The Minor Complications of Love

Chapter Ten: Stuck in Unexpected Situations

"Wait, wait, wait. My Mama let you in?" Mia asked as the latter of the list of things previously mentioned had suddenly become the only thing her brain had focused on.

"Yeah, she did. She was on her way out and she saw me waiting. She said I could come in and visit you and maybe even babysit Henry. Although, I don't think I need to do that much of watching over Henry, 'cause he says that 'he's such a big boy now'. Time sure seems to be goi--"

"Wait, wait , wait. My Mama let you in?" Mia asked again with more disbelief written on her face.

"Yeah... I thought we just established that?" Drew laughed a little, making Mia blush. It's been a little while since she last heard his genuine laughter that felt like music in her ears -- it still does to be honest.

"Yeah but," Mia scratched her head. "I just didn't want you to see me like this," she murmured.

"Sorry what?" Drew asked.

He didn't hear it. Mia thought, which honestly felt kind of fishy. Drew was also known for being able to hear things from afar so easily. She would even joke in middle school how he must have super sonic hearing or compare him to a TV set that has a large antenna which could sense just about anything.

"Nothing," Mia said. She picked herself up and began throwing the blanket over her bed again. She picked up her stuffed toy and put it in its right place. As she was fixing it, she told him, "Sorry that it's kind o--"

Before she could finish, Drew said, "What's wrong with me seeing you like this?"

Mia turned over to him. Of course he heard it.

Mia brushed her fingers through her hair on the top of her head. She sat down. "I just think I look incredibly weird right now."

"Yeah, well you're ill. Of course, you would look weird right now. Everyone looks weird when they're ill. Also, it's not a really bad type of weird. It's the good sort of one," Drew said as he looked over other parts of Mia's room.

Mia clung to her blanket as she felt her heart pump faster. "A good sort of one?"

"Yeah. You're..." Drew sighed before he looked at her. "You're beautiful you know?"

Mia's eyes widened. "Uh, thanks," she told him as she quickly avoided his stare.

"So, um... Anyway. You know you could like just have called me and not really come to see me, you know? Don't you have anywhere to be with your," Mia paused, gulping before she would continue, "girlfriend?"

Drew looked at her with an eyebrow raised. Mia felt cold sweat trickle down her forehead a bit.

"You never really visited me when I was ill when we were still in our junior years of high school, so I was just wondering," Mia said, clearing her throat too in the process.

"Y-yeah," Drew stammered, looking away from her this time. "There were just... A lot of things were going on at that time. I'm sorry about that," He apologized quickly as feelings of guilt had struck him.

Mia felt her heart sink like on that day when Drew had started distancing himself a bit from her and that day when he had told Bella and her about his sudden new girlfriend.

"Bella told you to visit, didn't she?"

Drew flinched. She knew it. Of course, he wouldn't come here on his own -- not like how he used to at least.

"So, what did she tell you?" Mia asked.

"She... She said you weren't picking up any of her calls. She was getting worried so... She texted me to check on you," Drew sighed after he explained.

"She couldn't come on her own?"

"Guess, she knew that you wouldn't talk to her even if she were here. After all, you weren't answering her texts or calls. You angry at her or something?"

Mia lifted her legs to get on the bed and hugged her knees. "Did she instruct you to ask me that too?"

Drew didn't answer. She knew it.

Mia stood up. "Thanks for coming," she told him, smiling faintly and in a somewhat fake way again. "But, if you don't mind, I just want to rest now," she said.

"O-of course." Drew looked at her sad eyes that were now staring at the floor and then turned his attention to her fingers that were now fiddling. "I left the food that my mom made on your kitchen table by the way. Just eat it when you feel like it."

Mia nodded. "I'll lead you to the door."

"No, it's OK," Drew told her. "You're sick. You should get some rest. I know my way around here anyway. Plus, I'm going to stay by the living room for a little while -- at least until your mom gets back. I wouldn't want to leave you and Henry alone here."

Mia nodded again then went back to bed. She lifted the blanket over her when Drew had went out of her room and closed the door. Tears were streaming down Mia's cheeks. The feelings of loneliness and isolation have come to pay a visit again. She kept on crying and silently shouting. She felt like she was losing not only her friend, Drew, but also her other friend, Bella, even more. Questions would begin to invade her head. What did she do for them to suddenly leave her like this? And what could she do so they would no longer do so? Because, what would she be if they were no longer with her?

As Drew made his way over to the living room of the Cabrera household, little Henry tugged on his shirt, the look of innocence so vivid in his eyes. "Did you make Ate Mia happy?"

Drew looked at Henry. Silence fell upon them for a few minutes until Henry spoke up. "My teacher says happiness is the best medicine. So, did you make her happy?"

Drew smiled and crouched down to match Henry's height. He shuffled the little boy's hair as he said, "I'm not sure little buddy."

Henry's hopeful little face turned to a hopeless one. "If you can't make Ate Mia happy, then what will make her happy now?

Drew frowned a bit, rather confused. "What do you mean?"

"Ate Mia likes you, you know?"

Drew grinned, "You mean as a friend right?"

Henry shook his head. "No, she likes you as something more. Like romantically," Mia's little brother said innocently. Then, in a split second, he beamed, "I just learned more about that word at school by the way. Romantically."

Drew's grin quickly washed away from his face. "I need to go," he said. "If you need any help with your sister, just call me. I'll just be outside. There's just something I need to do."

Henry nodded then ran back to his room. When Drew saw him enter his room already, he rushed to exit the house just to make a phone call for a few minutes before he would enter again. He quickly dialed Peggy's number. When she picked up, Drew said in a serious and deep voice, "Hey Peggy? Yeah. We need to talk."