Michaelishious - Vol. 2022

Dec. 23rd: Crown Princess Sophia

Author's note:

Michael is not famous in this one

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She was my neighbor, and her name was Mary-Anne. She had beautiful brown eyes and a gorgeous smile I secretly admired every time she saw my cat. Yes, my cat. Not me. That's why I often let my cat out in the hallway of our building when I knew she was coming home from work, or if I heard her leaving her apartment. She was stunning. Breathtaking. And thanks to my cat, I had an excuse to see her.

I'd tried to ask her out a few times, but she had either been in a hurry, or she seemed so uninterested that I chickened out. But my cat always made her stop to pet her. Lucky cat.

"What's her name?" she asked one day she came home from work. She looked tired, but she still smiled. I wished I could be the one to welcome her home and have dinner ready for her. Maybe give her a foot massage while I listened to her telling me about her day. Just spending time with her and kiss her whenever I wanted, because lord knew I wanted that! Instead, I lived on these stolen moments and brief conversations.

"Crown Princess Sophia the third, sole hair of Neverland Castle," I joked. Then I bit my tongue because it sounded so lame. Luckily, it made Mary-Anne giggle, and it was the most wonderful sound I'd heard. I wished I could hear it every day.

"A royal, huh? I wish I knew sooner so I could honor your Majesty with a treat," she said, speaking to my cat. She was sitting on her heels while she stroked her soft fur, and I longed for her to touch me the same way. Her hands were so graceful and gentle, and I could almost picture her fingers laced with my hair in ways I shouldn't be thinking. It made me blush.

"Do you like fish? Or maybe you're the chicken and turkey kind of kitty?"

Sophia kept stepping her tiny paws on the carpet and rubbed herself against Mary-Anne's legs, and she purred as loud as she could to show that she liked Mary-Anne just as much as I did. It was just easier for her to vocalize it. And right now I was wondering what kind of food Mary-Anne would choose if I took her out to a restaurant. The nicest in town. And how she would look in a dress. I mean, I'd seen her in a summer dress and a deep red one she used in a wedding once, but that was different. I wondered how it would be if she dressed up for me. I'd probably never be able to take my eyes off of her.

"I need to get inside now. Nice talking to you," she said and smiled. I was still not sure if she was talking to me or Sophia, but I answered on behalf of the both of us.

"Nice talking to you, too. But I was wondering if I could ask you out one day, because I really, really like you."

That was what I said in my head. What I said in reality was, "You, too. Bye.". Then she closed the door, and that was it. A few days later, she was gone, and all I could see were large men carrying boxes and furniture out of her apartment and into a huge truck outside. She was moving, and I didn't know to where. If only I hadn't been such a coward. Then maybe she'd reconsider moving. Or maybe she'd move in with me? I would never know the answer to that question.

The day after, Sophia sneaked out into the hallway and searched for her friend. But the door was locked and there was no one inside, and it felt as though my heart had gone with her. Now the apartment with the handmade door sign was empty, and the usual yellow rubber boots she used when it rained weren't there. Only the green doormat.

Mary-Anne. I didn't want to act like a creep, but I ended up trying to find her on social media. I just needed to see if she was alright. I knew her last name was Weston, so I searched most channels that I knew of, only to find other women with similar names. Either she wasn't on social media, or she had a different username.