Chapter 10

The Butterfly Effect
The idea that something small can have much larger effects.

• o 🦋 o •

It was quite a nice day out. Not as frosty as I expected. You know how spring is always late? Well, not today and I was in a good mood. You know what that means; picture time. I was in my front yard looking for butterflies to shoot.

Not kill-shoot, photograph-shoot of course. So far I’d gotten a Swallowtail, a Painted lady and now I was gunning for a red Monarch. It’d been taunting me with it’s speed and inability to sit still for what seemed like hours now.

“You’re not getting away this time.” I mumbled, pointing my camera at the little bug. “Stay there,” I whispered as I adjusted my focus. “Stay.” I commanded as if it was a stupidly loyal dog and not a princely butterfly.

“Ha!” I declared in victory just as I’d snapped the picture. When I lowered my camera the butterfly was gone. “What?!” I searched through my pictures and found the photo blurry. “NO!” I cried.

I glowered at the red butterfly that taunted me from a tree branch. “Curse you.. You.. You..” I stammered with tears in my eyes.

“Oh, I’m sorry! Of course I could never curse you..” I lifted my camera again and approached slowly. “You beautiful, lovely..”

The Monarch fluttered off to a flower.

“CURSE YOU!” I screamed.

“What are you doing?” I heard a whisper in my ear.

Startled, I looked beside me and fell to the ground when I looked into Mica’s hazel eyes. His smile was soft and warm and he was squatting beside me. “Did I startle you?” He asked.

“N-no!” I sat up. “What are you doing here?”

Mica was still in his uniform which meant he’d come here right out of school.

“Well..” Mica shrugged. “I was in the neighborhood.”

“Your school is on the other side of town..”

“What are you up to?” Mica asked, completely ignoring my statement.

“Uh.. Well,” I got back up on my feet. Mica did the same. “I’m trying to capture that Monarch over there but it keeps flying off.”

“This one?” Mica touched the leaf it sat on.

“No, no, no, wait!” I had a mini heart attack when I felt like the little prince would fly off. And it did. It flew from the leaf to the tip of Mica’s nose.

“Oh.” Mica chuckled.

“Wait, hold still!” I lifted my camera lens and adjusted it quickly. I felt I had to hurry or the butterfly would fly away but it seemed super content on Mica’s nose.

I shot picture after picture, halfway through I realized I’d blurred the butterfly and focused completely on Mica’s face.

The Monarch happily fluttered to Mica’s hand.

“Hey there, little guy.” Mica smiled.

“How do you do that? I’ve been trying to shoot it forever!” I was slightly jealous and also in awe. I continued taking pictures and made sure to focus on the butterfly this time.

“I’m not doing anything. Here,” Mica held up my hand and somehow coaxed the butterfly towards me. It flew easily from his hand to mine and I giggled nervously. I’d never had a butterfly approach me, especially a monarch.

Mica chuckled happily.

“Isn’t he just amazing?” I sighed.

“Yes. He is.” Mica seemed charmed by my childish joy.

I held the butterfly with one hand and shot pictures with the other. After one click it flew away.

“You’re magic, aren’t you?” I asked Mica. Or maybe like just attracts like. Of course. He was a butterfly himself.

• o 🦋 o •

Mica and I decided to continue Riley’s birthday planning in my room. He was on the phone with one of the potential locations. Mica wanted to celebrate Riley’s birthday at our usual football club… kind of make it into a holiday for everyone there. It was Riley’s favorite place, after all.

He was sitting on my bed as he was making the phone call, twirling his hair around his finger. He smiled when he met my gaze.

I focused on my job again, which was creating the playlist. I’d already made sure to put all of Riley’s favorite songs on there. Now I was just looking for fillers. Well, there would be a band. Riley’s favorite: Human Drool. (Don’t ask). They were an underground band from town so they didn’t cost that much. Still, I couldn’t believe Mica was willing to pay anything.

