𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐘||𝐌𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐆𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐘

𝟗. 𝐌𝐞, 𝐨𝐛𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐲

Noel leaned even closer, misjudging what was about to happen between the pair, brushing his fingertips against the brunettes cheek, then his nose against hers. Brooke was frozen in place, looking between the hand on her thigh and then the blue eyes that were boring into hers.

They weren't the right ones. She knew that. But he didn't and it was enough to defrost her from where she was sat, anxiously pulling at the sleeves of her sweater. She quickly leant back away from the incoming lips on her own and looked down. Noel tried to lift her chin but he was too proud once she brushed him off yet again.

It was perfect timing, because it had been at that exact moment that Mike Montgomery had appeared at the door, in search of the brunette. It had been a step in the corridor on the tiles that had given him away. And once she noticed he was there and now quickly walking away, she wasn't sure if she had ever moved so fast.

Noel called for her as she left but she ignored him none the less because she was shouting another name and it wasn't his. "Mike." She was calling instead, trying to catch up with his stupidly tall strides. It was like a scene in a movie, only this time it wasn't the guy chasing the girl because this wasn't a stereotypical romcom movie where the main character is all round perfect.

Brooke was far from perfect, she made mistakes—this being one of many—but she had always been determined that she wouldn't make any mistakes with him. But that's all she ever did, mess up and ruin things.

But then he finally stopped, because maybe part of him wanted to hear what she had to say. And maybe she was struggling to catch up and he felt bad for her. He would never tell her that of course—she hated pity more than anyone he had ever met. But then neither of them knew what to say. And another awkward silence fell.

"Why does it feel like nothings changed since last year." The boy groaned, rubbing a hand down his face. She had such a tight hold on his every emotion, it was driving him insane. He often questioned how everything had changed. But he couldn't because now he had realised that nothing really had. "You're still in complete control of how I feel and you have no idea how annoying that is." He groaned loudly, the pair suddenly very aware that they were in a wide open hallway that anyone could see them in. That Noel would probably walk down in a few moments in search of the brunette.

     Brooke quickly grabbed his hand, looking both ways before she dragged them into the nearest classroom and closing the door behind them, detaching their hands despite the warmth it provided not only in her hand.

They sat in the classroom in a hall of silence for ages, a silence Mike wanted to save Brooke from but couldn't because he didn't know what to say. In some instance he considered that he was prolonging this because it could be the very least conversation about this they had, they could fully decide to draw a line under it for good and that meant losing her completely. Unbeknownst to him, Brooke was thinking the same thing, prolonging the silence despite how uncomfortable it made her because it was her way of having a little more time in her head before she was sure he would say something that would mean the end.

     "Look I don't know what you want me to do, Mike." She sighed, finally talking, finally deciding to rip off the bandaid and either finish this or continue with the longing stares and wondering if they would ever go anywhere. Leaning against the deck, gripping the desk so hard her knuckles were turning white, she was so scared of losing him for good that it was making her hands shake and that was the only way to stop it. "You weren't happy when I was with you and you aren't happy if i'm with someone else." She sighed, watching as he frowned at her words.