"Oh my fucking god, this place is beautiful." I gasp with my eyes wide, doing a small circle, taking in the surroundings.
I hear a deep chuckle coming from Michael. I turn over to the side and am completely amazed by his beauty once again. How the sun made him just a little bit more tan, his hair lighter, how his cheekbones rise just a little more when he talks, the way he walks.
Out of everyone, why me?
"Michael?" I raise an eyebrow, ready to ask him. He hums.
"Why me out of everyone?" I grip the strap of my backpack tighter.
There's a silence for a moment. The only things to be heard is distant laughter and our steps against the gravel.
His eyebrows slightly tilt downward. "You pull something out of me that others don't." He takes a deep breath and the walking stops. "You see something in me that others don't."
"You know, despite everything I do, you still are by me... with me." My throat tightens as he walks closer to me, cupping my cheek. "That's why."
Never did I once think anyone would think about me like this.
It's urging me to say it.
Something... something in me is pushing me to say this. My eyes raise to his as I wrap my hands under his arms.
"Michael?"
His eyes gaze into mine.
"I love you."
It's almost a whisper, but loud enough for him to hear. I thought I would stutter, but it came out easier than I thought. Like i've said this to him over and over before. It felt so... familiar.
The coolness of his eyes soften just a bit, taking a deep breath as if he is replaying what I said.
His face inches closer and his lips meet mine. My breath gets a bit heavy for him to only deepen the kiss. I feel a smile against them. "I love you."
His lips crash onto mine one more time before parting away. "I've always loved you, amore."
I nudge his arm with a smile on my face. "E lo farò sempre." (And I always will)
"E lo farò sempre." He repeats.
"Dada!" A small boy, no older than 4 comes running up to Michael. I let out a wild laugh as he stares at the child who's holding his arms up for him to pick him up.
"Hello." I coo, tapping his nose. "Mama?"
"No, I'm not mama. Where's your mama?" I pick him up, resting most of his weight on my hip. On the other hand, Michael just stands there, not wanting anything to do with the kid.
"Dada!" He starts violently crying in my arms, reaching out for him and I freak out. "Take him!"
He takes him and holds im like he's some alien from another planet. "How do you know this isn't my child." A smirk grows his face.
I roll my eyes, smiling. "He looks nothing like you." The kid has blond curly hair with blue eyes. No to mention the face structure difference.
"Carlos!" A man comes out one of the pathways into our view. "That's probably his dad." I lean in.
We start walking towards the man and his eyes widen. "Carlos!" Michael hands the kid to him.
"Why you taking me son!" A thick accent rolls off his tongue. His head then tilts in my direction. "Thank you for bringing him to me." A smile flashes his face.
My eyes widen as I try to swallow a laugh and I smack Michael's ass from behind in the process.
"Do not take anyone's kid! You understand?!" He continues his lecture at Michael. I can feel him getting more tensed by my side.
"Uh- Um- LOOK OUT!" I point at nothing behind the man, screaming at the top of my lungs.
As soon as he turns around I wave the kid a quick goodbye before grabbing Michael's hand, the luggage and dashing away.
"Hey!" We hear a faint call in the distant as we turn a corner. Our legs keep running, not stopping one bit until we reach our suite.
Heavy panting fills the area with us cackling wildly and I slide down with my back on the wall from falling over. Michael follows as I lean myself into his chest, holding my cramping stomach.
A loud ringtone suddenly cuts our direction over to his phone. The writing says 'hoe #1' so I know it's Lucas. He rolls his eyes, about to put the phone away. "You might want to pick that up." I nudge him with my eyes.
A loud sigh leaves him before putting it up to his ear.
"Hello?"
Lucas' POV:
'Alex stop!' I mouth at him with the phone to my ear. The fire alarm is going off, Mia is fanning the air with a towel frantically and Alex...
Alex just tripped and now there is blood everywhere on his face and floor.
"Hello?" Michael repeats. "Did you arrive?" I almost yell into the phone because of all the noise in the house.
"Yeah, what's that noise."
"Oh, that's the fire alarm, don't worry. I was just... testing it." I make up an excuse, covering my open ear with one hand.
"We have people to test it, Lucas."
I take in the sight of the house and pinch the bridge of my nose. "I know, it's fine. I was bored anyways."
There is silence on his end so I take it to end the call and help Alex who's still on the floor squirming like a little child. "Okay, I have to really go now. Have fun, though!" I run over to the first aid kit in the kitchen. Guards are running everywhere trying to clean and help in the area.
It's a chaotic fucking mess.
"Alex, how 'bout you just- just stay out of the kitchen?" I approach him with the gaws. "I was just trying to make the pasta recipe Cora made a bit better. Actually a lot better." I look him dead in the eye. "What?! I was starving!"
