Cactus Springs, a little town in the north valleys of Nevada was a sleepy little hollow with quaint houses and a suburban atmosphere. Michelle's yellow McLaren had no chance of blending in with the sparsely populated roads and drew quite a few stares as it drove along. Michelle sat in the passenger seat beside Brook as she had let him drive, nervously twiddling her thumbs. Brook's surprising suggestion earlier was still ringing in her head and a mixture of excitement and apprehension had been coursing through her since then.
"So? What do you say, Michelle? Will you move in with me?" He had asked her. For a moment she couldn't believe her ears. That Brook, her boyfriend, was actually asking her to move in with him.
"Are you serious?" She asked, blinking at him. He suddenly looked anxious, worried that she might say no.
"Er, yes?" He said, rubbing his neck. "I wanted us to be together from now on, Michelle. I've been away from you for too long and I want us to take the next step in our lives. I want to start my life with you, Michelle, if you agree." He sounded vulnerable near the end. Michelle broke out into a wide smile and threw her arms around him enthusiastically.
"Yes! Of course, I agree, Brook! Oh, this is too good to be true! I love you, Brook!" She smacked a wet kiss on his lips, startling him. He laughed and lifted her off the ground, spinning her around.
"Phew, I'm glad you said yes." He said in relief. Michelle laughed as he put her down.
"I'll need to tell Leah and Brynn... call the moving van and change my address... where exactly are we going and when do we leave?"
"My parents' place in North Valley and we'll leave right away."
An hour later, they arrived at a rustic but sturdy-looking ranch-style house, quite apart from the main suburb in a private corner at the end of the town.
"It's so pretty!" Michelle exclaimed as they climbed up the porch.
"My dad bought it when he married my mom - it was sort of a honeymoon home for them," Brook explained as he took out Michelle's bags from the trunk. She reddened a little at the thought of 'honeymooning' here - and what Brook had in mind for them.
"I like it. It's got that homey feel to it." Michelle said as she walked inside. She took in the comfortable Spanish-style furniture, the colorful welcoming rug on the floor, and the pretty woven tapestry of the Lady of Guadalupe on the wall.
"Beautiful." She said, running her fingers over the smooth material.
"My mom decorated the place - dad was terrible at that kind of stuff. All he knew about was the inside of a car." Brook said. Michelle giggled.
"Like you?" She teased. He grinned sheepishly.
"Yeah. There are two bedrooms of course, so if you wanna take one, you can unpack whatever you need in there." He said. Michelle sidled up to him and ran her finger up his chest.
"I thought we'd be sharing a room." She said huskily. Brook perked up his head and smiled rakishly.
"If that's what you want, then I'd be happy to accommodate you." He said drawing her closer. He began to kiss her hungrily, his need bursting out after the long restraint he had been under. Michelle squeezed his arms in pleasure, but the nagging thought that her friends would be waiting for her held her back.
"Brook, I'm gonna be late... Leah and Brynn will never let me off the hook if I miss the party tonight..." she mumbled, halfway intoxicated by his kisses. He groaned and pouted.
"When will I ever get you to myself?" He complained. She stroked his cheek soothingly.
Don't worry; we'll have the rest of tonight and every night for that." She whispered, sending shivers of anticipatory electricity through him as his thoughts soared to wild fantasies of spending night after night with her.
"Oof, that blood spatter was way too graphic, Reece. We might wanna tone it down." Jett said.
"Hey, I'm trying to make it as realistic as possible!" Reece retaliated.
"Parents are gonna sue us for releasing an overly gory video game if you don't make it more teen-appropriate," Jett warned. He and Reece were seated in the dim basement on bean bags, a laptop on Reece's lap, and a game console in Jett's hands. They had been in that position for close to eight hours without moving and their eyes were starting to squint from the prolonged viewing of brightly lit screens in a poorly lit room.
The door swung wide open suddenly and a flood of bright light penetrated the room. Reece held his hands up in a defensive position.
"Not the light, not the light! It burns!" Reece complained.
