The Long Way Home (5 page)

Mike got home and explained everything that happened with the girls to Grey. Grey laughed out loud at Mike's reenactment of his fall in front of the school. Mike explained everything to Grey and told him that he wanted the girls to come over and hang out at Grey's house. Happy that Mike was over Gina he agreed. Grey would do whatever he needed to make Mike happy. Not only that but it sounded like these girls were pretty cool and wouldn't mind spending more time with them. He did have to admit that he wanted to meet them and really get to know them. He was glad that Mike had had new friends that were girls even if he didn't have a girlfriend.

They went to the basement and practiced some more and then Mike went home around 9:30pm. On his way he thought about everything that has gone on over the last few weeks. First his girlfriend/ex-girlfriend decided that it would be a great idea to have her ovaries massaged. Then his best friend decided to hook him up with one of the prettiest girls in school at one of the largest parties he has ever been to. Last and definitely the least in his mind now, was the fact that he was truly over Gina. Which he knew was Grey's plan from the beginning. Even if he didn't have a girlfriend he had two new friends and a plan to get one for Grey. All this made Mike very happy, and he decided that he was just going to enjoy life now. And help Grey anyway he could.

He got home did his home work and went to sleep happier than he had since the break up with Gina. The fact that he was even doing home work was an improvement normally he would be with Gina doing something stupid or spending money that he didn't have on things that she didn't need. Yes he was happy.

The next "date" that Mike had with the girls was on a Thursday after school and this time he was determined to not fall on his face.

Mike was starting to get the idea that maybe Charlotte had a thing for him. It was nearly everyday, since they had coffee together that Charlotte would come and see him at lunch and hang out with him after school they were becoming fast friends. Mike didn't really know what to make of it. He liked her so he didn't really mind having her around all the time. She was really pretty; he normally would feel guilty for even thinking these things but Gina freed him from that. The only thing that he noticed was that Jill was giving them space and wasn't hanging around that much. He thought he had it figured out but no... that was just gas.

Somehow today was different he was planning on taking them out to one of his favorite places. This was for two reasons, one to see if Charlotte really liked him and two to see if he could get Jill and Grey in the same space together and maybe start becoming friends. So far those two hadn't spent anytime together.

Mike was standing this time by his car and was watching them come down the front steps from the parking lot. He called out to them and waved; only he was too far and they did not see him. The girls were far too interested in their own conversation to notice him. In a sort of nervousness he started to run towards them this time watching his every footstep. He was watching so hard as a matter of fact he didn't see this freshmen wheeling out a cart with a slide projector, slides and other various A/V equipment. He ran head on, into it. The initial impact was loud enough for the girls to turn and see him doing a full frontal summersault over the cart and then only to have his right arm hit a box of slides which went sailing into the face of the freshmen. The freshmen was disoriented and reeling from the impact of the slides that he did not notice that he was walking backwards right into the slide projector on another cart. Mike had managed to land on his feet but from the momentum of the summersault he was still a little bit out of control. He ran straight into both the girls this time knocking them all to the ground. Mike turned right side up just in time to have a cascade of slides to hit him in the face. The whole thing took mere seconds and couldn't have been planned better (except by Jon Wu).

"What in the hell is wrong with you!" Jill said angrily. She was confused and didn't understand how this sort of thing could happen twice with the same guy.

"I don't know I wanted to get your attention so I started running over here. I was watching my feet so that I didn't trip again on some crack or something." Mike felt bad. He stood up and started to help Jill to her feet.

"You have to watch you feet and where you are going at the same time. I know it's hard, it's kind of like chewing bubble gum and walking at the same time." Charlotte said coyly.

"I am sorry I didn't mean to." Mike was trying desperately to sooth the girl's anger. He helped Charlotte and then went to the other side of the cart and helped the poor freshmen from the A/V club up as well.

"You should watch where you going next time a-hole." The kid said picking up all the slides. "Do you know how long it will take me to put these slides back in order?" The kid was now glaring at Mike as Mike stepped away toward the girls. Mike feared for his life even though he was older then this kid he did not like direct confrontation (he knew that couldn't fight his way out of a wet paper bag) and did not want to get into a fight. Mike now feared for the safety of the girls and himself. He ran over to them and began moving them back.

"Okay if he starts anything you guys hold him down and I will go and get help." Mike was serious when he said this. The girls turned and looked at Mike like he was crazy.

"Are you serious?" They said in unison.

"Yeah that kid seems violent. He seems like one of the guys who would just snap if you scratched their projector lens." Mike said as he was moving back away from the kid with the slides, like the kid was a rabid dog or something.

"He's just a kid, the only reason he is mad is because you just knocked him over. Besides that how many kids have you knocked over with slide projectors before." Jill said she didn't know whether to laugh or hit Mike for being dumb. Charlotte on the other hand opted to laugh and was nearly to tears.

"Look, all I know is that you can never tell with these A/V guys they are a shifty bunch. Let's just go I am really sorry this happened let me buy you guys something to eat. I mean you look hungry I'll take you out somewhere. Where do you want to go?" Mike said desperately trying to regain ground.

"Are you saying we look fat or something?" Jill said sarcastically.

"No, I didn't mean that-I-uh just meant that you guys were probably hungry-uh-I am always hungry after school. Oh god I am making a fool out of myself... I don't know what I am saying." Mike was scrambling so hard trying not to offend them he didn't notice that they were both laughing at him now. He finally heard them and looked up and saw that they weren't actually mad at him. He was a little relieved but wasn't sure why. He was making a fool of himself wasn't he?