“Yes, well-” Mica sighed and listened to the other person on the line. “I know, but it’s her birthday… Couldn’t you reschedule that?” He was so damn polite.

I turned to face him. He held the phone a little away from his ear. It seemed someone was raising their voice at him.

“Well, she’s the best captain in your league, isn’t she? Don’t you think she deserves to be recognized for that?…” More screaming. I couldn’t put up with it anymore. I was angry as hell.

I took the phone from his hand.

“-Hello?”

“Listen sir, you need to stop screaming at my friend, alright?! He’s just trying to do something nice!”

“..Jay, is that you?”  Our concierge, Waylon asked.

“Yes it is.”

“Well, this friend of yours is asking me to cancel an entire football match and I can tell he’s one of those spoiled rich kids. It’s driving me crazy!”

“Well, he’s not! And you need to stop judging him, Waylon! We’ll find a different location, easy. GOODBYE!”

I hung up the phone threw it on the bed. “What an asshat.”

“I think he might’ve just been in a bad mood.” Mica didn’t look at all hurt.

“Doesn’t matter.” I scooted next to him. “That doesn’t excuse him treating you like that!” I was so angry! Mica was the sweetest, kindest, most selfless person I knew and still he was being treated like crap. I could’t handle it.

Mica stroked my back. “It’s okay. You don’t have to get so worked up over that.”

I was surprised by myself. I was usually the one trying to calm Riley down after she’d had some crazy idea or had gone too far in standing up for me. I was never on this side of the fence.

I sighed. “I’m sorry. I went too far didn’t I? And now we definitely won’t get the venue.” I rubbed my hands over my face. “Ugh!”

“I’ll just see if I could go in person. Maybe he’ll change his mind then. Don’t worry about it.”

Mica was so calm. I felt like a reckless idiot. I wasn’t really like this. I was usually the calm one. The one that looked at others from the outside. Mica was inside and still calm. I envied him.

“Mica? Can I ask you something?”

Mica looked into my eyes. He probably read the severity off my face cause he look a little wary as he nodded.

“How come you’re going through all this trouble for Riley? I mean, I know you said she was there for you when your..” I felt bad even saying it. “When that happened to your brother but..”

“She stopped by almost every single day when it happened. She always asked to know how I was doing, even if she couldn’t speak to me because of… Well, you know.”

His dad. What a cruel man that was.

“She’d leave notes telling me I was doing great and that I’d survive this.. even if it didn’t feel that way at all..” Mica pressed his hands together.

“Daniel and I were very, very different. He was loud, I was quiet, he liked soccer, I liked ballet…”

Part of me was hoping he’d say He liked girls, I liked boys. I slapped myself mentally for only thinking of my own interest.

“There was really no reason why we would get along but we did. He was my favorite person in the world, the only person who understood me. And sometimes it even felt like he was the only person that cared about me.” Mica pushed a loose strand of hair behind his ear. He stared at the sheets and thought of how to phrase things.

“Our dad was always kind of.. harsh, I guess. Daniel was the one that stood up to him, or defended me. And I guess when it comes to that, Riley and him are very similar. She softened the pain and the absence of him and made me think that maybe even if he wasn’t there, things would still be okay..” Mica gently met my eyes.

I realized then that emotions swim in people’s eyes. Mica’s eyes were glowing. Joy, melancholy, darkness, light.. So many things all at once.

“Look,” Mica grabbed a note from his pocket and placed it on the bed before me.

I unfolded it and instantly recognized Riley’s messy handwriting.

We both know Danny expects you to keep going! Micaaaaaaaa!!!! Youuuuu gooooooottttt thissssssss!

PS. ill see you at school tmrw

PSPS. obv ill stalk u at your school

PSPSPS.. Cat!

I chuckled.

“Profound.”

“Very.” Mica smirked. “I always find some note of hers in my pocket. Those notes are what sustained me. I was doing so much Ballet and school, I barely got to see anyone. She made me feel like I existed..”

