Platonic Benevolence

Chapter Five ~ Celebration

 

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When we arrived at Nadine's house, all three of us went inside, causing Nadine's mother to jump. She recovered, putting a hand over her heart.

"Oi! What happened to the three of you!?! You're not the same as I remembered!" She went over to Nadine and held her at arms length. "Oi! This be not my daughter as I remember her, she turned dead on me." Nadine's mother said with a smile on her face. Nadine rolled her eyes.

"I guess I look convincing. Which is a good thing." Nadine said looking at me then at her mother.

"Oh yes, trick or treaters will be here in a half an hour, so...here, put this by the door." Nadine's mother said handing Nadine a bowl of candy. "I need to get ready, I ordered pizza so it should be here in about ten minutes."

"All right mom." Nadine said, putting the bowl of candy by the door, as she was instructed to do. She turned back to us and gave a smile.

"I think I'm going to watch TV for a half an hour...feel free to do whatever you'd like." Nadine said, looking at the both of us before walking into the living room. Michael looked at me, as he took off his shoes. I did the same since my feet were beginning to hurt from being in five inch stilettos. I looked at him.

"Well what do you want to do, while the pizza gets here?” I asked checking my watch and looking back at him with a questioning expression.

"I don't know," He said, as we made our way upstairs.

“You know, this is most fun I've had since...since..." He stopped trying to think. "Since probably I was with Lisa..." He stopped, seeming flabbergasted by his sudden finding.

"Damn I need to get out more." He said as we stood at the top of the stair well.

"Okay." Was all I could say. I needed some time to myself, because I had to have a cigarette, since my cravings were getting a bit annoying. I looked at Michael, as I grabbed my purse from the bedroom

"I'm going to go for a walk down to the beach. I won't be gone long. I just need some fresh air." I announced loud enough so that Nadine and her mother could hear me. I slipped on my sandals from the bedroom. I made my way downstairs and I was about to walk out the door.

“Crystal, wait up.” Michael said as he ran over to the entryway and  put on his loafers. Then we both headed out the door. We walked down to the beach in silence. Once we arrived, I took out my pack of cigarettes and lit one up.

"You never told me you smoked!" Michael said looking at me with a wide-eyed expression.

"Actually I told you last night…don’t you remember?" I asked looking at him.

“Oh yeah, I forgot…you don’t mind if I…”

“You don’t smoke…” Suddenly Michael took the cigarette out of my hand and taking a long drag off of it. He inhaled the smoke, and let it out slowly.

"Okay I guess I was wrong.” I said getting another cigarette out of my pack and lighting it.

“What else do you do that nobody else knows about?” I asked, intrigued to find out about all of his other little secrets.

“Well I smoke a little pot every now and then, but I don’t consider myself a pothead.”

“Really, and I’m sure you were a bad boy when you were younger too huh?”

“Actually no…”

“No?”

“Nah, actually, I lost my virginity when I was 17 to a girl who I thought I loved. But she turned out to be another groupie. I never really loved anyone until I met Lisa."

"Was that the girl you wrote 'Billie Jean' about?" I asked looking at him. It seemed to be a painful topic for him.

"Yeah, she claimed that her son was mine, but it was my brother Marlon's. I thought it was at first, but the paternity test came back negative. So..." Michael said, taking yet, another drag of his cigarette.

"I know it seems like I'm prying a lot and I'm sorry, but when did you start smoking and drinking?" I asked our eyes meeting again.

"When bad habits pretty much start, as a teenager. Peer pressure from my older brothers. Tito still smokes…" Michael said, looking at me. I nodded in agreement and gave a laugh of amusement.

"Ah yes, peer pressure, isn't it a bitch?" I said, taking another drag off my cigarette and flicking it into the ocean. Michael did the same, flicking his cigarette farther than me into the ocean.

"Yeah," He said his eyes meeting mine. I felt that gravity again, pulling me towards him. "I've never told anyone that before, not even my closest friends know half the shit that I'm telling you. But I feel that I can trust you with anything. I'm an extremely private person by nature, I've never been able to trust really anyone..." Our faces were drawing closer and closer. He licked his lips.