"It's okay you can take me out to lunch anytime," Charlotte said hoping Mike would get the subtle hint.

"Oh cool, I know where there is this great place. But hey why don't you guys go home and change and I'll come and pick you up that way we don't have to come here to pick up your car." Mike didn't get the subtle hint.

"Sure. Come to my house and you can pick up both of us," Jill said, she had noticed Charlotte's subtle hint and wanted Charlotte and Mike to get together. She thought that this would be the perfect opportunity. She gave the directions to her house to Mike and the girls got in Jill's car.

Mike decided that he had to go home even though he didn't like going there during day light but it was there that he could change. He was also plotting how to get Jill and Grey in the same space together. He thought of a great idea. He had a huge smile as he ran in his house to change. Mike had the greatest idea. He would after taking them to dinner go over to Grey's house where Mike would start drinking and be too drunk to go home and Grey would take the two of them home. It was perfect and no one would be the wiser. Grey already knew that Mike was a drinker so he wouldn't notice or pick up on anything. It truly was a perfect plan Mike thought to himself as he was putting on his socks. "Oh man" he thought "am I smart".

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Charlotte was excited too, all she wanted to do was get Mike alone now she was sure she could win him over. She had completely abandoned the idea of waiting for Mike to heal. She wanted him now and explained all of this to Jill in the car. Jill agreed with Charlotte and was excited for her.

When they got to Jill's house they rushed inside and changed as fast as they could. They didn't know where Mike was going to take them and they didn't care. They were ready, waiting in the living room not saying much but both silently watching TV anticipating Mike's arrival.

Grey was enjoying his time alone. Now that Mike had his new friends, although they didn't practice as much, Grey was really happy for Mike. Grey really wanted to have the girls come over with Mike and to see for himself what Mike had told him so much about.

Grey for whatever reason couldn't for some reason get Jill out of his mind. Ever since he saw her through the fence playing that game he couldn't get her smile out of his mind. He wasn't totally sure why he felt that way, he didn't like her but the only times he couldn't forget a girl was when he liked them. This worried him greatly he wasn't sure why. All he knew was that he was tired of being alone.

He thought of the night of the party and how she looked with that little blue dress on. He had a random thought of how he and Jill could be together and what it would be like to have her near him, but it was fleeting. He was too tired to care about much else. Just then the phone rang and it was Mike.

"Hey man I am going to take the girls out for dinner. I ran into them today and I owe it to them. Is it all right if I bring them over once we're done?"

"Sure man. Me casa su casa." Grey said.

Grey felt a tingle of jealousy that Mike was taking Jill out to dinner. He knew that they were just friends and that Charlotte was going too but after he hung up the phone really wished that he told him to pick him up. He wanted to go.

Grey just sat alone in his living room listening to lonely music wondering about Jill. Grey couldn't figure out why he was so hung up on her, he didn't get it at all. Was it because she didn't throw herself at him like all the other girls did because he had money? Was it because she had seemingly no interest in him? Was it maybe because she truly was becoming a friend to Mike? Her smile that dress, the way she embraced his thoughts. Was he really falling in love with her? Grey didn't know and he was annoyed that he couldn't figure it out and that but most of all he was annoyed that he was even having these types of thoughts. How in the hell could he fall in love with her when he didn't even know her. Logic dictated that he love someone that he knew that shared something with him something that they could both look at. But he knew that sometimes logic didn't fit in all the time and that people were capable of amazing things outside the scope of logic. He just never thought that he was one of those people. What he did know was that she was amazing.

These thoughts wadded through his mind for a while then he remembered that Mike was bringing the girls over. Grey was trying to think of what to do. He came up with the idea this was a perfect he was going to just play it cool. Yes, he was going to play it cool and just be himself. He knew that this wasn't going to work he was going to be a nervous wreck.

He decided that he needed to pace. Yes pacing was good. He knew one thing, and that was that this was going to somehow be a turning point in his life. Only he didn't know how much that was the case.

The girls had just about forgotten about Mike due to the fact that he was taking so long to arrive. They were getting a little annoyed and Charlotte was getting worried that he was going to stand them up. They were on their way to change into regular clothes when they heard the door bell ring. Charlotte nearly jumped and sprinted for the door. She swung it open with such velocity that it scared Mike pale.

"Hey are you guys ready?" Mike said his heart still racing.

"Yeah, let me just get Jill she's still getting ready." Charlotte was giddy as she spoke to Mike.

Charlotte went back to Jill's room to get her, leaving Mike at the door. She stopped half way when she remembered that she left him there.

"Oh here, sit here." Charlotte said as she led him to the couch in the front room. Charlotte knew that she had to keep cool and take it easy she just wanted to make sure that she and Jill were still on the same page. She went into the bedroom. Charlotte was determined to get what she wanted but she also knew that she needed help. The help she knew she would get from Jill.

"Jill, I really want this to work out, I think that Mike is one of the nicest guys I have ever met." Charlotte was pleading with her. But Jill could understand, not only that, but she thought that Mike was probably the best thing that could happen to Charlotte.

"Sure, you know I would help you with anything. All I need is for you to not make a fool of yourself and I promise everything will turn out fine." Jill was speaking with quite some certainty. Charlotte was glad to have a friend like her. She knew that she would help and that what she said was right.

With a look of determination, Charlotte walked out into the living room. Jill thought to herself "Oh god, she has that look". Jill knew that before the end of the night Charlotte would do at least one thing to make a fool of herself.