put his hands on Michael's shoulders with a firm grip. "Now, just remember to treat this girl like a princess, and enjoy yourselves. This is meant to be a night to remember."
His son just nodded repeatedly with nerves.
Daniel's face became more serious. "Anything that happens tonight . . . Just be safe and secure. Don't be stupid about anything and think nothing bad will come from it.
Michael's face reddened a bit.
"Gotcha."
"And don't forget you can tell me anything that's on your mind," he said stuttering. "I went though all the same things that you're going through."
His comment made Michael frown a bit. "No, there are a few differences."
His then father nodded over to his and Angela's bedroom. "Come on, your mom wants to take pictures. Just smile and let her do it."
His son's frown widened in reluctance as his father led him by arm towards the bedroom's door.
When Michael arrived at Wendy's house, he checked himself in the rearview mirror once again before stepping out of his car. A red-flowered corsage in hand.
Not being able to help himself, he opened his senses, targeting the direction of the house; he caught the brief scent of strawberry perfume before his listening drew out his sense of smell.
"When are you getting back so you can do the laundry?\" snarled a rough male voice. "You're mom is at her bible study tonight."
"I told you, I'll do it first thing in the morning," Wendy answered in great agitation. "And dinner's in the microwave."
Listening in closer, Michael's heard Wendy's rapid heart beat, pounding in anticipation and fear. She was nervous, just like he was. Taking a deep breath, he walked down the front lawn and onto the front porch and knocked on the door.
Mere seconds later, it opened and Michael nearly lost that deep breath: Wendy was in a silk-blue dress with thin straps going over her shoulders. Her dark hair was combed back and slightly-wavy, and two small braids were on the top sides of her head.
She looked radiant.
"You're beautiful." That was all that needed to be said for her to smile.
"Shall we go?" she suggested, gesturing to his car.
His arms came around hers gracefully.
"As you wish,": he said.
Several houses away a car was parked with the driver inside, watching Michael escort Wendy to his car and placing the corsage on her wrist - with a bit of difficulty - and then seat her in the passenger's seat.
When Michael and Wendy arrived at the school gym, it was already crowded with students - mainly seniors - many of which were on the dance floor. It took them a few minutes to find an unclaimed table at a far corner and they seated themselves.
For a short while, they just decided to talk, then a man in his mid-forties in a light tux with a red bowtie approached their table.
"Mr. Shames, that tie is you," Michael remarked when he saw him.
"Thank you, Michael. So why haven't you two hit the dance floor?" he asked as he sat down next to Michael.
"We just wanted to talk a little bit," Wendy said, leaning against her date. "I was just telling Michael how liberating it must feel that graduation is so close."
"Oh it is." Mr. Shames brushed his graying hair back while examining the gym and all the students. "Once you're finished here, it will be like starting a new chapter in your life."
The teacher waved around at the entire place. "You can leave all this behind and not look back."
"There are some things I won't be leaving behind," Michael said, taking Wendy's hand in his.
"That I understand," Smiling to them both, Mr. Shames patted Michael on the shoulder and stood up. "Just remember to go into the real world with your eyes opened and you'll see a lot of new things."
Once Mr. Shames walked two tables away, Michael yelled back, "I already am!" Hours passed, hours of dancing, and talking with countless classmates; it seemed to Michael as if it was all moving so fast and yet so slow as well. He knew that what he would remember the most would be Wendy's radiant smile through out the entire night.
The final song came and everyone paired up for the slow dance. When the pair walked onto the dance floor, Wendy pressed herself against him, her head rested on his shoulder.
"Michael," she whispered. "You know this night has been the most amazing one that I've ever had."
"Me too," He was grinning widely and didn't care if he appeared weird, as his sisters would say he did. "You do know you're actually the first girl to say yes to me for - anything."
She chuckled for a moment, then stopped herself. "That is sweet and sad at the same time."
They continued dancing and memories came to Michael of all the times a girl laughed in his face or made it clear in both sensible and hurtful manners that they weren't interested in him.
"Well it's true. You're the first girl to spare me a glance, and it doesn't matter if it was because of my abilities."
Wendy stepped back a bit from their embrace as they continued moving elegantly within the crowd of dancing couples.
"You may not remember this, but we had study hall together," she explained. "Last year, during our second semester."
Recollection of those certain times came to him, and he did in fact recall Wendy.
"You had your hood on most of the time," he verified.
"Yeah, that was me." she frowned a bit, thinking of how she used to be. ⌠Under that hood I could see you sitting on the other side of the library. It was not so much as a crush as it was an interest."
"Interest?"
As if reading his mind that he needed a bit more of an explanation, she continued.
"You seemed lost, or something. I just wondered who you were and what you were dealing with." She shrugged. "Now I know, I guess."
They stayed silent for a moment, before Wendy spoke, again.
"Even though I did not see this coming, I'm glad it did," she proclaimed.
More memories came to Michael, more recent ones this time, of all the periods with the two of them floating to the surface of his mind. She was there for him, asked of nothing in return. She cared for him with such willingness and didn't fear away when unknown dangers came out of the shadows.
Wendy was now an important part in Michael's life. This realization made all the lurking feelings come into light and Michael's throat became clogged with something that had only come out for his family and his dog.
"Wendy, I . . . I . . ."
"I love you."
She beat him to the punch. So there was nothing left that needed to be said.
Leaning down to her, they kissed again; the unawareness of everything around once again came with it.
Our attachments can give us our most vulnerable spots, but they can also give us our greatest strength. Like anything else, it has to be waved careful. And they must never be taken for granted.
- Michael Mules, Journal Entry
To Be Continued