Just One Chance : Chapter Five

Chapter Five.
“Hey you!” Michael stands as I enter the quiet little coffee shop. He’s always been the perfect gentleman. That’s one of the reasons I love him.
He wraps me in a hug and I put my arms around him, inhaling his scent.
I’ve missed you so much.
My mind repeats this over and over.
“Hey yourself.” I smile up at him.
We sit and talk for the first time in ages, he tells me how much he likes Nicole, but how he misses hanging out with me.
“So, when will I get to meet Nicole?” I pretend interest in his love life.
He shrugs and changes the subject. We exchange funny work stories for a while until we grow silent, both lost in our own thoughts.
“Katya?”
“Yeah?” I glance up at his face and notice that he looks completely serious. “What’s up?”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Of course.” I smile.
He takes a deep breath. “..Have you ever-“
“Michael!”
I snap my head toward the happy voice. Nicole bounces up to our table and Michael stands to kiss her cheek. She smiles at me. “Katya, right?”
I bite my lip. “Uh yeah.” Why had my mood just taken a nosedive?
“Nice to meet you! Michael’s talked about you.”
She sounds like she’s just trying to be polite. It’s impressive though, she doesn’t seem the least bit jealous. If I found my boyfriend having coffee with another girl, I think I might be just a bit jealous. Especially if that guy was Michael.
“Nice to meet you too. Yeah? Good stuff, right?” I force a laugh and look at Michael. He looks just as uncomfortable as I feel.
Strange.
We talk for what seems like hours, the three of us. Nicole’s actually not so bad. It seems like she does most of the talking, about her family, her church, her job.
I’ve never been much of a believer in anything or anyone, but her faith in this Jesus seems unbreakable.
After a particularly deep conversation about how her God sacrificed his son for everyone’s sins, something I so did not get, I pull out my phone to check the time. I let out a little gasp and stand up. “It’s 9:43! I really should go.”
Nicole stands and pulls me into a hug.
“Don’t forget what I’ve said!”
Michael stands and raises a hand in goodbye. I wait for a hug, and when none comes, I feel inexpressible sadness. I wave back and walk out the door into the pouring rain. I stand under the awning for a couple minutes, hoping the rain will let up. I hear the door open and back into the shadows.
Michael’s voice brings my head up. “Don’t worry babe, she could never ever replace you.”
Nicole’s chirpy voice cuts over to me. “Good. She seems nice I guess. Not much of a threat.” Her laughter rings in my ears. “Want an umbrella?”
Their voices fade into the roar of rain and wind.
Tears fall down my cheeks in hot torrents as I run to my Lexus. I slide into my heated leather seat and turn up the radio and the heat to full blast. I grip the steering wheel as sobs shake my body. I sit like that for who knows how long.
Finally, with tears still streaming down my cheeks, I start my car and pull onto the busy road. My mind feels overwhelmed by a million different things.
The radio pounds.
The hypnotic rain drums on my windshield.
Bright lights from passing cars blind me.
A honking semi horn deafens me.
I hear the crunch of metal before I even see the truck. I feel my body burst with pain. I open my eyes, not even conscious that I had closed them. I scream as I see blood everywhere. Is it mine?
I feel the car spinning out of control.
The airbag hits my face, sending excruciating pain spiraling through my head.
And that’s the last thing I remember before I black out.
***
Michael felt as though he couldn’t breathe. The past hour of his life had seemed like one big sickening dream.
The smell of the hospital nauseated him. The sound of hushed whispers from the other waiting people echoed in his mind. He worked hard to push away the doubt and fear, but the Doctor’s words haunted him.
“She’s in a coma. She’s stable for now, but we don’t know if she’ll make it.”
Everything he said sounded clipped. Monotone. Unreal.
He couldn’t lose her! Not now!
Sudden anger surged through him, and he stood, pacing like a caged lion. How could this have happened? It was all his fault, for wanting to meet her in the first place.
If she didn’t make it, he would never forgive himself.
Ever.
***
In the next couple weeks, going to the hospital became a routine.
Michael would get up, go to the gym, work out, go home and shower, drive to work, and after work he would go to the hospital.
The nurses grew to expect him.
Some days the news was good “She has a little more brain activity today…”
Some days the news was bad “She sank a little further into a coma last night.”
But mostly, she stayed the same. Michael talked to her as if she could hear him.
“You look good today, Kay. I miss you. When are you going to pop open those beautiful green eyes?” Every day that he saw her, lifeless and unmoving on the bed, he grew a little more despondent.
He missed her laugh, her cute dimples, the way she bit her lip when she was nervous or uncomfortable. He wanted his best friend back.
Her not being around made him realize how much he’d taken her for granted.
And the longer she was gone, the more he missed her.
Nicole came occasionally too, telling him that she’d pull through, and talking with him. He didn’t want to socialize though. He’d rather just sit with his best friend.
Alone.

