I was the girl who always carried two books from the library instead of one, because I liked having a plan B.
He forgot his homework. I organized them by colors.
He talked to strangers. I apologized to phone vendors before hanging up.
People were constantly asking what we saw in each other.
Michael always answered first.
One afternoon, we had stayed to go to the movies.
He arrived twenty minutes late.
I crossed my arms. “You have forgotten.”
"No." He pointed to the gas station across the street. “Mrs. Donnelly had left the keys inside the car.”
I Sighed. "You helped her."
“He was melting the ice cream.”
"You missed the trailers."
He smiled. “They’ll make more movies.”
I tried not to laugh.
I didn't get it.
That was Michael. I honestly believed that anyone who was having a bad day deserved their full attention.
Sometimes he would make me crazy. Most of the time, I made me want it even more.
***
The night of the prom came with such a pleasant temperature that no one needed a jacket.
My mother cried while she was picking up my hair. My father pretended not to be excited, until he mistakenly called Michael a “son.”
Michael arrived exactly nine minutes late.
I opened the front door with my hands in pitchers.
He had a guilty face. “I can explain it.”
“You stopped to help someone.”
“The Coopers’ dog had escaped.”
I stared at him. “Have you chased a golden retriever in tuxedo?”
“For almost fifteen minutes.”
I denied with my head. “I don’t know whether to kiss or yell at you.” He smiled. “I hope the first thing.”
I laughed before I could avoid it.
My mother whispered from the kitchen...
I intended to do it.
***
The gym looked magical.
Thousands of lights were reflected in the silver streams that hung from the ceiling. Someone had transformed our usual basketball court into something that seemed to be taken from a classic movie.
Michael made me walk around while we were dancing to our first piece.
“You know...?”
“I think we’re dressed too easily.
I looked down at my dress. “We literally wore label clothes.
He pointed his head at the decoration. “The balloons look expensive.
I laughed so hard that the couple next door also started laughing, although they hadn’t heard the joke.
That happened often when I was with Michael.
