"Aargh" , she slammed the book shut and closed her eyes.
It was 1 a.m. and she was restless, unable to concentrate on the books before her.
The test was in the morning, and she knew she ought to sleep, but she couldn't. Her eyes darted in the direction of her phone…
"Don't even think about it…" she mumbled to herself.
It had been a week since the meeting, and he had been disturbing her concentration ever since.
She did not have time for boys –or men- or whatever you called them.
He was not really a boy, but more a man… well-trained, fit, broad shoulders… she got up and went to the window to get some fresh air.
She was doing it again... the blue of his eyes, the light touch on her arm. She felt her cheeks go warm at the mere thought of him.
"Stop it, Michaela. Stop it…"
She had vowed that her time at university would be a time of study, and that no man – no matter how blue his eyes were – was to interfere with that.
She simply did not have the time to spend on a boyfriend.
She had wanted to throw away his number, but somehow she procrastinated, and now it was on her board almost mocking her.
She felt like tearing it down and throwing it in the bin, but instead she studied his handwriting,
and found herself thinking of the way he had told her to think about it. Well, she sure was doing a lot of thinking...
The next afternoon she was exhausted after sitting the test, and she went home to relax before going to see Colleen in the evening.
When she arrived at the Coopers' Charlotte was cooking, and she and Colleen went into the living room to go over some biology.
Colleen was a little quiet, and Michaela could not help but notice.
"Is anything troubling you, Colleen?" she asked, and Colleen looked up from her books with a frown.
"How do you know if a boy likes you?" she asked the question just as much to herself as to Michaela.
"Well it depends…" she was not sure what to say, and briefly wished Charlotte would come in.
"Do you like someone?"
Colleen nodded a slight blush creeping into her cheeks.
"And you're not sure if he likes you back?"
They were whispering, and Brian noticed "What ya' talking 'bout?" he came over and leaned against the table.
"Biology" Michaela said, and Colleen gave him a stern look.
"It's none of your business. Go away"
Brian spotted something in her book though.
"What's that? It looks disgusting"
He looked at Michaela for an answer, because he knew Colleen would not give him one.
She was saved by Charlotte, though.
"What are you doing, Brian?
Leave your sister alone with Michaela." She came over and nudged him in the other direction, but he quickly turned around facing them
"So did you ask her yet?" Colleen gave him an annoyed look.
"Brian…" she hissed
"Did you?" he insisted, and Michaela looked back and forth between them.
Charlotte broke the silence: "we're having a surprise party for Matthew on Saturday to celebrate he got into Harvard"
"Will you come?" Brian interrupted.
Michaela smiled at him "Sure, Brian."
Saturday arrived, and Michaela had come early to help Charlotte with the preparations.
"Matthew is at ball practise, and we'll surprise him when he gets home" Brian was very excited, and Michaela laughed.
Colleen was a little apprehensive.
"Mike.." she said…
"Could you help me out?" Michaela nodded and went with Colleen to her room.
The room looked like a shell attack had taken place; clothes were scattered everywhere and Michaela was unsure where to place herself.
"Sorry about the mess" Colleen cleared some room for her to sit on the bed.
"What is it Colleen?" Michaela waited for her to respond, and Colleen took a deep breath.
"I don't know what to wear… I don't want to look like a child" she exclaimed.
"You don't… you look like a young woman" Michaela smiled.
"Now show me what you're thinking of wearing, and I'll help you pick the right thing."
Later that afternoon they were waiting for Matthew to arrive from ball practise.
Charlotte had invited as many people she could think of –including his team.
So when Matthew walked through the door and was met by everybody shouting 'surprise', Sully was right behind him.
In fact he had told Matthew that he needed to see Charlotte about something and that was why he'd arranged to give Matthew a lift to the house.
He had not expected Michaela to be there though.
But of course it made sense. Charlotte had included him in the family, so why would she not do the same with Michaela?
Their eyes met almost instantaneously. She was first in line right next to Colleen, and very pretty in a light floral dress.
Seeing him she felt a surge in her stomach.
She also felt a little pang of guilt for not texting him to say it was a no go, but also a rush of excitement.
"Focus on Matthew" the voice inside her head chanted, as she hugged everybody's centre of attention.
"Surprised?" she asked him, and Matthew laughed.
"Yes, how did you keep it a secret?" he met his mother's eyes, and Brian exclaimed "They made me swear!"
While the others were talking Sully cauht her eye drawing her nearer at least in spirit.
He wanted to speak to her, but also felt somewhat rejected.
It turned out he got his chance a little later in the garden.
Michaela was watching Brian throw ball with Matthew, and Sully walked up to her.
"Here" he passed her a cold drink. He did not say more than that. He did not have to.
His mere presence felt like an invasion of her personal space, and she was not sure how she felt about that
– maybe a mix between exhilaration and a nagging voice telling her to get herself together.
She accepted the drink.
It was a hot day, and they stood there casting sideways glances to the other pretending….
Pretending what exactly, she was not sure, but it felt like in the 5th grade when she knew William had a crush on her,
and he kept looking, and she kept looking, but neither did or said anything.
She thought she had moved beyond that, but Sully stirred her.
He stirred her and frightened her at the same time, so she stayed put.
Finally he broke the silence keeping his eyes on Brian and Matthew.
"You never called…" It was more like a statement than a question.
She sipped her drink looking at her feet next to his.
"Did I do something to offend you?" he wondered out loud, and she shook her head and met his gaze full on for the first time that day.
"I'm sorry…" her voice was soft.
"I'm not…" she struggled to find the words and not get lost in the hazy blue before her.
"Not interested..?" he finished her sentence for her, and she sensed the regret in his voice.
"I didn't say that…" she automatically objected, and took a deep breath to steady her voice.
"Look, Sully. You seem like a nice person, and…. You don't have time for a boyfriend… her mind screamed.
"So you'll go out with me –just once?" He gave her a cheeky smile.
"I'd like to get to know you, Michaela" he touched her hand, and ran his thumb over her knuckles making her shiver slightly.
Normally when men did this she'd feel irritated and she would think how predictable they were in their behaviour.
But Sully looked so sincere, and she was very attracted to him even if she did not want to admit it to herself.
"Will you let me?" Their eyes locked, and this time she allowed herself to get a little lost in his gaze.
She felt the pull from his spirit to hers, and she wanted to let go just a little bit.
"Okay…" she nodded, and he gave her hand a light squeeze.
"How about on Tuesday night after I finish ball practise with the team?" he suggested.