"I need to tell you something and I don't want you to be upset with me, but…I'm falling in love with you Crystal, I can't help it, there this mysterious force that attracts me to you. As much as I want to be friends…” He looked down at the sand then back up at me.  “I know that you care about Jason a lot but I can‘t help how I feel." His eyes met mine and studied me for a moment before continuing.

“You know, yesterday at the soccer game, I couldn’t take my eyes off of you. I was watching you almost the entire time. I wasn’t really paying attention to the game, I was studying your face instead.” He looked at again, I was speechless. I couldn’t find any words to say. I looked at him. My lips tried to form the words to say. Any words for that matter.

“Michael, I…I don’t know what to say…”

“Don’t say anything then, just…” His lips crashed upon mine with such fury that it nearly knocked me back. I didn’t try to fight it, instead I gave in, allowing myself to absorb all of his passion. He pulled away from me.

“What time is it?”  I checked my watch.

"Oh shit, we need to get back. Nadine’s going to have a conniption.” I said looking at him. He nodded as he got up. He helped me up.

“Thank you for being real with me. But I think we should keep this little thing between us.” He smiled and gave me another sweet kiss.

"I won’t tell anyone if you don’t, but you're right we need to go." He said kissing me again. I smiled as we began our trek back to Nadine's house.

When we got back to Nadine’s house, the trick-or-treaters were flocking the streets, running from house to house gathering their beloved candy.  Michael and I laughed at some of the kids’ costumes and at their frivolous conversations, both of us wishing to be kids again.

“Oi!!!! I thought you two fell off the face of the earth! What took you guys?” Nadine asked, dropping candy into three trick-or-treaters bags, sounding a bit irritated at our tardiness.

“We lost track of time.” I said putting it plainly, as I grabbed a piece of pizza out of the pizza box.

“Yeah, sorry Nadine…” Michael apologized, as he grabbed a slice and began devouring it like he hadn’t eaten all day.

“If you want, I can pass out candy…why don’t you get ready for the Halloween party…” I offered, as I began eating my slice of pizza. Nadine reluctantly let me take her place.

“Thank you,” She said, walking out of the entryway and handing me the half-full bowl of candy. She walked out of the kitchen and made her way upstairs. I continued passing out the candy to the trick-or-treaters as they rang the doorbell. Michael continued eating, passing occasional glances my way. At around 8:00pm the police were patrolling the streets, letting the children and parents know that trick-or-treating  time was over. I breathed a sigh of relief, for I thought that I was going to run out of candy.

“Hey Michael, you want a candy bar. I only have a few left and since you didn’t have dessert…”

“I’d love one.” Michael said taking one out of the bowl. Nadine came down the stairs and grabbed the last two candy bars remaining and gave one to her mother, who was dressed up as a witch.

“Nice costume, Ms. Willis…are you excited about tonight?”

“Ah, not really, I never look forward to chaperoning at these dances, but I have to because I’m on the Parent School Counsel.” Ms. Willis said, looking at me. She then looked at Michael. “So are you coming Mr. Jackson? We could always use more chaperones. Crystal has volunteered to chaperone…”

“Well, both Nadine and Crystal have already volunteered me, I guess…that was the plan wasn’t it?” Michael asked looking at Nadine and I. We both nodded in agreement.

“I can drive us over there…unless you wanted to take your own vehicle, so that you’re not depending on me if you decide to leave early.” Ms. Willis said, noticing the chemistry that was developing between Michael and I.

“Well you don’t have to…” I started.

“Sure why don’t we take two vehicles…” Michael said, deciding for the both of us. I looked at Michael, who was pleading with me. I gave in.

