The Substitute Teacher

Part 65 ~ Just One Drink

~ Michael's point of view ~ 

Before I even get to say something, Ariana gives me a hard slap in the face. . I'm like, what the hell?? what just happened here? what did I do? ? why did she slap me? and what lipstick is she even talking about?? . . Ariana is standing right before me, giving me this look that I have never seen on her before . . . I can see it in her eyes, she's about to lose it again.

"Why did you just slap me??"

"I can't believe you Michael . . who is she?? what did you do??"

I take off my shirt and look at it. . there is lipstick on it . . how did it get there?!! where does this come from?! . . I have no idea when this happened, this has got to be the worst joke ever . . .

"I didn't do anything, Ariana! . . that lipstick, I have never seen it! . . I had no clue it was on my collar! please calm down, there is NO NEED for you to freak out . . I didn't do anything wrong, ok??"

"How can you say that with a straight face?!! there's lipstick on your collar!!! . . how am I supposed to react to that?? I'd never wear such a hideous color!! this lipstick is not mine!!! but whose is it Michael?? . . if you cheated on me, then better come right out and say it!"

"I never cheated, why in the world would I cheat on you??!"

"Why in the world would you come home with lipstick on your collar?!!"

"I have no idea where this lipstick stain is from!!! I swear to god!!"

All of a sudden it hits me . . . that hideous red lipstick color . . . that's from Olivia's mother!!! Of course! that's where it is from . .she smelled my neck!! . . she must've touched my collar by accident!! of coruse!!!

"Ariana . . come here!"

"No . . I need a minute . . . I need some fresh air. ."

"No . . you come right back here and listen to me!!"

"Did it suddenly come to you who you cheated on me with?"

"No . . that freakin' lipstick is from Olivia's mother!! when she smelled my neck, she touched my collar and that's how the lipstick got on there!! I'm positive . . 100%. . . baby, I'm not making this up, this is the truth"

"Okeey . . . . and WHY exactly was she smelling your neck?"

"Ariana . . she's a freak . . and when I say that word, I mean it. . . it's such a long story, I never got to tell you all about it . . about Olivia and her mother . . the whole situation and everything"

"What? I still don't understand how this happened . . when did you see that woman? why did she smell your neck? . . I would like to know the important little details!"

"Sweetheart . . . I will tell you the whole darn story but first I would like an apology from you . . and a kiss on the cheek you slapped. . . that was a hard one and it really hurt . . ."

She gently grabs my face and gives me the softest kiss ever.

"I'm sorry honey . . . and I would really like to hear that story . . ."

We sit down on the couch . . I tell her every little detail about Olivia, her mother and the whole situation at school . . . and also the awkward visit at her place yesterday and what happened there . . . she's shocked and I don't blame her . . . and she's a little mad at me for giving Olivia my credit card . . . but I had to tell her that too . . she's my wife and she deserves to know the whole story . . . 

"I get that her mother is a freak . . but why did you give that girl your credit card? why didn't you just give her 100 bucks in cash?"

"I wanted to . . . but her mother took it away . . right in front of me!"

"Damn . . . she really sounds like a freak . . . how is Olivia?"

"I don't know . . that's why I came up to her mother when I saw her at the mall today . . I asked her about Olivia, I asked her where she is . . and she said that she's at the mall too with a friend but she doesn't know where . . I was gonna tell her that Olivia didn't come to school and I wanted to know why . . . but that's when she started coming closer . . . I was so disgusted, you have no idea . . . and she wanted to have a 'friendly' dinner with me . . . I just wanted to get away from there so bad . .I'm sorry this misunderstanding happened . . from now on, whenever I have lipstick on my shirt, I'll change before I come home, ok?" . . . *laughs* 

"Don't even joke about that . . . thank you for telling me whole story, baby . . and I'm sorry for how I reacted . . I didn't mean to slap you, I was just really hurt . . it like hit me so hard when I saw that lipstick stain on your shirt . . . the thought of you being with another girl . . I don't even wanna think about it . . . I totally lost it . . ."

"You sure did . . but your reaction only proves that you really love me. ."

"I do, honeybear. . . are you going out with Jeff, Adrien and Shane tonight?"

"Yea . . we're going to the biggest arcade in the city . . do you have plans?"

"Yea . . I'm gonna call Carli . . probably watch TV or something . . I mean we have Ricky, we can't just leave him alone"

"Oh shoot . . I feel horrible, I totally forgot about him . . do you want to go out with Carli instead? I can stay here, it's no problem"

"No . . you go out and have fun . . you worked hard this week, you deserve it"
_________________________

I'm in the city with the guys, cruising around before we're going to the arcade. It's been a while since we all hung out together . . the last time was in Vegas . . Adrien is driving tonight . . which means, Shane, Jeff and I are allowed to drink . . . . my wife is right . . I derserve a couple of drinks, I had a hard week. . but I love my students . . . . . why am I thinking about my students? it's friday evening . . time to relax and take my mind off work.

it's 10:30pm . . the arcade is full and so are we. I'm drinking my third Jack and Coke and I'm feeling it. I like that drink . . and I like the music in here too . . it's 80s music . . my favorite!

"Here you go Mikey boy . . this cosmopolitan is for youu!!"

"Dude, you're making me drunk . . but alright . . I'll drink it"

"Mike . . I never told you this but . . you're like my best friend"

"We ARE best friends, Shane . . . are you drunk?"

"Yea a little"

*laughter*

"Mikey . . . look over there . . are they lesbians? they're kissing . ."

"Looks like they are . . . why?"

"Isn't that hot? . . I love lesbians . . I wanna get their attention"

"They're lesbians Shane . . they don't like men . . ."

"You wanna go over there and have a little fun with them?"

"No . . . I'm a married man"

"Come on . . . then let's pretend we're gay!"

"Shane, I'm drunk . . but I'm not that drunk"


 ~ Ariana's point of view ~ 

It's 10:45pm . . Michael is still out with his friends. Carli is begging me to do the stupidest thing ever . . I can't leave the house because of little Ricky. . that's why we're hanging out here . . I can't believe she wants me to do this . . . I can't believe it . . . 

"Carli, I am not calling Cameron! are you crazy??"

"Come on girl . . Mike is not here, what's the problem?"

"It's 11pm . . . call him yourself and invite him to your place!!! Michael could walk through this door any minute!"

"Nooo . . . I'm scared . . . I wanna meet him here with you . . you know I need your moral support when I meet someone new . . please Ariana . . just for a talk and a drink . . . when Michael comes home, I will explain everything to him and tell him that I was the one inviting Cameron. . . ok? . . pleaseeee . . . ."

"Carli, you can't be serious . . . I had such a bad fight with Michael because of this guy . . he was so jealous, he was furious! . . please don't make me do this. . . why can't we meet him tomorrow during the day at the mall or something?"

"I wanna meet him nowwww . . pleaseeeee . . just one drink!!!"

"You know what? . . . I hate you Carli"

"THANK YOUUUUUUU!"

"If Cameron decides to come, you guys are going to be out on the patio!! he is not going to sit on Michael's couch  . . I don't wanna risk my marriage just because you wanna flirt with that guy!!"

"Girl . . however you want it, I don't care, as long as you invite him here!"

I prepare for the most awkward phone conversation ever . . . I can't believe Carli is making me do this. Why can't she just meet him outside by herself? . . . of course she can't because she's a big baby . . it's dark and she's scared all by herself . . . *rolls eyes*. . . but she's my best friend and I guess I love her . .

I dial Cameron's number . . .
please don't pick up Cameron . .
please don't pick up . . .
please don't . . .

". . . Hello?"

CRAP . . .



~ to be continued ~