A Match into Texas (Mike Fuentes Fanfic)

7

'Hold on, going down is always harder than coming up!' Mike reached back and took my wrists and brought them around his waist. I locked my fingers and pulled myself close to him, and he began the journey down. 

Mike POV

Man, I really liked her. A lot. And this would have been great, except for the fact that nothing about the whole situation. She was so young and so smart. So self sufficient, so clever, so fun, so kind. And beautiful to boot. In short, she was perfect. 

There was something about the way she carried herself, something about the way she gazed into the distance when she thought I wasn't looking. She had a melancholy way about her, a sense of sadness and poetry that hovered belong the surface like a second skin. A beautiful soul, one filled with art and beauty and appreciation for what she could see, and an intense desire to see that which she could not. The only time her eyes betrayed her was when she thought I was not looking at her, which was ridiculous. I couldn't keep my eyes off of her. 

I had hoped she would come today, because even after a few days she already felt like a big part of my life. I hadn't had a girlfriend, or even a close friend who was a girl, for a few years, and it was nice to have a feminine touch around again. Her arms were locked around my waist and I could feel her head resting on my shoulder. I couldn't help but think of how wrong it could go, maybe she will think I'm boring or dumb. Maybe she'll get mad and never want to talk to me again. I didn't want to lose her because she was the kindest and most empathetic friend I could imagine. She was so much smarter and better than I was and I didn't understand why she was even bothering with being my friend. Who was I to think that she would ever consider me as more than a friend? But even if I couldn't have her as that, I could, thankfully, do all I could to make this friendship the best it could be. 

I wanted to show her a spot that I loved to go on the main stage. On either side of the stage, there were large metal blocks stacked up high and latched to each other in order to make the things to hang the banners on, and to put speakers in. They were made of metal rods, and at the top of them, there were small platforms that were sheltered from the eyes of the crowd. They were meant for the light workers but it was a daytime concert and there weren't any. It was amazing to sit up there during a performance and watch the whole place at your feet. 

'You're not scared of heights, are you?' I didn't want to frighten her or anything. She chuckled in my left ear. 

'Nope. I've always actually rather liked them. They make me feel bigger than I am.' Her voice was something else; it was low and sultry, but very alluring. It would have been very seductive, but it had something very innocent about it, which made her all the more endearing. 

'Good! You'll love what I've got to show you then. Hang on, it gets super bumpy right here.' As the quad dipped and bumped over the rocks, her arms tightened around my waist, and I felt one of her hands grip my shirt, her fingernails rubbing against my stomach. 

'Oh Jesus, Mike. Your hair is everywhere!' We were on smooth ground now, and Alexis removed one arm to pull my hair off her face. I felt her hand on the back of my neck as she moved my hair to one side of my head, and rested her chin on the other side. Her cheek was pressed against my ear and her arm returned to my waist. I should take her for quad rides all the time. 

'We're almost there, don't worry. You ready?' She giggled, and told me that she was ready for anything. 

I stopped the quad at the back of the stage, and helped Alexis off. I'm not usually the Prince Charming type, but I found myself wanting to do things for her and to make her happy. 

'C'mon, I've got a better view to show you.' I took her hand and felt her fingers close in-between mine. We walked up the ramp and across the stage. She stopped walking about halfway and gazed out to where the crowd would soon be. Her grip on my hand loosened and she let out a low whistle. 

'Mike... This is amazing. I've always wondered what it was like to be onstage. What's it like with all those kids cheering your name, putting so much faith into you?' There was that melancholy look again. 

'There is nothing quite like it. It's like having someone love you with everything they've got, and loving them back, but never quite being able to make it work. You want to talk to every fan and be friends with all of them, and you feel bad when you can't. But come on! This isn't even the best part!' I pulled toward the side, and when we got to the end of the stage I pointed to the top. 

'All the way up there?' Her eyes widened, and the sunlight lit them up. They were stunning, like a part of the ocean's wild beauty had been captured and put into her. A dark blue ring around a blue-gray middle with flecks of green, surrounding a thin ring of gold. She grinned, and the skin around those eyes crinkled. 'I'll race you to the top!'

She jumped onto the bars and started to climb, much faster than I thought she would, her hair swaying across her back. I started to climb up the other side. I got to the top, but waited for her to get to the top, and snuck up on her from behind. 

'Mike?' She looked down the way she came, and I grabbed her waist. 'Ah! Oh my God, Mike, I thought I was going to fall!' She put her hand on her chest and took a deep breath. 

'I wouldn't let you fall, Alexis, not ever.' She smiled at me and lay down on the platform. She pointed at one of the clouds and smiled. 

'It looks like a cherry! I can tie a cherry stem with my tongue, you know.' I lay down next to her and looked at the cloud. 

'I've never tried. It looks so hard. I love cherries though, I think they have a gorgeous color.' I turned my head to look at her. She was already looking at me; those eyes seemed to drown me. Her lips were a deep pink, not quite red. Even prettier than any cherry I had ever seen.

Before I knew what was happening, my hand was on her cheek. I was kissing her.

I felt her smile.