From Me to You [Complete]

24

Unlike last night, Michael knows where we're going. We slip out through the front door and down the steps. Once again, I'm happy to be heading somewhere in the dark with Michael. This time my shirt smells like him and makes a shiver run down my spine every time I inhale. Descending the steps and holding tightly to Michael's hand, I look around to see that tonight is even more beautiful than the last.

The tops of the trees are light outlines against a navy blue sky. Stars fill the heavens from horizon to horizon, making me gasp in amazement. I've never seen a night so clear –there isn't a cloud in sight. A soft, high up breeze ruffles the leaves, and gives the darkness a song –sort of like I'm standing in a dream; at the bottom of the stairs, gazing up, halted in mid-step, still holding tight to Michael's hand.

Michael sighs, watching my face, and then pulls me towards him, his arms around my waist and his chin resting on the top of my head. I squeeze him in a quick, intuitive hug, smiling deeply, before pulling away and looking curiously into his eyes. I can see the outlines of a smile on his lips, and I reach out to put a finger on them hesitantly. Michael brings up a hand and catches mine in it. He raises an eyebrow at me –which for once I don't feel jealous of– and links his fingers through mine.

"You think they're beautiful?" Michael asks. The stars twinkle, like they know I'm watching.

I nod, although my mind is in an entirely different place –I feel warmth in my hand on his back, and as I slide my fingers I can feel him shiver as he's tickled.

"Okay," Michael says, moving back from me so that only our hands touch, still with fingers tangled, "but I know you'll like them more when we get there."

"Get where?" I ask, as Michael begins a leisurely walk down the dark driveway.

Michael looks at me with a grin, and I eye him kind of worriedly –maybe this adventure is going to his head. "I'm gonna keep that a secret for just a little longer," Michael says.

I giggle, wondering what Michael is up to. Out of all the surprises and secrets I've been given by other people, I have never felt so special before. This is Michael's world. Where he grew up, where he roamed around with André getting up to what I can only assume was no good. On that note, I hope whatever he has in mind isn't too dangerous or risky. As much as I'd like to pretend I'm full of adventure and rebellion, sneaking out last night was the most adventure I have probably ever had.

"You're quiet," he says.

"Is that bad?" I ask, glad of the dark so that he can't read my face as well.

"Well," he says, and I hear the grin in his voice. "I thought you would be a little more talkative now that we are alone."

I smile at him. "I do appreciate being alone with you." He smiles back at me. "But I am just waiting to find out what the plan is for tonight. I'm like the cottage country tourist."

He tilts his head at me. "You did okay last night."

I smile up at him in the darkness. His words make an idea pop into my head. "You know, you weren't so bad at leading the way yesterday." I take my hands out of his, making an appearance of running my hands through my hair. "Maybe I can do the same for you!" I cry.

I jump into a sprint down the driveway. When I look back over my shoulder, I can only laugh at the bewildered Michael Lyon standing in the middle of his driveway. The air is a lot cooler running, but my legs will warm up with the speed –I can run pretty fast if I need to. The same freedom and excitement that I had last night comes back to me, and my smile grows even more.

When I reach the end of the driveway, I slow to a walk and then stop. I'm breathing heavily, but I've warmed up, and feel exhilarated from the run. My headache is a little bad, probably from running on the hard pavement, but it cannot keep me from enjoying this night. Michael catches up to me, breathing heavily as he stops beside me.

"Well, you sure can run," he says around an inhale of air.

"I think I used to be a little better," I admit. When I was on the track team I was one of our faster sprinters. But I gave up being a part of the team when they changed our meeting time to morning instead of afternoon –who wants to get up that early anyway? Michael heard about my change of heart in a letter during the school year.

His breathing has started to calm down. "I think I know why you enjoy it though," he says fondly.

I furrow my brows at him. "Oh yea?"

"It definitely wakes you up," he says.

I laugh, turning to the road. His hand appears on my shoulder. I look over at him questioningly.

"I just wanted to stop you from running out into the road. You know, last night was enough of a car accident." I hear the smile in his voice.

I make a face at him. "Haha." But I blush. "I honestly didn't think anyone would be out driving at this time of night."

His hand drops from my shoulder as he brushes his hair out of his face. "Yea, it's true. This is usually a quiet street."

"So where to now, Mr. Mysterious?"

"Follow me," he says. He turns down the street, walking in the opposite direction of the beach path. I stare after him for a second, wondering if he is aware he's walking the wrong way.

"So, uh, no beach tonight?" I ask, sliding into step beside him.

"Well, I think it's been a pretty busy beach day already," he says slowly.

My eyes drop, and I chew my tongue, feeling kind of bad for ruining the beach by fainting. "Well, that's probably true."

His hand reaches out to grab mine, and my eyes go back to his face. He has a small smile in the corner of his lips.

"You're not mad that I ruined the beach?" I ask sheepishly.

His eyebrow quirks at me. "Ruined the beach?" he asks. He shakes his head. "Don't you remember I told you there's so many other things to do around here?"

I do remember what he said in his letter now. That if we ever got bored of the beach, he'd like to show me some stuff one-on-one. "So this is a planned adventure?" I ask curiously.

"Uh," he hesitates. But then he laughs. "I mean, I expected to go on these kinds of adventures in daylight, to be honest."

"Oh, right!" I reply, understanding where he is coming from.

"But then you snuck into my room, and last night we had a lot of fun. So I figured now's as good a time as any." He pauses, as I let it sink in that he planned out actual things for he and I to do together, and how his plan became even more just about us because of last night. "I mean, going on adventures at night with you just makes them even more exciting," he says softly, making me wonder if I was supposed to hear it.

"I agree," I say softly back. He looks at me, his eyes finding mine in the darkness. I smile at him, feeling like I might float away if I hear anything else along the same lines. I never knew I could feel this way until now.

He pulls me to a stop. "I am really hoping that you will have as much fun tonight as I had last night," he says seriously.

My face cracks into a smile. "Michael, I think you're well on your way to accomplishing just that." His eyes twinkle at me in the dark.