Chapter 14

Love Bug
A person who is in love; a sweetheart.

• o 🦋 o •

After having to suffer through yet ANOTHER the talk moment with my mom last night, this morning I was determined to leave for school nice and early. I opened the door to head for my bike. Though unlike most days, my bike wasn’t alone in my garden.

Mica stood next to it, holding a box in his hand. He was turned away from me and he didn’t seem to notice I was there at all. He appeared to be mumbling something. Behind him stood the shiny black car that brought Mica everywhere, its engine still running.

I was so flipping happy to see him. I couldn’t believe he was here. And so early too!

“Mica,” I called his name.

He was startled and almost dropped the box. “Oh, hey.” He chuckled.

I came up to him and then I realized I wasn’t sure what to do. Was I supposed to kiss him now or.. just a hug?

“I uh..” Mica began. He seemed really nervous. Oh no, was he breaking up with me? Already? Was in that box the last of my belongings that I’d left at his place?

Wait.. there were no belongings at his place because we’d only just started dating.. That’s even sadder!

“I- here.” Mica held out the box to me. “I made you this.”

Reluctantly I took the box and opened it.

I only now realized it was a bento box and it was filled with sushi rolls, rice balls, chopped veggies, I could even see some fruit and candy in a separate compartment.

“I- I don’t know if you even like this.. I just thought.. I’m gonna be really busy and I probably won’t see you this week so..” Mica looked really confused. He was blushing hardcore, as was I probably. “Sorry.” He added.

“No, don’t apologize I’m really happy!” I held Mica’s arm.

“Really?”

“Of course! I can’t believe you did all this! Seriously, thank you.”

I closed the lid and placed the bento on a chair in our garden. I leaned down for a kiss but Mica turned away.

“Everyone can see..” He said quietly.

“There’s no one else here right now.”

Mica looked around. The neighborhood was dead silent.

“Okay.” Mica reluctantly agreed and took a step closer to me.

His lips were warm against the chill of the morning. I pulled him closer to me by his waist with one hand while I held the nape of his neck with the other. His baby hairs were dancing against my skin as his lips wrestled with mine.

Mica seemed to be just as new to this as I was, judging from his response last time. He probably wasn’t used to french kissing either. I wondered if it would be okay for me to try that. But just as I’d mustered up the courage to ask, I heard soft voices behind me.

“I told you guys. It’s serious.” Kyle attempted to be quiet.

I turned around.

“I can hear you, doofus!”

“Shit..!” Kyle whispered, hiding behind the door.

Mica looked mortified as he looked at my entire family spying at us from the open door.

“They already knew.” I clarified.

“Huh?”

“They figured it out on their own yesterday, I’m sorry.” I told Mica.

“Oh..” He seemed to have no idea how to respond but I could tell inside he was having five different panic attacks at once.

“They won’t tell a soul, right guys?” My voice sounded a little threatening. I was protective over Mica. Over us.

They all agreed immediately.

Mom came outside in her socks. Her hands cupped Mica’s cheeks. “If you’re not ready to tell anyone, no one will hear anything from us. Promise.” She said earnestly.

Mica nodded. He looked so scared. “Thank you.”

Mom pulled him in for a hug. Later Kyle, dad and I joined too. Lila came running screaming ‘Me too!’ which made us all laugh. Mom had explained to Lila how Mica liked her just as much as she liked him but just not in the same way. She told her Mica was very special to me like how dad was to her. She seemed to understand and she wasn’t sad or angry anymore.

“Guys?” I heard Mica from somewhere in the middle of our hug-pile. “I have to go.” He chuckled nervously.

We all pulled away.

“Thank you all.” Mica said, tears of gratitude in his eyes.

“Come by for dinner soon, okay?” Mom squeezed his cheek before heading on inside with Kyle. Dad tapped his shoulder and Lila gave him a tight hug before leaving us two alone.

“I’ll see you next week.” Mica said.

Next week. No!!

I nodded and kissed Mica’s cheek.

He waved and disappeared inside the black car. I watched as he drove off and wished he’d make a U-turn and come back already.