"Yeah, Leslie, please shut that door!" Jett also whined. Leslie stood outlined in the doorway, a maternal frown on her face.
"You boys are gonna get sick the way you've been going! Or at least end up with a dozen butt sores." She scolded.
"But we're not done yet!" Jett said. Leslie came inside and swiped the console out of his hand.
"That's enough for today. I know you're all hyped up about making video games and all, but this is ridiculous! You two haven't eaten a proper meal in days, you haven't seen sunlight since goodness knows how long -" Leslie opened the curtains letting in blazing hot sunlight making the boys wince, "and, you haven't even gone to the bathroom!"
"Hey, I went to the bathroom... yesterday..." Reece said in an undertone. Leslie gave them a stern look.
"Get off your butts right now and come have lunch! Both of you need a life outside your computers!" She said severely before leaving the room. Reece grunted.
"Maybe we can stay a few minutes more..." he mumbled, trying to close the curtains by stretching out his arm without getting up.
"Sorry, boys, you don't get a move on and that will be the last time you see those computers," Soriano said, slouching against the doorframe. Jett groaned.
You people are no fun anymore!"
"Yeah, dad, you can't give us orders when it comes to our life's work!" Reece complained. Soriano smirked.
"Ten seconds. Nine, eight..."
"Alright, alright!" Jett said hurriedly trying to get up. Reece did the same but both of them were faced with a crippling problem - they groaned like old men as they tried to straighten their hunched backs!
"Jeez, you boys are worse than seventy-year-olds." Soriano teased.
"Ah, ah, ow!" Reece grunted as he finally stood up straight, clutching his lower back in pain.
"Serves you boys right for not budging for eight hours straight," Soriano said. "Now hurry up, Leslie made lasagna and it'll be gone by the time you two make it to the dining room." He left and Reece rubbed his tired eyes.
"It's like time traveling to a different parallel universe..."
"I think Leslie might be right about that sore butt thing," Jett said, scrunching his face as he felt his backside.
"Don't say a word, they'll never let us live it down!" Reece hissed.
"You got it, bro. My lips are sealed."
"Let's just refuel and try to sneak back here afterward."
The two of them made their way to the living room. They stopped and blinked twice on seeing Payton and Paige curled up on the couch.
"There you guys are. I was wondering why it was too peaceful around here." Paige said in her usual sarcastic tone.
"Paige! You're back!" Jett said with a whoop as he swooped down to hug her. She winced as he brushed her arm and Payton pushed him back on seeing her face.
"Down boy, she's been through a lot." He said, keeping him at a distance from Paige.
"When did you guys return?" Reece asked.
"A little while ago. Why do you two smell like a week-old pizza?" Paige asked, crinkling her nose.
"They've been germinating in the game room. They're probably environmentally hazardous by now." Leslie said stiffly. Paige snorted in laughter.
"Oh, I'm gonna enjoy myself with that." She said, plotting different ways to tease them with that information in her mind.
"So where've you been? First, you bail on us, then Brook..." Reece said as he served himself lasagna from the table where Leslie had placed the dish.
"Brook's not here?" Payton asked.
"No, He went to see her," Jett said, winking. Paige gave a sly smile.
"Oh ho, I see. I hope she gives him a good pounding for not visiting sooner." She said.
"He might not be back for a while, he's reopening his father's old auto shop," Soriano said. "And he's planning to move to North Valley for good."
"Aw, we're gonna miss him," Paige said.
"It's not too far from here. He said he'd be back after he's gotten things settled in." Leslie said.
"Hey, guys! I just had the most brilliant idea!" Jett exclaimed suddenly, startling them all.
"Wow, those are rare," Paige said sarcastically. Jett grinned.
"Man, I missed that... But anyway, here's my idea. We should all drop by Brook's place and surprise him with a party! It'll be the first time we're all together again!"
"What is it with you and parties?" Payton asked skeptically.
"Please, don't discourage him," Leslie said with a shudder. "Those two haven't left that game room in a month. This will get them to live a little again."
