Chapter 33

Why Break A Butterfly Upon A Toad ?

• o 🦋 o •

Riley had flung her arms around Mica and we ate our pizza together, all three of us. We watched a movie and then Riley had gone home.

I wanted to keep Mica’s presence a secret for the time being. I would tell my family he was staying here tomorrow. For now I’d just grabbed a spare mattress and laid it on the floor next to my bed.

I offered to sleep in it but Mica vehemently refused.

I sat up on my elbows. Mica came from my bathroom. I couldn’t help but notice his shorts and sleep shirt were both green.

“All green?” I asked.

Mica smiled and blushed. He looked away.

“It’s… They were the only pair I had. That still looked good.” Mica said without looking at me.

That was an outright lie. Had he bought this just for me?

Mica got on the mattress and I turned off the light.

I was hyper aware of Mica’s breaths in the dark room.

We lay in silence for about half an hour. I wondered if him coming back to me meant we were all good again. I knew he still cared about me but was he ready to be with me again?

Oh, what was I thinking? Of course not! His father had just left today! It was hard for him. He was not ready to be in a relationship! Why was I so stupid!

“James? Are you awake?” I heard Mica’s gentle voice.

“Yeah.” I whispered. My voice cracked.

“Um… I..” Mica mumbled. “Can I.. Can I sleep in your bed with you?”

My eyes grew big and I nodded frantically.

“James?”

Oh! He couldn’t see me!

“Yes!” I whispered. I sounded so freaking desperate.

I heard creaking and I felt Mica settle beside me. I had my back turned toward him.

“Um.. How are you?” I whispered. Awkwardly put. Good job, Jay.

“It’s.. weird. My house is completely empty now. Well, apart from Charles. I really.. I’m really surprised my dad agreed to this. It’s unlike him.”

“Well.. When I talked to him.. he was holding a family photo of you guys. I realized how much he cares about you and how much he misses your brother and mom. And while I’ll never understand how anyone could hurt someone they love like that, his determination to be better and to treat you right.. to right his wrongs.. I could see it all in his eyes. You’re his why.”

Mica didn’t say anything. After a while I felt a gentle arm around my waist. I sighed of relief and held it.

“It’s going to be hard not having him around but I know he’ll come back better.” Mica sighed.

“He will. I know he will.” I caressed his hand.

“And.. I’m really happy you’re letting me stay here. James, I’ve never felt more at home anywhere else.”

I smiled and squeezed his arm.

We lay there silently. And I thought about things we’d said.

“Mica…”

“Hm?”

“When I saw you and Orlando together… You said you were celebrating. Celebrating what?”

I turned around. The moonlight lit up Mica’s sweet face.

He smiled softly.

“Well.. I’m uh..” Mica blushed happily. “Going to be part of the National Ballet. Officially. As a soloist.” He smiled.

“WHAT?!” I screamed.

“James!” Mica squeezed my arm and chuckled.

“What?!” I whispered.

Mica nodded.

“Are you- seriously? You’re going to be a prince?!”

Mica laughed. “Well.. that’s usually for the principal dancers but.. if I get lucky.. maybe next time you come to see me dance I’ll be a prince.” Mica nodded.

“I’m so happy for you! This is all you wanted!” I grabbed Mica’s cheek without thinking. We stared at each other’s eyes for a moment, both of us a little shocked.

My eyes wandered to Mica’s lips as always. And his eyes seemed to be doing the same.

I wanted to kiss him so bad but I was worried he wasn’t ready.

I leaned in slowly, cautiously gauging his response. Mica did the same and our lips gently brushed together. Our lips parted and before we could kiss Mica turned his head.

My heart was racing. I was confused.

He simply buried his head in my chest and embraced me.

I held him and nodded. He wasn’t ready. I stroked his back.

• o 🦋 o •

Like the sneaky little critter he was, Mica, when I woke up, was already gone. I shook my head.

I brushed my teeth and sleepily made my way through the hallway.

Then I heard my brother’s voice. And.. Mica’s.

I followed the sound into Kyle’s room. Neither of them saw me.

Mica was pressed against the wall.

