Fools // mgc

t w e n t y s i x

"You're going to get expelled, you know that right?" I remind him.

"That is, if someone tells on me. Between you and I, I'm almost certain you don't have the heart to report me." Michael answers slyly.

I scoff at him, trying to hide my nervousness.

Are most of our conversations going to consist of him pretending to be something he's not?

"You think you're tough, huh?" I speak.

Michael's eyes lift to look at me.

"You think you can dodge how you really feel by acting like some bad boy? I can see through you Michael and you're not going to fool me anymore." I add on, getting closer and closer to him.

What am I doing? Hello? Earth to Mikayla?Why are you walking toward the problem you've tried so hard to avoid?

"You know what, I'm leaving. I've wasted enough of my time with you."

I start making my way back inside the buildings. Heading to music class seems less troublesome than walking back into a mess I've already left before.

"You're going to come back to me." Michael answers.

My steps slowly get smaller and smaller until they stop dead in their tracks. I turn around to see his sad eyes reflect against mine.

His head drops and he seems as though he regrets what he just says.

But he shouldn't, because he's absolutely right.

The distant past that still haunts me in my dreams are always saved by him, and only him. He's the safe haven to my thoughts and yet I push him away in real life.

I've convinced myself that because of a careless mistake he made in the past is what he is now and what he will continue to be in the future.

Now I stand here today, having regrets of my choice to say goodbye to him. To say goodbye to what we could possibly be.

Saying such a powerful word to call it quits with him is an excuse for me to avoid what I've yearned to have: security, openness.. love.

"You can't, you can't say that. It'll only make it harder."

Confused, Michael hastens effortlessly to me.

"Mikayla." He says, naturally.

His embrace envelops me with a feeling that seems right. A kind of happiness fills my heart, reminding me of the fun I shared with Michael a month ago. It was spontaneous and exhilarating. It felt great.

With him, rules don't apply. I can be a side of myself that I've never visited before. I'm not trapped in a bubble that I've shared with Calum for so long. I can be free.

And I threw that all away a month ago.

"I'm sorry." I sob under my breath, resting my head against his shoulder.

"Mikayla." He repeats, his voice getting softer and his arms pulling me in closer.

The school bell rings suddenly, startling both of us. Shadows of other students start to tower us on the walls behind and our physical contact breaks. His arms quickly remove themselves from me, leaving a feeling of emptiness.