'What did you think was going to happen, Michael' Were you going to ride into the sunset with both
of them'' Shelby walked over behind him and flicked his ear. 'Ow! No, I just. They're just both
really pretty,' he said in his best five year old voice. He rubbed his ear and took a sip of his
soda. 'God, you're an idiot. So what happened exactly'' She was his best friend but she was also a
girl and she could not resist some good gossip. She sat down across from him with a plate of chips
in front of her. 'Well, Amy and I were you know'hanging out.' 'So you were malling each other'' she
asked. 'Yeah, pretty much. So then Liz called and was all like let's hang out and I was obviously
like um no, I can't.' 'Was Amy not paying attention'' 'I was getting to that. I guess she thought
it was Mike or someone so she stole the phone and was like Adam's busy in this stupid, really sexy
voice.' 'Jesus, you're an idiot.' 'Well, you can figure it out from there can't you.' 'Yeah, did she
hit you'' 'Yeah, she got both cheeks.' 'I never took her as a violent one.' 'Yeah, me neither but
they were pretty hard hits.' He rubbed his cheek and she laughed. 'So have you talked to Liz'' she
asked. 'I tried to call her back, but she wouldn't answer. Which I can understand, but she didn't
even give me chance to explain.' 'Explain what' You cheated on her you but-face.' 'Yeah, but I
still like her.' 'Do I have to hit you' It doesn't matter that you still like her. You kissed
another girl!' She said it slowly trying to make him understand. 'But-' 'No! No buts. You'll be
lucky if she ever talks to you again.' She took another sip of her coke and leaned back in her
chair. 'You're screwed.' 'How do you know'' he asked accusingly. She sat up quickly. 'I just
happen to be a girl. Didn't you notice the boobs and the'the-' 'See, it's not so easy to notice,'
he said smiling. She kicked him under the table while thinking about how adorable he looked when he
laughed. She couldn't help but love him even with the whole cheating streak. 'I got to get her back
Shelby. I mean I really liked her,' he said suddenly frowning. He took a long sip of his drink and
grabbed a handful of chips. 'You should have thought about before-' 'Could you please stop being a
girl and be my best friend.' 'Oh sorry, excuse me.' She coughed into her hand; roughing up her
voice. 'Yeah man. Was she hot man, or what'' she asked in her best man voice. 'Her boobs are huge
man. Please tell me you tapped that.' She laughed and he tried not to. He couldn't help it
though. She could be way too funny sometimes. Her laugh was great too. It was a contagious one.
'Seriously, you never liked Amy or Liz in the first place. Why are you defending them'' 'Holy crap,
Michael. You did a pretty stupid thing and I'm not going to act like you didn't do something
wrong.' 'Well you should you're my best friend.' 'Oh my gosh, really' You like me'' She put her
hand on her chest and pretended like she was trying not to cry. 'Oh, shut up. You know I do.' 'Yeah
I know you have no other friends.' She got up and put her cup in the sink. She walked back over to
the table. 'So do you want to do something'' she asked. 'Not really. I'm too depressed.' 'Oh, come
on. You've been dumped before.' It sounded a lot better in her head. He looked up at her like she
was an idiot. 'Yeah, I remember,' he said angrily. 'So what will make you feel better'' she asked
ruffling his thick brown hair. 'Amy. Maybe even Liz.' She scoffed and reached down to pinch his
stomach. He laughed out loud. 'Is that how you're going to play it'' he asked smiling. She
couldn't help but smile largely back at him. 'Yeah, that's how I'm playing it.' He stood up next to
her and starts to tickle her. 'No! No, Michael. Stop right now!' He didn't stop. He kept
tickling her and then picked her up. He threw her over his back and continued to tickle her even
then. She kept squealing as he carried her into the family room. 'Michael, put me down!' she
screamed. He dropped her onto the couch and jumped on top of her. 'You said this was how you wanted
to play it,' he said laughing. He squeezed her around the ribs one time and she squealed louder
than ever. 'Yeah, well this is not what I pictured.' She looked up and realized their faces were
barely an inch apart. He was looking right into her eyes and for some strange reason she didn't
feel uncomfortable at all. His eyes were such a gorgeous shade of brown. For a brief second she
thought about kissing him. 'So I should-' 'Yeah, good idea.' He lifted himself off of her and they
both moved so that they were sitting straight legged next to each other. 'So'what's on TV'' she
asked reaching over to grab the remote off the coffee table. She couldn't look at him. She had
always feared that something like that would happen. Shelby had practically been in love with
Michael since they met in the eighth grade. He had switched girls every few months since then, but
she liked being his best friend well enough. She was too much of a dork for him to like her anyway.
