From Me to You [Complete]

68

My mom comes through carrying a bag on her way to the car. She stops to make sure Andy is packed and ready to go, since she knows I already gathered up my things. Unfortunately, once Andy heads upstairs to pack, I am left awkwardly alone with the Lyon boys.

"So..." Michael stands beside me. I glance at him, hoping he isn't going to ask anything too weird. "You already packed everything?" His eyes are on mine, and I swallow, feeling distressed about how I feel toward him. So much of me wants to talk to him right now, but so much of me wants to run away again.

"Yea," I say. If there's one thing for sure, it's that I definitely don't want to talk about last night in the cottage kitchen where anyone can hear. Before he can ask me anything else I wander over to where Robert sits on the stairs, playing on his handheld gaming device.

"What are you up to?" I ask, leaning over his shoulder to see the game screen –honestly how can he see anything on such a tiny surface?

"Pokémon," he replies, and his eyes never leave the screen. I continue to watch over his shoulder, trying to figure out what is happening. He seems to have a good understanding of the game, flipping through different screens quickly. He looks up at me, one eyebrow quirked in a question.

I don't want to have to stand awkwardly next to Michael again, so I point at a tiny green ball on the screen. "What's that?"

"Me," he says, giving me a look of skepticism.

"Ah, I always knew green was your colour."

He shakes his head at me, but smiles, then returns to his game. I realize he isn't in a mood to talk, so I straighten back up and hope I can distract myself another way.

Alice and Marc just walked into the kitchen with my dad. He heads toward the fridge, and my mom meets him there, coming in from outside with a cooler bag in her hand. They pack food and drinks they made or brought along to the cottage into the bag, while Alice and Marc chat with them. André's flight will be here in a few hours, so they will probably have to get on the road soon too. Jean sits on a chair at the table, unconsciously drumming his fingers while he stares down the hall in the direction that Ann walked away previously. Michael leans on the counter opposite the fridge, like he is sort of listening to our parents' conversation, but I can feel his eyes on me. At that moment I sincerely wish that Joe and Ann would come back into the kitchen. It would definitely make me feel a little less awkward.

"...that sounds wonderful. When we get home I'll be able to see what weekend will work." I look over at my parents as Alice finishes her sentence.

"Great," says my dad. He offers to take the cooler bag from my mom out to the van. My mom follows him down the stairs and out the door.

"So we'll be seeing you guys again soon!" says Marc, coming to clap a hand on my shoulder.

"Oh yea?" I ask, feeling kind of lightheaded.

"Yea. Your parents invited us up to your place for a weekend this fall." Marc smiles at me. I hope that I don't look too paranoid. "We'll have to see which of the boys are around then. Jean will be away at school most likely." He turns toward Jean for a second. Michael mentioned that Jean is heading out of the country or something for the first year of his University program. While Marc's attention isn't on me, I reorganize my face into a smile. I can feel Michael's eyes on me again.

"Sounds great!" I say, trying to sound enthusiastic, and Marc smiles down at me.

Luckily Andy, Ann and Joe arrive with bags in hand, and I offer to walk with them to the van. The Lyons follow us to the door.

"Hey, don't forget these." Michael taps my arm, holding out my running shoes to me.

"Thanks." I take them from him, feeling our fingers touch for a second as he lets go. I look away, seeing something in his eyes that makes me want to stay again. I pick up my bag from beside the front door and walk outside.

I can see some commotion happening as I reach the bottom of the stairs. Joe is rearranging some items in his car to pack Ann's bags inside. From what I can tell, there seems to be a package of marshmallows on the ground that fell out of his car. I remember Joe saying they are headed to the campground together. Andy deposits his bag near our van, and then he and Jean got into some kind of hushed conversation. They keep looking in Joe's direction, but they don't look mischievous or malicious so I don't worry about it. Alice and Marc are standing by the van, talking to my parents. Alice hugs my mom, again reiterating her call about the free weekend this fall. Robert stands beside me, with Michael on his other side. Robert's head is down as he still tries to get through something in his game. Michael is quiet, watching everything. The trees around us rustle their leaves, like they are saying goodbye to us too.

"Well, I'll see you later," says Ann, as she wanders over to me. She gives me a hug. Before she pulls away she whispers, "Just a warning, I think you might be in some trouble." She looks me in the eye as she pulls away. I stare at her, wondering what she knows that I don't.

Robert and Michael give Ann a brief hug as she walks around the group saying goodbye. Joe comes by to give me a hug and a smile. He shakes hands with the Lyons, and they thank him for coming by. While Ann occupies my parents with a hug and some last minute reminders from my mom, I walk to the van and pack my things onto the side I want to sit. I watch my parents out of the corner of my eye, but they seem normal, and I wonder if Ann maybe has it wrong.

Ann and Joe get into his car and we wave as they pull away. I wind up saying goodbye to Marc, who is closest to me when I turn back. He gives me a quick hug, and a reminder that they want a copy of my writing, especially if it ends up winning the contest. I smile back, thankful for his interest in my life. Alice gives me a warm hug, and smiles at me, seconding Marc's request. Jean attempts to give me some kind of strange handshake which I do a poor job returning. He laughs at my failure and Andy jumps up to replace me. I wish Jean good luck at school, and he thanks me sincerely. Robert looks up from his game long enough to give me a brief hug. My heartbeat speeds up as Michael steps up to hug me.

We are a little awkward, but we manage to give each other a brief hug. Michael's hands stay on me for a second longer than mine on him. He looks at me, his eyes asking a question I can't answer right now.

"Can we..." Michael talks softly, while Andy, who is standing next to us, gives tips to Robert about what's up next in his game. "Can we talk?" I stare into Michael's eyes, feeling overwhelmed by how much I want to stay and figure things out right now, and how much my stomach twists at the thought of saying any of it out loud.

"Alright, stop hogging him," says Andy with a grin. I blush, but move out of the way as Michael and Andy shake hands. Michael looks at me, but this isn't the right time or place.

"Alright, got everything?" calls my dad. I glance at him, as he is about to climb into the driver's side of the van.

"Yep!" I call, looking at Michael with apologetic eyes. I can't begin to imagine what he is feeling. I turn away and walk to the van, blinking fast as tears come to my eyes. I really don't want to cry right now. Andy follows me into the van, and we buckle in. Andy pulls the door shut and the van starts to move down the driveway.

Iwatch as the Lyons wave us away, and I can't help but see Michael's eyes, whichare completely readable. He is not happy with the way I left things between us.We wave back until we round the bend and can't see them anymore. 

What happens now? Find out next week!