"So wait, you guys missed out on a social life for a whole month while we were gone?" Paige asked incredulously. Payton sniggered.
"You just flushed your reputation down the drain." He muttered.
"Haha. But we'll be the ones laughing when our game gets sold out in forty-nine different states." Reece said.
"Why not all fifty?" Paige asked.
"We've been having some issues in Iowa," Reece said sheepishly.
"So back to Jett's idea - I think we should drop by Brook's place. We haven't seen Michelle in ages." Leslie said.
"Then it's settled. We'll leave tomorrow!" Jett said, throwing his fist in the air. Soriano glanced at Payton.
"Payton, a word?" He beckoned him to the kitchen.
"So you managed to find Paige." He stated, his tone implying he wanted an explanation.
"Yeah." Payton's one-word answer made him frown.
"Dare I ask what's going on? Did she tell you what she's been up to?"
"I'm - not sure yet, chief," Payton said, avoiding his eyes. "When I know, you'll know."
"Hmm." Soriano wasn't satisfied with that answer. "As long as you two stay out of trouble, I'll let you off the hook."
"Gee, thanks," Payton said, rolling his eyes. Soriano laid a hand on his shoulder, his gaze softening.
"Look, you kids are like my own, and I'm not gonna sit back when one of my own is in trouble. If there's anything you want to tell me, you know where to find me."
"Thanks, chief, we'll keep that in mind," Paige said, coming into the kitchen. Payton smiled at her.
"Eavesdropping again, tiger?" He asked fondly. She came and leaned against him.
"I like to stay in the loop." She said, leaning her head on his shoulder.
"So do I," Soriano said dryly. "And if you need help with anything or get into trouble, I wanna know about it, you hear?"
"Loud and clear, chief," Paige said with a lazy salute.
"Good. Now let's go eat."
Michelle woke up feeling lousy. Her stomach hurt, her head ached and she felt like puking. She opened her eyes with the greatest of difficulty and saw Brook's smiling face above her.
"Hey, beautiful." He said. She tried to smile, feeling disoriented.
"Brook, what happened? I feel like crap." She said, pressing her head with her palm. He gave a little chuckle.
"I'd be worried if you didn't. How much do you remember?"
"Er..." Michelle frowned as she thought back to yesterday. She and Brook had gone to The Chameleon's bar for the graduation party. Vague images of pole dancing and disco lights flashed in her mind.
"We went to The Chameleon's..." She said slowly.
"Keep going." Brook prompted her.
"Leah and Brynn wanted to play a game..."
"Uh-huh..."
"Oh no!" Michelle said sitting up so fast her head spun.
"Did it hit yet?" Brook asked. Michelle groaned.
"I drank a bunch of tequilas because of a dare from Brynn..."
"Bingo. And if I may say, your friends are worse than Paige. I almost didn't get you out of there in time." Michelle looked like a guilty puppy.
"I'm so sorry Brook, how bad was I?" She asked.
"Well, at least this time you didn't puke..."
"But?" she sensed the hesitancy in his voice.
"I couldn't pry you away from a pole. And you stood on the table to dance for a finale." He said taking her hand and kissing it. She flopped back on the bed.
"I knew I was gonna regret that! Ugh, I'm such an embarrassment!" She beat herself up. Brook snuggled closer to her in the bed.
"You're not an embarrassment, you're just not very good with alcohol. I got you out of there before you stripped or anything." He said with a grin. Her eyes widened as a thought struck her and she lifted the blanket to see her body - she was dressed in a comfy oversized t-shirt and nothing else.
"Good grief! I don't remember changing!" She said in horror. Brook stroked her hair.
"You asked me to dress you. Right before you passed out. My t-shirt is a good look for you, by the way." He said playfully. Michelle made an upsetting sound in her throat.
"This is like my birthday all over again..."
"Hey, it's okay. You didn't embarrass yourself too much." He said kissing her nose. She gave a slightly mollified smile.
"I feel awful, though." She said.
"I thought you would. That's why I made some soup for you." Brook said, getting off the bed.
