His eyes were so close; just hovering a foot or so away. His lips were right below. They were curled in the sweet, thin smile that Victoria had long since memorized. She knew what those lips looked like, but she was always curious how that sly curve must feel. She had her theories.
Neither of the two had said anything for a while. Several... minutes? Michael couldn't really tell and he didn't really care. He didn't even hear the streetlamp anymore. They were so close. He hardly had to imagine what six inches closer would be like, but there was some part of his body other than his brain intensely fueling his curiosity. Just a few inches. It wasn't fair.
"No," Victoria whispered strongly, but resentful. It was to herself and not to Michael, but he had to hear it too. "Your girlfriend... Rachel..."
Michael groaned as he turned away from her. "You're right. You're absolutely right, I can't- I'm really sorry."
"It's alright," said Victoria understandingly, still hurt, but strong enough to deal with it.
"Our relationship isn't even that great," Michael bemoaned. "Just... convenient. I had such a hard time saying 'no', you know? Rachel isn't-"
"I'm sorry, Mike, but I don't have the energy right now to hear about your girlfriend," Victoria interrupted. She was trying her best, but she was so high up a few minutes ago that the crash back down to earth was particularly exhausting.
"We should talk about it, though," Michael pleaded, "Because, I do want... I want to be with you. I'm not sure how-"
A high-pitched melodically chirping pointedly cut him off. Victoria winced; she had acquired the Pavlovian response to feel immense rage, envy, and guilt every time she heard that sound. She knew whose ringtone that was. Michael fumbled his hand around his pocket, and quickly, clumsily, answered his cell phone.
"Hey, Miss Lady," he greeted out of habit, and then immediately regretted doing so. He'd imagine sweet pet names didn't soothe Victoria in the least. He was right. "I'm fine. Still hanging out with Tori... Yeah... Yup... Soon, less than half an hour. Do you need me to get anything?... Okay, Rache." He swallowed. "Yeah, love you too. Bye bye."
Neither of the two had said anything for a while. Several... minutes? Michael couldn't really tell and he didn't really care. He didn't even hear the streetlamp anymore. They were so close. He hardly had to imagine what six inches closer would be like, but there was some part of his body other than his brain intensely fueling his curiosity. Just a few inches. It wasn't fair.
"No," Victoria whispered strongly, but resentful. It was to herself and not to Michael, but he had to hear it too. "Your girlfriend... Rachel..."
Michael groaned as he turned away from her. "You're right. You're absolutely right, I can't- I'm really sorry."
"It's alright," said Victoria understandingly, still hurt, but strong enough to deal with it.
"Our relationship isn't even that great," Michael bemoaned. "Just... convenient. I had such a hard time saying 'no', you know? Rachel isn't-"
"I'm sorry, Mike, but I don't have the energy right now to hear about your girlfriend," Victoria interrupted. She was trying her best, but she was so high up a few minutes ago that the crash back down to earth was particularly exhausting.
"We should talk about it, though," Michael pleaded, "Because, I do want... I want to be with you. I'm not sure how-"
A high-pitched melodically chirping pointedly cut him off. Victoria winced; she had acquired the Pavlovian response to feel immense rage, envy, and guilt every time she heard that sound. She knew whose ringtone that was. Michael fumbled his hand around his pocket, and quickly, clumsily, answered his cell phone.
"Hey, Miss Lady," he greeted out of habit, and then immediately regretted doing so. He'd imagine sweet pet names didn't soothe Victoria in the least. He was right. "I'm fine. Still hanging out with Tori... Yeah... Yup... Soon, less than half an hour. Do you need me to get anything?... Okay, Rache." He swallowed. "Yeah, love you too. Bye bye."