“So if you ever hurt my brother again I will rip the limbs from your body one by one and feed them to cannibals. Then I’ll skin whatever is left of you and make a leather bag and then I’ll trim your oddly colored hair and donate it-“

“KYLE!” I screamed horrified.

Both Kyle and Mica flinched in surprise.

“What the hell are you doing?!”

“Oh, nothing. Mica and I were just having a little chat.” Kyle patted Mica’s chest.

“I heard what you said. Kyle, you don’t even know what happened so don’t go threatening-”

“No, it’s okay.” Mica said. “Your brother’s right.”

“He was talking about turning you into a bag!”

“If I hurt you again. So I agree with him.” He looked up at Kyle. “But I won’t. I promise.” Mica’s eyes were hard and steadfast.

Kyle looked a little taken aback but he nodded anyway.

• o 🦋 o •

“So you stayed the night.” Mom nodded. We were all having dinner now. Mica included.

“Uh.. yeah.” He admitted shyly.

“I see. And you remembered our little conversation? About safety-”

“Dad! We did not have sex!”

“What’s sex?” Lila asked.

“I don’t buy it. I can see the glow.” Kyle muttered.

“What glow?!”

“The one on both of your faces! It’s a sex glow.”

“It is not!” I gave my brother a short push.

“And when I spoke to Mica he practically told me it’s true so.. don’t deny it.”

“What?!” I stared at Mica in disbelief.

“I did not say that! Why are you lying!” Mica’s whole face was red.

“You told me with your body language.” Kyle nodded and smirked.

“You’re freaking disgusting, Kyle! Stop projecting your perversions on my- On Mica!”

“I’m sorry, what were you about to say there? My what?”

I pushed Kyle again and he quickly retaliated. Now we were hitting each other like a set of cats.

“Boys! Calm down!” Dad complained.

“What is body language?” Lila asked.

Mom was laughing at us. And Mica was entirely red and covered his face with his hands. After a while he looked up and began to chuckle as he watched us fight.

I was so distracted and enchanted by the sound of his laughter that I didn’t notice my brother tackling me to the ground.

Now everyone was laughing but I only noticed Mica.

• o 🦋 o •

The next day I came home from school and I was nervous and excited to see Mica. Surprisingly the whole house was empty. Normally my mom and little sister would be here by now.

“Hello?” I called as I wandered through the vacant house. “Anyone?”

I walked by the glass doors leading to the backyard and noticed Mica quietly mumbling to himself. I smiled and thought of the time he’d made me lunch.

I walked right outside. And then I saw… everything.

Mica was standing, turned away from me in the middle of five tree stumps. Each stump had a butterfly-shaped dish on it.

Butterfly cupcakes on one, one with butterfly cookies, butterfly rice balls(?), butterfly fried snacks and lastly.. a plant. Entirely covered in live butterflies.

My mouth fell open. “…How?”

HOW DOES SOMEONE DO THIS?! WHERE DID HE EVEN GET THE STUMPS? DID HE CARRY THEM HERE FROM THE FORREST?!

Mica finally noticed me. He looked so damn nervous.

“What is all this?” I asked.

He looked lovely. He was dressed in green, which seemed to be the only color he was wearing ever since he came here. He was wearing a chartreuse knit sweater with a white collar sticking out at the top and deep khaki green pants with cute white sneakers.

“Why are you wearing that?” I asked.

Mica’s eyes widened. “Do you not like it?” He asked panicked.

“No, I love it but it’s.. summer. You’re gonna get heat stroke or something.”

“Oh..” Mica looked at the ground. He was holding a note.

I was so confused.

“I’m okay.” Mica shook his head. “I just.. wanted to look nice for you and I don’t have that many green clothes so..”

A huge smile crept up on my face. I took a step closer. I was going to hug the shit out of him.

“Wait! I have to say something.”

I stood still in place.

Mica took a deep breath. He looked so scared.

“What is going on? You’re making me nervous.”

“I-I know. I’m sorry. I just wanna do this right-” The wind blew and it blew Mica’s note right out of his hands. It disappeared behind a tree.

Mica looked hopeless for a moment. Then he gulped and his eyes turned determined and strong. He finally looked at me.