The loneliness that Mica has faced.. And of course, Riley, the human ray of sunshine couldn’t let that happen. I was reminded how great of a friend she was.

“So, basically I owe her big.” Mica chuckled.

“I see.” That made a lot of sense. And it explained why she’d been late to practice so often during those first few months after Daniel’s passing. She was a captain. On and off the field. A true leader.

I’ll admit I might’ve thought this was all a bit excessive at first.. But now that I fully understood Mica’s motivation I was twice as charged to make this the best birthday party ever.

After a while of working Mica lay down on my bed.

“I’m tired.” He said.

“Did you have ballet today?”

Mica nodded and closed his eyes. “God, your bed is so soft. I’m jealous.”

“Your bed wasn’t bad either from what I remember.”

“Yours is definitely softer. My dad says a firm bed will help me keep my edge.” Mica sighed.

Right. His dad the tyrant. I was reminded of the terrible scene I’d witnessed the other day. I wondered if that was as bad is it could get with his dad or if he was actually abusive..

“Your dad’s awfully strict, isn’t he?” I said slowly. I attempted not to sound judgmental or harsh.

“He means well.” Mica shrugged.

“I mean.. from what you just told me it sounds like he won’t even let you have friends.”

“I can have friends. They just… have to be a good influence. And I don’t think my dad likes Riley very much.”

“Does he like me?” I asked immediately.

Mica opened his eyes. “Um…”

“I see.”

Mica sat up and grabbed my arm. “No, I’m not saying he doesn’t like you..” Mica tried very hard to word this kindly. “H-he doesn’t really like anyone, so..” Mica gave up.

“It’s okay. You like me, right?”

This was so unlike me. I would never ask something like this normally. But Mica had said it before and maybe… I wanted to hear it again.

He chuckled. “Yes. I do.”

I smirked contentedly.

Mica liked me. Haha. Hihi.

I was embarrassed at myself. I could tell my ears were red.

Mica gently bumped his feet against mine.

I looked into his eyes. He was blushing too as he gave me an expectant look.

He was so freaking adorable.

“What about me, huh?” He raised his eyebrows.

I laughed. “Of- of course I.. I..”

Mica was leaning in closer, waiting for me to say it. But having his eyes on me made me nervous and I was afraid if I said it he’d hear it in my voice.. The way I liked him was so different from how he liked me.

I closed my eyes. “Yes, I..”

“MICAA!” My sister burst into the room, her little pigtails swaying in the air.

Mica smiled so damn bright when he saw her. “Lila!” He kneeled to the ground and opened his arms. As my baby sister crashed into his arms I let out a big sigh of relief. I’d never been this glad to have Lila interrupt me as now.

I was sweating like a pig by now. I smelled my armpits.

“How is my wife doing?” Mica asked.

Lila’s eyes grew wide in surprise. “You’re saying yes?!”

He’s saying yes?!

Mica nodded. “How could I not?” He laughed.

“Yay!” Lila embraced him tightly and Mica kissed her forehead.

I was aware they were both just playing but still I wished it was me who was getting all that attention.

And who was play-marrying him.

Pout.

Lila grabbed his hand. “Come! I’ll show you our rings!” Mica happily followed after her.

I was happy Lila and him were getting along but… What about me?

Kyle came in. He didn’t say anything. He just stared at me inquisitively.

I looked away and tried not to blush.

He burst out laughing about thirty seconds later. “Little brother, you are so obvious.”

I crossed my arms.

“Does he know?” Kyle leaned against the door.

I shook my head.

“He’s marrying Lila so,”

“Oh, come on!” Kyle grabbed a pencil case from my desk and threw it at me.

“Stop being a wimp and tell him already.”

With that he left the room.

“But what if he doesn’t feel the same way?” I mumbled.

“TELL HIM!” Kyle screamed in the hallway.