“All right, fine. I guess I’ll go with Michael.”  I said, feeling defeated. “I was just trying to save us gas…”

“Don’t be silly Crystal,” Michael said, poking my side. I flinched. Suddenly my cell phone rang in my purse across the kitchen. I walked over to where my purse and dug inside it to retrieve it. I glanced at the number and immediately recognized it as Jason’s number. I went into the entryway for some privacy as I answered the call.

“Hey baby, how are you?” I asked.

“I’m okay, I miss you like crazy…how are you?”

“I’m doing pretty good, I’m on my way to Nadine’s Halloween party…”

“Yeah? Are you having fun?”

“I’m having a blast. If only you were here babe…” I said, telling a half-lie.

“I know, I wish I didn’t have to work…”

     

“Well, how is everything going?” I asked.

“All right I suppose…the real reason I called was to say that I love you and that I miss you a lot…” I heard a female’s voice in the background.

“Jason, who’s there with you?” I asked, a bit shocked to hear the voice of a female in the background.

“Oh, it’s a co-worker from work…I’m over at her house chilling with some friends…” Nadine started to point to her watch, signaling that we should start heading out the door.

“I see…” Not really buying into his story. Suddenly I heard the female whine in the background…”Jason…tell her the truth.”

“The truth? What is she talking about Jason?” I heard Jason say in a muffled voice that he was getting to it. There was more laughter. “Hurry baby, I’m getting horny.” My jaw dropped as I nearly dropped the phone as well. Tears welled up in my eyes but my rage acted as dikes, preventing my tears from spilling over. I heard Jason shushing the female.

“You sorry son of a bitch! You think that you’re sly don’t you?  I don‘t need this!!!”

“Crystal wait! Honey don’t hang up!?! Let me explain…”

“Save it! I don’t want to hear it, I’m going to Nadine’s party. Forget this number and DON’T call me again! I’m through with you. You can have your ring back too. Asshole.” Having the last word I hung up on my now ex-fiancé. I shut my phone off so that I wouldn’t be disturbed by his constant phone calls. I drew in a deep breath and contained the strong emotions that I felt.  After a minute or so, I walked into the kitchen where Ms. Willis, Nadine and Michael were waiting. I obviously didn’t conceal my emotions from showing up on my face.

“What happened?” Michael asked looking at me. I avoided his eyes.

“Nothing…don’t worry about it.” I said, camouflaging the switch of my engagement ring to my right hand. I thought of Nadine’s point she made earlier, and very strongly considered it as we made our way out of the house. Nadine and her mother got into their vehicle while I climbed into Michael’s SUV.

“Your really quiet, are you sure you’re okay?” Michael asked, sounding sincerely concerned about me.

“I’ve been doing some serious thinking.” I said, my head still swimming with thoughts.

“Serious thinking huh? It wouldn’t have anything to do with you wearing your engagement ring on the wrong hand does it?” Michael asked, his eyes meeting mine for the first time since my conversation with Jason. His eyes were full of genuine concern for me.

“How did you--”

“I’m an artist Crystal, I pay attention to details…” My eyes averted to the engagement ring that I spun around my right ring finger nervously. I felt Michael’s eyes study me for a moment. I didn’t dare look up at him though. I felt betrayed, and somehow Michael knew that. We started off toward Nadine’s school, following closely behind Ms. Willis’ vehicle. We sat in silence the whole way to the school. Michael pulled into the parking lot and picked a spot closest to the double doors of the gymnasium entrance. He put the car in park and waved at Nadine and Ms. Willis to go inside. I was still spinning the ring around my finger, my mind still swimming with thoughts. I was brought back to reality when Michael placed a hand underneath my chin and brought my head up eye level with him.

“Crystal, you did nothing wrong. You didn’t deserve whatever he did to you. None of it is your fault.”

“I know…let’s just go inside. I need to dance.” I said, getting out of the car. I shut the car door and checked my reflection in the mirror. My make-up was still flawless. I gave a small smile as I drew in a deep breath. I was determined to put this negative mood behind me, even if it meant dancing all night. I walked around the car to the driver’s side where Michael was standing. He held his hand out and I took it gladly as we headed toward the gymnasium.