"You did? Aw, you're the sweetest!" She followed him off the bed and hugged him. His strong arms held her warmly for a moment before he let go.
"Um, Michelle? Baby? You know I love you, but you really need to take a shower - you reek of alcohol." He said innocently. She gave a mock scowl and punched his arm. He stepped out of her line of fire, laughing.
"Out, now!" She scolded him. He stepped out of the room, shutting the door but Michelle could still hear his low rustling laugh behind it.
"That's a nice sound to wake up to." She said softly to herself. She sighed. Despite being wasted, nauseous, and embarrassed, Michelle never felt happier in her life being with her Brook.
That evening, after a long day of doing nothing but recovering from the previous night's revelry, Michelle plopped down on the couch beside Brook, watching TV.
"So, now that I'm sober, I can start planning," Michelle said, burying herself under his arm.
"Planning for what?" Brook asked.
"I need to start looking for a job, Brook. I already submitted applications to a bunch of recording studios around the city. Hopefully, they'll get back to me soon."
"Hey don't worry about it. You don't need to get a job right away. At least, you can take your time."
"But how -" Michelle stopped, biting her tongue. She had been about to ask him how they would survive if neither of them was working. And now that Brook had gone straight, (no more car stealing) they'd need a source of income for the two of them.
"Michelle, are you worried about making a living?" He asked with a queer look. Her guilty blush gave her away. Brook's expression relaxed and he pulled her closer.
"Michelle, you really don't have to worry about that. You didn't think I'd leave us hanging, did you? You should know I'm more reliable than that."
"Oh, sorry," Michelle said, squeezing his hand. He smiled and kissed her forehead.
"I found a way for us to survive - thrive, in fact." He said getting up. He pulled her to the window facing the road.
"Take a look," he said, angling her in front of him. Michelle gasped when she saw a little garage-like building across the road - a shop that read 'Havens Auto-shop'.
"You're going to run your own auto shop? How did I miss that? And it's right outside our home!" She exclaimed excitedly, turning to him with bright eyes.
"My dad's auto shop." He corrected. "I'll fix cars, sell parts, change tires..."
"All from across the road? I definitely need to get a job nearby too," she said. "Oh Brook, this is wonderful. And you get to do what you're good at."
"It'll pay the bills and help us save up for a trip to Switzerland." He said, massaging the small of her back.
"Switzerland? Where did that come from?" Michelle laughed.
"Oh, I just thought you'd like to take a vacation someday with me and get out of the desert. Experience snow for a change." He said, wrapping his arms around her. She shook her head, nuzzling her nose against his.
"I love the desert. The only vacation I need is the one I get every night in your arms." She said softly. Brook exhaled through his mouth, his grip tightening around her.
"Michelle..." His lips were an inch from hers. She closed the distance between them, meeting his mouth in a soft sweet kiss. He responded immediately, urgent and passionate. He began to pull her back to the couch and they collapsed on it without breaking the kiss.
"Brook..." she whispered against his lips as she felt his hands dive under her t-shirt. Her heart pounded erratically and she ran her hands through his long hair.
"Damn, Michelle, you're driving me crazy." He said, gliding down her neck, his lips sucking at random intervals against her skin. She moaned.
"We're finally alone..." She whispered. He raised his head to meet her eyes and she saw the hungry flame of longing in them.
"And I'm gonna make the most of it." He said, crashing his lips back on hers. Just then, the doorbell rang. Brook groaned aloud.
"You have got to be kidding me!" He griped. Michelle giggled uncontrollably.
"Maybe we should save that for the night." She said. Brook sighed and got up to go see who it was while Michelle tied up her mused hair.
"Hiya, turtle doves. You miss us?" Paige grinned cheekily at them from the doorway, the rest of the crew waiting behind her.
"Paige?!" Michelle exclaimed.
Michelle CANNOT keep her alcohol down 🤣. So apart from a wild night where her responsible boyfriend had to make sure she got home in one piece, we're finally seeing the crew again (ah, family) with antics from the boys and good-natured ragging from Paige. Are you excited for the Night Blazers reunion? 🤩