'Shelby, I'' he didn't finish his sentence even thought she was hanging onto every word. They sat
in silence for a few moments. 'Just forget it. So do you want me to call Liz' I mean she doesn't
know that I don't like her. She'll listen to me if I tell her you didn't mean it.' She dug into
her pocket trying to find her phone. 'No, Shelby I don't want to talk to Liz or Amy for that
matter.' 'But I thought they were supposed to make you feel better.' 'No, they won't. You were
right before. They're both airheads. I couldn't talk to either one of them longer than it took to
get my hands up her shirt.' 'Wow, a little much too much information there, buddy.' Shelby stood up
and walked over to the fridge. She was looking over the shelves when Michael grabbed her around her
middle and spun her around. Their bodies were less than inches apart and he was looking directly
into her eyes again. It was actually slowing down her thinking process. She tried to look away
from him. 'Cut it out. What are you doing'' she stammered trying to find a way out of his hands. 'I
couldn't talk to them because they aren't smart. They don't know how to carry on a conversation or
tell a joke. They don't call me on every stupid thing I do or reply with smart a** comments.'
'Michael, what are talking about' They're gorgeous and perfect and good kissers remember'' She was
definitely panicking. 'Who ever said you weren't a good kisser'' He smiled and started to lean
towards her. For the first time ever she couldn't think of something to say back to him. His grin
was intoxicating; something straight out of a soap opera. Before she even realized it they were
kissing against her open refrigerator door. She had imagined this moment a few hundred times before
but none of the fascinations lived up to the moment. He tasted sweet and his hands were tight
around her waist. She had absolutely no idea what she was doing, but it didn't seem to matter. He
finally released her after about a minute. 'Whoa,' she said catching her breath. 'I told you you
weren't a bad kisser,' he replied. She smiled and hugged him around his neck. 'I thought you only
like pretty, loose girls,' she said jokingly after releasing him. 'That's only because I couldn't
have you,' he replied sweetly. Shelby closed the refrigerator door not being able to remember why
she opened it in the first place. 'Michael, how long have you''' 'A while. We were friends and I
didn't want to mess it up.' 'What changed your mind'' 'When I was on top of you, I could see it in
your eyes that you felt the same way. I wasn't going to let that go.' 'Oh my goodness Michael.
You're a closet romantic!' she said excitedly. 'Shut up. I am not. I just like you that's all.'
He went to sit down at one of the bar stools. 'So, what now'' she asked nervously. She moved so
that she was facing him across the bar. 'I don't know, Shelby. Stop putting so much pressure on
me,' he said laughing. She laughed back but still wanted to know his answer. 'I want to be with
you,' he said suddenly serious. 'Uh'' She couldn't think of anything to say. He just got dumped by
Liz or Amy or whoever he was dating. Not only that, but he cheated on them. Everyone was going to
wonder what the heck she was thinking. She had only had a few boyfriends and none of them had been
too serious. No one was going to understand what they were doing. 'I know I just got dumped. I
also know that I cheated, but I don't care what everyone thinks about us. I don't think you should
either. I know the pressure will be on you and not me, but please don't make your decision based on
what other people think.' His eyes looked so sincere and she couldn't even remember what she had
been thinking second before. 'Okay. I guess its on then.' She smiled once she had realized what
she had said. She was going to be with the guy of her dreams and she had stopped caring about what
other people thought. It was her day. 'I love you,' he said. It sounded as if he had had to push
the words out. 'I love you, too,' she replied knowing that she meant it. They looked up and smiled
as each other; loving what they felt.