the propinquity effect

17

+ 17 +

I walked downstairs, fully with my oversized army jacket and a pair of skinny jeans. My mom told me that we were going for lunch and I didn't say no because I knew it would be one tasty lunch. We barely go out to eat anymore because of her tight schedule. Our lunch would be usually filled with a lot of Maccas and chinese take-out. They were tasty, but they weren't enough to satisfy my appetite and my stomach that my mom liked to call "an endless and bottomless pit".

But when I reached the bottom step I saw Michael with his mom. Hands deep inside his pockets as he was holding a conversation with my mom. His signature smile was plastered on his face. Not even once in my life I had ever gotten such feeling from a simple smile. It was just (I didn't really know how to put this) perfect. My feet were glued to the ground, my eyes trained to him as I bit my bottom lip. Trying so hard not to fall as I gripped the railing.

My mom didn't tell me that we were going out for lunch with Michael and his mom. My mom really liked to surprise me so I really should had known she would do that. It wasn't that I didn't want to talk to Michael, it would just be a bit awkward since we almost kissed and he broke into my house through my window.

The window he broke was still broken and I told Mom that a bird flew into our house and broke it. Luckily, she told me that it was fine and would send someone to fix it for me. She was still busy, she said. I knew she didn't care if I would freeze to death because of that window so I just shrugged it off.

"Hey, Alexa." Michael stood up all of a sudden and he walked towards me. Hands still in his pockets as he did so. I was frozen, I didn't know what I was supposed to do except to completely look at him and admire him. Like he was just someone that special to the point that I would look at him in such a way I couldn't even look at myself.

"Can we go now, Mom?" I asked my mom, flashing her a smile and motioned so she could get out. I really and desperately needed to talk to Michael about what we almost did if his girlfriend didn't interrupt us. My mom only shrugged and went out with Michael's mom.

"Why did you send them out?" Michael questioned, looking at me like I was psycho. I shrugged lightly and chewed on my inner lip. The front door slamming shut was my queue, I needed to talk to the tall boy before me. He was confused out of his mind. "If this is about me and your broken window I'm sure.."

"No it's not about the broken window," I told him. Michael relaxed and sighed, letting his shoulders fall and then he ran a hand through his (already) messy hair. "I want to talk to you about.."

"The almost kiss we shared." Michael said, his voice was serious and wasn't as bubbly as it usually would be. His lips caved into a smile as he lifted my chin with his shaky finger. Was he nervous? I should be nervous and not him. I had a boyfriend, he had a girlfriend. Shit.

"What was that almost kiss?" I asked him, I felt that he was just using me. Or if he was drunk out of his mind but I really didn't know (and I didn't care) so I let myself be clueless. But I actually craved for the answer, that's why I asked him for it.

"I was sleepy, you look like Natalie a lot. Look I'm sorry, okay? I know it will be hard for you to explain what happened between us to Luke. But I'm sorry, I really am. I called Natalie before I went out. She can calm me down." Michael swung on his heels back and forth. He was nervous, he nibbled on his bottom lip and I sighed. It was a mistake, like my feelings for him. I was so stupid.

"It's fine." I smiled as I turned around and walked towards the front door. I could hear Michael's heavy footsteps behind me. The way he breathed sounded like he was nervous or something like that. I tried, to push my feelings towards the white-haired boy away. It was hard even though I had been trying to.