“James, I have to.. I haven’t apologized-“

“Yes, you have! You don’t have to do all this, I understand-”

“No please, I just let me say this.”

I nodded.

“James, I hurt you and I never wanted to do that. You are..” Mica looked at the ground. “You are.. Someone..” He could hardly say anything. His cheeks were red.

“You are the most important person in my life.”

My heart began to race.

“You make me feel loved and you show me what it feels like to love and to let someone in. And I’ve missed you so much these past few weeks and.. I never should’ve told you to leave and I never should’ve hurt you because you’ve never hurt me. And you were my reason for smiling.”

Mica fumbled with his fingers and smiled softly. Then he looked serious again.

“So I’m sorry I hurt you and I hope you can forgive me.”

“I do. I told you.” I laughed. I took a step forward to hug him.

“A-and..”

I waited.

“And.. I don’t wanna be your friend.”

I frowned. Now my heart was racing but not from joy but from panic.

Wait, was this a goodbye speech?! Was he leaving me?! Was he going to live with Charles?! Did he hate me?! Did I remind him of his dad or of what could’ve been or??!?!?

“I mean- Of course I do but.. I’d rather..” Mica stared at the ground again. 

“I know I don’t have the right to ask this but.. I really want you to be my boyfriend. I promise I will never hurt you again.”

He was much more concerned with how he hurt me than I was. I was just glad he was back. And the pain had gone away. The second he came back to me.

And now he wanted me back?! Really?!

“Isn’t it too soon?” I asked.

“I-is it too soon for you?”

“No! I mean, for you!”

Mica frantically shook his head.

I smiled. I finally took the last step towards Mica and pulled him into my arms.

“Yes. Of course I’ll be with you! Forever!”

Mica smiled and lit up my heart. I pulled him on top of my shoes and kissed him tenderly. And he kissed me back.

I was so relieved and finally it felt like everything was the way it belonged. I could hardly believe this was real. Not for the first time I wondered what Mica saw in me. But then I blushed as I remembered his words. I was his reason for smiling.

A big smile crept up on my face too.

I pulled away slightly and looked around. “You know you didn’t have to do all this, right? You know you could just sit me down and ask me to commit a few felonies and I’ll probably say yes to that too.”

Mica chuckled. “Oh.”

“Yeah.”

Mica fumbled with my shirt. “Well.. this is the toned down version. I was going to make ten dishes and decorate your room and.. Well.. Kyle said that would be too much.”

I laughed. “You’re crazy. You’re more than enough. I don’t need all that. But it’s nice.” I rubbed Mica’s cheek. He smiled at me.

“I love you.” I whispered in his ear.

“I love you.” He answered and we kissed again.

Right so, back to the sewing our lips together thing- it’s not a bad idea at all. I say we go for it.

We suddenly heard a loud croak and both pulled away.

Somehow a huge toad had made it’s way up the stump with the butterflies.

“Oh no, you hate toads.” Mica moved to shoo it away but I pulled him back to me.

“No, you can leave it. You were right.. It’s pretty cute.”

One of the butterflies on the plant flew toward the toad. It sat down on it’s head. It looked a little odd but somehow they matched perfectly. Like Mica and I. And unlike last time it didn’t flutter away. It stayed right where it was.

Butterfly And Toad
Opposites that make a surprisingly perfect match.

— • o 🦋 o • —

Author’s Note~

That was the last chapter! ;-; Wow I just realized this story has been running since February! It’s been eight months o.o 

I just want to thank everyone who has been reading this story and voting and commenting. It’s so rewarding to know people are reading and liking and loving (and fan art-ing?!!!) your story. Your comments have made me smile and kept me going. 

I’ll now be delving into writing an extra chapter or two just for fun and cuteness <3 

Also, I highly suggest you look up ‘butterfly upon a toad’ on google. Some people made oil paintings with butterflies on toads.. it’s just so perfect. Some of those images are exactly what I thought about when I thought of this story. I wish I could post them all!

I don’t usually write light-hearted stories but I hope you can enjoy some of my (more dramatic/ darker) other books anyway xD

In any case, thank you for supporting this story. It means a lot to me!

<3 <3 <3