ice [michael clifford (◕‿◕✿)]

2

My body was wrapped in blankets I hadn't remembered putting on. The sun was peeking through the clouds and my eyes easily adjusted to it. I stretched my arms outward, touching the pillow next to me. I realized the absence of the girl who laid there last night. Where is she? Did I dream that? I grabbed my head and rubbed at the sides as they began to pulse. My hand grazed over the sore spot on my eye and I groaned, standing from the bed.

I walked into the living room. Empty. I peered right and saw a swirl of smoke coming from the fire escape and knew I found who I was looking for immediately. I slipped on shoes and a sweatshirt before making the mistake I did in our previous visit. I slid open the icy window and stepped out. She sat with her knees pulled to her chest in a small spot she pushed snow away from. A cigarette dangled between the fingers that rested on her skinny kneecap and she wore my coat, which she was swimming in because of how small she was.

"Hey," I greeted her. She didn't look up, instead mumbled 'hi' and peered out into the city.

"I, uh, hope you slept well." I got awkward as I spoke to her.

"It was fine." She was bland when she spoke, making me concerned, because she wasn't this way last night. "What's wrong with your eye?" She pointed to my swollen eye that had become dark purple with specks of blue and green thrown in over night.

I cupped it in my hand. "I, uh, a fight."

She nodded, turning away from me. "Was it really a fight?" She smirked and cocked her eyebrow.

"Um, no, it wasn't. I was breaking up a fight that almost happened. My face kinda prevented it." I chuckled. She didn't speak after that. She looked intently at the snow covered city around her. I watched her eyes pass from one thing to the other. She was aware of every little thing going on. She was concentrated on something, but quickly shook herself of it, standing.

"I should be going." She put out the cigarette and stepped over the pile of snow and back into the window. I followed after her.

"I, um, I hope you're okay." Her back was to me before she turned around and faced me, the look on her face said confusion. "I mean, what you told me last night, I just, um, are you going to be okay?"

The smirk I had seen once before spread across her face again and she laughed lightly. "I'll see you around, Michael."

She knew my name?

She walked towards the door, stripping from my coat, laying it over the stool by the counter.

"H-how did-?" Was all I could say. My mind wasn't allowing me to speak correctly. She reached for the knob and flashed me one of the smiles that had been running through my mind since three this morning. "W-what's your name?"

She was gone before the words fell from my mouth. The door was swinging slightly and I stood with my jaw dropped in slight frustration and a lot of confusion.

*   *   *   *

"So, I went in there and was like 'Dude, you're fucking the wrong girl!' And he ran out of there so fast, the mayonnaise was everywhere and it was just real messed up." Joey explained Monday morning in our standardized english class. It was required for all freshman to take it, no matter what major they were.

I laid on the table in front of me, my head buried in my crossed arms. I was exhausted from my lack of sleep over the weekend. The nameless girl raced through my mind all of Sunday and even still now.

"What about you, Mikey? How was your weekend? Aside from the fact Tom gave you a black eye." He cackled along with everyone else who sat around us. I kept my head hidden for a few seconds while deciding whether or not to tell them about her. She was like my secret, so I kept her one.

"It was fine." I lifted my head and cracked them a smile.

"That's my boy!" Tom slapped my back a little too hard and I quietly winced in pain. "Your eye looks fine."

That was a lie. The size of my eye slightly multiplied and the color had become more blue and slightly green, but remained mainly purple. The pain was bearable and it hurt less than it did the night before, so I guess it was 'fine'.

I didn't bother answering him because he went on to talk about a girl he met at the bar. It must have been after I left because I didn't recall him speaking to any girls.

"We kissed a little, but then she ran off. Hopefully, I'll see her again tonight. I invited her to the party. She was so willing and so, so hot and-"

I blocked out the rest of his sentence. It was disgusting how he treated girls. Yeah, maybe the girl was a slut, but that didn't mean she didn't have feelings. He seemed to careless about any girls feelings considering every time he'd get with a girl, he'd drop her after he got what he wanted. Although I wasn't around when he'd drop the bomb on her, I knew exactly what went on because when a girl he was previously with would see us at the bar, she'd cower in fear of him and avoid him as best as she could. Plus, he never brought the same girl home twice. It was weird, but I tried my best to shake it off considering it wasn't my problem. I always tend to take on other people's problems while ignoring my own, yet another thing I hated about myself.

Class dragged on as usual and finally ended around noon. My other Monday class started at two which meant I had time to spare inbetween. I usually lingered around campus, but today, I was feeling indifferent. Tom had been pissing me off lately anyways. 

I stepped into the corner coffee shop I had become accustomed to since moving to New York in August. The air was warm against my already flushed pink face. The cold had gotten worse, dropping to temperatures in the low thirties. I managed to stay warm while I walked the streets everyday, considering I didn't own a car, and couldn't afford a taxi.

 I stepped towards the counter, meeting the eyes of one of the first people I met here, Mollie. She was undeniably pretty, her hair dirty blonde and eyes dark green. But, I had always been too nervous to withhold an actual conversation with her. So, I always left it at what my order was, which she memorized. 

"Hi, Michael. Regular?" I nodded. She finally caught my gaze and gasped. "What happened to your eye? Are you okay?" She reached over the counter to peer closer at it. 

"I-I'm fine. It was just a misunderstanding." I chuckled, staring down at the counter. Her fingertips brushed the sensitive skin around my eye and I tensed.

"Oh, sorry.." She backed away awkwardly, but I smiled at her letting her know it was alright. She procceded to make my drink, large coffee with half creamer-half milk and two sugars. I held the two dollars and five cents in my hand so I was ready to pay when she returned, 

"Two--" I slid the money to her before she could finish and smirked. She was always so awkward and cute and quirky. She wore big glasses and minimul makeup, not like she needed it. She was naturally pretty. Although I'd only see her in her work apron and jeans, I could only imagine what she looked like dressed up. I was so lost in my thoughts, I hadn't noticed she was calling my name.

She gestured the coffee in my direction and smiled. "You must have a lot on your mind." She said after I finally took the cup from her, my fingers brushing against her small hand. 

I shook my head and chuckled when something suddenly came over me. "Mollie." She had turned her back to me, but quickly spun around at the sound of her name. She peered at me, her innocent features laid across her face and her eyes held a doe-eyed glare into mine. "D-do you want to come to this p-party with me tonight?" 

Her eyes lit up and a smile spread across her face. She nodded rapidly, her cheeks flushing a familiar blush pink. 

I grabbed a napkin and a pen from the counter and scribbled the address of the party on it. "It, uh, starts at seven, but I can meet you o-outside, if you want, I mean." I handed her the folded napkin and she slipped it into the pocket of her jeans."You, um, don't have to get dressed or anything, just, uh, what you're wearing is fine." I blushed at the thought of her all dressed up again.

"Okay, I'll see you at seven." She smiled again. I stared at my feet before looking up and meeting her gaze. 

I nodded, smiling before turning on my heel and walking out of the chiming door. I gripped the coffee in my already cold hands and ventured back to campus.