The doorbell suddenly rings and I grow confused. No one has pushed that button in years. "I'll get it!" Mia starts to the door.
"No wai-" I didn't know who it was. It could've been someone dangerous, but she opens the door and just stands there. "Uh?"
My feet are quick to make their way to her. "Lucas, I'm bleeding out and you leave me. Okay, I didn't even say my last goodbyes." His voice slowly fades out behind me.
"Who the fuck are you?" Mia eyes her. Michael's ex-girlfriend stands at the door.
"Courtney. Michael's ex."
The door is suddenly being closed by Mia. "Fuck off." "Wait!" Courtney holds it in one place with her hand but the grip loosens.
Her muffled shouts are heard from outside. "Dumbass bitch." Mia rolls her eyes. "Why was she here?" She approaches me.
"I don't know. I should call Michael."
I reach for my phone and click on his name. He answers after the fifth ring. "Sup, broski" Cora speaks into it.
--------------------
Cora's POV:
"Sup, bro bro with the broski, is Michael there?" Lucas' breathing is heavy.
"I'm right here, it's on speaker." he muffles with a shirt in his mouth from the closet, changing into his pants.
His voice on the other end becomes concerned. "You might want to go somewhere a little private."
Michael finishes and approaches the bed beside me and I go into his chest, listening to the steady heart beats like music. "Whatever you want to say, say it here or just leave it."
Lucas clears his throat. "Courtney showed up."
I interfere. "Who's Courtney?"
"Michael's ex."
I could feel his body tense under me. I look up at him from under my eyelashes before he gently puts my head back down on his chest, playing with my hair.
"What did she do?" He speaks in a disgusted tone before running his thumb on my shoulder and lower arm, playing with an elastic on my wrist. Goosebumps on my skin arise as he trails it down lower on my stomach, lifting my shirt up a bit.
"She just said 'wait', but Mia told her to fuck off."
'Did you eat?' He mouths at me with the phone still by his ear.
"So, we don't know. But be careful." Lucas continues speaking.
'No, I didn't.' I mouth back. My eyes close as I run my finger over his shirt where I can still feel the crevasses of his abs.
"Hello?"
"Okay, let's go eat something." His lips press down on the crown of my head.
"Hello." Lucas asserts his voice a bit.
His brows furrow. "What- yeah, okay I'll take care of it." "Alright take care, man." He hangs up.
I quickly get up and slide over a light blue sundress before grabbing my curls and putting them into a bun, out of my face.
The sunset was at its peak now so I rebelled my idea of wearing shades. "Ready." I grab my purse. Who knows when you'll need a tampon, chapstick, lipgloss or gum.
The bed makes a slight wrinkly sound as he gets off it. "Bellissima." A soft whisper leaves his mouth. (Beautiful)
The tall figure hails towards my small, lean frame. His soft touch of his fingers on my chin make my stomach warm as he tilts it up, but even more so when the coolness of his rings invaded. "So fucking beautiful."
He leans into my face but stops a finger width gap before my lips before looking into my eyes, back down at them, and then back up to my eyes. "I love you so fucking much."
Without giving me a second to open my mouth, he tastes me so eagerly. His lips caress mine as his hands slide down to my neck, upper chest, gliding all the way down to my waist before giving it a tough squeeze.
I secure my hand on the back of his head, slightly tugging at his long wavy hair.
I part away, taking a long, deep breath, recentering myself. "I love you." I say back. I mean every one of those three words. I crave the feeling of me saying it to him because it feels so safe.
He arches down, placing his forehead on mine and holding my face in his hands. "E lo farò sempre." We both whisper at the same time. (And I always will)
A small smile plays my face as I link our arms, heading out the door. I felt like a little happy girl. Something I hadn't felt like with my parents.
But then Lilah... she was always there for me no matter what. She left home, just so she could live with Alyssa and I. Just so she can be with me.
I love you, Lilah. I'm so sorry I couldn't say this to you more often.
I feel my eyes sting and before I could try to suck the tears in, one falls on my face and seems to catch the attention of Michael. "Kore? What's wrong?" His face is all disorganized just with this one tear.
All of a sudden, he's all over me, brushing my hair back with his hands, wiping my face, reassuring me.
"Tell me. What's wrong?" He begs.
I take a deep breath in, trying not to break at any point. "I miss Lilah." I feel my bottom lip quivering.
"Come here, cry it out." I feel his arms around my head as he pulls it into his chest. His deep voice rattles on top of my head.
Just like the time I comforted him with Elena's death, I sob into his chest, ocaniscally letting out small muffles to why Lilah had to leave.
He never once let's go of me, but just holds me ever so safely.
I don't deserve this.
****
-Dhruvi Parmar
Sunday April 24, 2021 @2:48pm
5 points to the person who guess what'll happen in the next chapter... GO!