xoxox**

Just One Chance : Chapter Four

Chapter Four.
“How could I be so stupid? I was almost starting to believe he liked me back.”
My best girlfriend, Emily Kline twists her lips in a wry smile. “That's how girls are programmed to think dear. As much as it sucks.”
I abruptly stop pacing and furiously wipe a tear off my nose. “I know, and I hate it. With a passion.”
Emily nods and stands to look at me. “I know. But girl, you should have told him while you had the chance.”
I sink to the bed and look at my feet, my throat tight with unshed tears. “I couldn't.”
She sighs and sits beside me. “Why?”
I shrug “I was afraid of what he'd say I guess.”
“Life's all about risks.”
Emily's casual tone bugs me. “Ugh you don't get it. He would freaked, and things would have gotten weird. He's like, my best friend. I can't lose him.”
“Technically, you already have. Not only did you lose your chance to date him, but he'll start hanging out with Nicole more and you less.”
“I hate how honest you are!” I glare at Emily.
She puts and arm around my shoulders. “I'm sorry, but I promised myself that I'd never life to a friend to make them feel better.”
“I wish I had that nerve. I totally lied to Michael today. I told him I was more than okay with him dating Nicole.”
Emily raises an eyebrow. “That's not good. Now he'll for sure think you'll never like him. Maybe that was a test and now he'll just give up hope.”
“Emily, he wasn't testing me!”
“How do you know?”
“I just do. He could never like me.”
Emily buffs a hand across her forehead. “Why not?”
“He knows everything about me. He’s seen me at my absolute worst.”
“So, what you’re saying is, when you get married, your husband’s not going to know everything about you?”
“That’s not what I-“ I feel my cheeks go red.
“He’s not going to see you at your worst? How’s that going to work? Katya Grace Bennet, stop making excuses. That’s how the best relationships work. Duh.”
I twist my hair around my finger. “I know.”
“I mean, you probably know most, if not everything, about him too, and you like him, right?”
“yeah. I mean… Yeah. I guess..” I stutter.
“And you’ve seen pretty bad sides of him, yes?”
“Yeah. So?”
“So! You still like him. A lot. So it could be mutual. Seriously, what’s not to love about you? You’re gorgeous. And I would kill for your hair.”
I smile. “Shut up. I’m surprised he doesn’t like you.”
“Yeah, me too.” She winks. “Kidding! Hon, don’t compare yourself. That gets you nowhere.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m not. I just don’t think he views me as anything more than a really really close friend. We’re both only childs, so I’m probably like a sister to him.”
Emily takes a breath. “Think what you will. I don’t think it’ll last between him and Nicole.”
We talk for a while until Emily falls asleep. I leave her snoring quietly on my zebra bedspread, grab my phone and walk to my window.
I push it open and inhale the fresh air. I shove my phone in my pocket and pull myself out into my favorite tree. I settle my butt in a crook formed by two branches. I move around until I’m comfortable, then I lean my head back and close my eyes.
My mind goes crazy yelling at me until I can barely take it.
I jump as my phone vibrates. I pick it up, trying to calm my pounding heart. I squint to read the bright screen; one new message from: Michael:))
I touch the screen to read it.
‘Hey Kay. You’re probly sleeping, but sometime I wanna talk to you. In person or ph. Call? Love ya.’
I feel my pulse quicken as I type a quick reply.
‘Hey:) Nah, I’m still awake. What’s up? Love you too.”
His reply hits my phone almost instantly. ‘Wanna meet tomo? Lunch? Subway? 12:15 sharp.’
Plans for lunch aren’t unusual, so I accept. ‘Sure thing. See you then. Goodnight. Sleep well!’
‘Thanks!:) Sweet dreams.’ A smile touches my lips as I read his simple reply, then shut off my phone. I sit in the tree until my legs fall asleep, then I crawl back through the window, shut it, and lay on my bed until sleep overtakes me.
***
Nicole watches as Michael pulls into the Denny’s parking lot. He climbs out of his Mustang and removes his sun glasses.
She smiles and bites her lip. He had been her boyfriend for 4 weeks, and she still wasn’t used to his utter hotness.
She watches him walk with purposeful strides to the door and throw it open.
She grins as he kisses her cheek in greeting then sits down in the booth opposite hers.
“Did you wait long?” Michael dark brown eyes leave her breathless.
“Uh nope. I just got here a couple minutes ago.”
“Good!” His smile made his eyes twinkle.
He was perfect.

“Jason! I said don’t touch that!” I flip the 3-year-old’s hands as they try to grasp a cord hanging off a nearby table.
His pudgy face crumples and he bursts into tears. I sigh and pick him up. Being a nanny never bores me.
“Tay?”
“What, baby?”
“I sorry.” His lower lip trembles and a tear falls into my hair.
“It’s okay. Please obey me though, when I tell you no.”
He nods, his solemn eyes wide.
“Hey, it’s about time to pick up your sister from her piano lessons! Sound fun?” I load him into my car and drive to pick up Allison.
I turn to look at Jason. “Sit tight and Kay will be right back. I’m gonna go get Alli.”
“Otay.”
***
“How was work?” My mom looks up from the paper as I slam the front door and fling my purse onto the kitchen table. I kick off my flats and flop into a recliner.
“Stressful. Jason puked on the carpet because I made him eat his peas. I don’t blame the kid. And Alli asked me why I didn’t have a boyfriend. Then she proceeded to tell me that Michael should ‘be nice and kiss me.’ She never holds back.”
Mom smiles “What girl her age does?”
“Well, it wasn’t exactly what I wanted to hear right now. Especially coming from a 6-year-old.”
“Honey, you need to stop avoiding him. After all, you told him that asking out Nicole was totally okay. And you’re not acting like it’s okay.”
“That’s because it’s not!”
“Then why did you tell him that? While you were in love with him? Not that you ever stopped.”
“Just because. And I’m not in love with him. You sound like Emily. Do you guys plot against me?”
“Just want what’s best for you dear.”
I mumble a response and head up the stairs to take a shower.
After my shower, I try to distract myself by cleaning my room. While in the middle of dusting my bookshelf, my phone pings with the sound of an unread text. I jump onto my bed and grab my phone, rolling onto my back to read it. I see that it’s from Michael and my heart immediately speeds up.
‘Hey. It’s been forever. Wanna hang out today?’
I accept the invitation and launch myself off my bed and run to my walk in closet. I have to look perfect. Not that he will care, or even notice. I just have to look perfect for him.

xoxox**