• o 🦋 o •

I yawned during the world’s most boring history class and looked down at my bag. I could feel the warmth in my cheeks. My stomach rumbled. I couldn’t wait for lunchtime.

Riley threw another scrunched up paper at me, as she’d been doing all day so far.

“Stop!” I threw one back.

“When are you going to tell me who your secret girlfriend is, huh? I have the right to know!” Riley pouted.

She’d figured out our little make-a-move plan had worked the second she saw me walk into class.

“And I have a right to privacy!” I said.

“No, you don’t! That’s rule number one in friendship, Jay!”

“I will tell you when the time’s right.” I said.

Riley answered that by throwing more paper balls at me.

“Riley and James, would you like detention?” Our tired old teacher asked.

“No, sir.” Riley and I said simultaneously.

“Than stop monkeying around and pay attention!”

“Yes sir!” We both said.

When it was finally lunch time I hurriedly opened my bag and pulled out Mica’s fancy bento. I was so lucky. I was basically living every guy’s fantasy.

“What is that?!” Riley gasped.

I covered the bento again. “Will you promise to stop bugging me about the identity of my girlfriend?”

“Fine! Just show meee!”

Thank you, Mica. Your powers are endless.

I bowed to him in thought and revealed the delicious meal in front of me.

“Wow!”

“I know.” I sighed.

“Is your girlfriend a chef or something?”

“Riley…”

“What? I didn’t ask her name.”

“She’s not a chef. Just.. amazing at everything.”

Now for the taste…

I pulled out my chopsticks and decided to start with the tuna roll.

“Oh my!” I said. “God, this is good!”

The flavors were just so well-balanced. Nice and salty, a hint of umami and just that complimentary bit of sweetness.

“Can I try?!”

“Sure. There’s more than enough for the two of us. But leave at least one of everything!”

“Yesss!” Riley dug right in and she too was in awe with my ‘secret girlfriend’s cooking.

“Tell her to open a restaurant! It’s perfect!” Riley said with her mouth full.

Mica would never do that. That guy lived for the stage.

I decided to text him. I glanced over at Riley and she was too busy devouring my lunch to peek at my phone.

Jay: Currently eating your food! It’s so delicious!!

Was I supposed to say something else? Like… ‘Love you’ or ‘XXx’?

Oh, I was so bad at this.

Jay: Miss you.

God! No! Now I sounded too dependent! I’d literally seen him in the morning!

In agony I put my phone down and decided to eat away my feelings.

I stuffed my face with Mica’s fruit (which was cut into cute shapes), octopus sausages, strawberry mochi (was it homemade???!!!) and it definitely made me feel… full. Not exactly relieved though. Mica probably thought I was crazy.

When I heard a beep from my phone I speedily checked and sighed of relief when glancing upon Mica’s response.

Mica: I’m so glad. Miss you too.

“Eeekkkk!” I couldn’t contain myself!

“S’that your GF?” Riley asked.

I nodded and shoved my phone back into my pocket.

I slammed my head on the table and wondered how I was ever going to get my heart to start beating normally again. 

• o 🦋 o •

Soccer practice was long and hard. Riley’d spent most of the time screaming at me to keep my head in the game, but how could I? The beast of love had come to take my soul! I’d been eaten alive by the love bug himself! 

I had to see him. It hurt not to see him. As we were sitting in our snack bar, eating fries and drinking cokes all I thought was ‘Mica, where are you?’ I was in deep trouble. Mica had a lot of power over me. Well, most people had a lot of power over me. I wasn’t a difficult person and I easily went along with almost anything so long as it wasn’t illegal or extremely weird.. 

But Mica.. he had me in more ways than I could understand. It was scary. It was almost desperate how much I’d do for him and how quickly. If he called me and told me to move to Paris with him I would do it. Or.. at least consider it with a ninety percent chance of me saying yes. He could break my heart and my soul and I could never hate him for it. I’d simply thank him for giving me a chance in the first place. 

Mica, you own me. Do you know?