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Tough Love Part 95; Part 4 (1)
Iâ??d like to thank yâ??all for the votes so far! 5 feels better than none :). I know I put emphasis on voting because I can tell whether Iâ??m possibly doing something wrong or not. Plus feedback is crucial to me. Anywho, hereâ??s the next part ;-) **************************************************************** Chapter 95; Part 4 (1) Christmas Night, 1978 No matter how many times Michael would smile, I still didnâ??t want to talk about my ordeal at the Leviâ??s right now. Actually, I was staring out the window as slow songs seemed to be a marathon on the stereophonic sound (a.k.a. stereo). But then I begin to hear Michael clear his throat until I sucked in my breath and turned towards him. â??That was some Christmas dinner, hunh?â? â??You have no ideaâ?¦.â? I mumble. â??The momâ??s cookinâ?? was great. The sister is quiet. But the familyâ??s personality seems mix-matched.â? â??Okay, so I was drooling on the rolls the mom baked. The sister isnâ??t that quiet. We actually didnâ??t care for each other, and she was just star struck Michael.â? I say as I make sure to look at him. â??And yes, the familyâ??s personality IS mix-matched.â? â??Wowâ?¦so harsh.â? â??Iâ??m not being harsh. Iâ??m just telling the truth. I mean you just SAID it.â? â??I knowâ?¦.But that,â? he clears his throat again but with difficulty this time, â??boyfriend of yours is a trip. I never denied the fact that heâ??s from New York. And I didnâ??t need him to give me the nicknames of New York either.â? â??Thatâ??s just M.Jâ?¦..You just stepped on the wrong toes.â? â??I didnâ??t go out and say, â??Iâ??m from Indiana! Thatâ??s the Hoosier State!â??â? â??And I wouldnâ??t expect you to.â? Michael doesnâ??t say anything until we stop at another light. â??Can I see that bracelet of yours? I didnâ??t get to see it that well because you showed it to his mom and sister.â? I did my best to not sigh too loud, but I do as he turns on the light in the car. When he reaches for my wrist, he examines it. But when he saw what M.J. had engraved on it, Michael gets that quizzical look on his face again. The light changes so Michael starts driving again. â??Why does he have to have that engraved in it? Doesnâ??t everyone know yâ??all already dating by now?â? â??Yeahâ?¦Iâ??d think so. But maybe not. Maybe the rest of America thinks WEâ??RE dating.â? Michael thinks about that for a second, then he snorts. â??Oh â??The Dating Gameâ??? I guess thatâ??s not reflecting how we really are after all, hunh?â? I could FEEL the strife Michael had just spouted out at me. So I just shrug. But my own feelings of strife came when I saw that white Victorian house again. In fact, I turned away from its view and started swallowing hard. I was going to tell Michael â??I swear I donâ??t want to go in that house.â? But he turns down the music and when he parks, he taps me on the arm and stares me in my eyes. â??Now, I had dropped my fork while you were looking at him, and while I was under the table, I saw M.J. GRIPPING your thigh.â? Ohâ?¦Godâ?¦. â??Yeahâ?¦â? â??But it looked like he was CLENCHING your thigh Lyric.â? â??Soâ?¦?â? â??Lyricâ?¦â? Michael sighs and rolls his eyes like Iâ??m usually doing to him. â??It looked like M.J. was hurting you.â? .... I wanted to say something but Michaelâ??s face had no patience for sorry excuses, so I look away and get out the car. Then I knock on the trunk so Michael could open it for me. I grab up as many presents as I can, and as Michael does his best to make eye contact with me, I avert them as I open the door with my key. The lights are dimmed with the Christmas tree lights still on. The kitchen light was on also. I did my best to walk through this tornado, but it was treacherous like the Red Sea. This is why: Clarence was and obviously waiting on the edge of the sofa. And when Angela heard the front door open, she came flying out the kitchen. When I had reached the stairs and my hand was on the rail, Clarence stopped me. â??Lyric get back here.â? My head was bowed. I was in NO mood for this. But whether I run or not, it wouldnâ??t make a difference because Iâ??m SURE they were going to force me to open my gifts in-front of them. I turned around with the gifts I already had and sat them by the stairs before walking over to him with dull eyes. He didnâ??t say anything so I guess it was my turn to speak. â??Yes?â? â??Your mother and I havenâ??t seen you all day. You need to open your presents.â? â??Iâ??ll take them with me.â? â??BEFORE you go back to Hawaii, Lyric.â? This time I DO sigh. â??Iâ??m tired. I was just opening a bunch of presents. I feel over-grateful so Iâ??m Iâ??ll wait.â? I donâ??t know how, but I had the AUDACITY to turn away from him. â??If you donâ??t open your presents here then youâ??re not going back to Hawaii.â? It takes my whole BEING to not roll my eyes because Angela was still standing in the doorway of the kitchen, so I just huff one more time with my eyes closed. I quickly pray to God to keep my temper down because if not, someone was going to get hurt. Then I turn around. â??Alright, where are they?â? â??Right here.â? Clarence hands one to me as he clasp his hand and rub them together. Then he turns on the living room light as Michael is walking in the house with the last batch of presents. The sad thing is I got the things I had actually asked for. I got more books, some clothes. Even a purse-over-the-shoulder. But I found something in the purse that I didnâ??t like. â??Whatâ??s this?â? â??Ohâ?¦itâ??s a key chainâ?¦.I thought youâ??d be driving by nowâ?¦.Youâ??re father should be taking you driving by now.â? I havenâ??t drove in so long. â??Weâ??re still working on that Angela.â? â??I know but she needs to get her license soon. See, I didnâ??t want this to happen to her. Sheâ??s a Junior in high school and she doesnâ??tâ??â? Iâ??m sure Clarence mustâ??ve looked at her so she wouldâ??ve known that she wasnâ??t helping the problem. â??Who got you all these gifts? The Levis must be really giving.â? â??She got those from M.J. and his friends.â? Michael says for me. I understand that Michael knew I didnâ??t feel like speaking to them, but I didnâ??t want him to reveal that to them like that either. If it was up to me, they would have never known. â??Well letâ??s take a look.â? Clarence said as he and Angela carried the gifts over. I wanted to tell them to stop but then I remembered I wasnâ??t speaking to them. They made comments as they dug through the things M.J. got me. And as they looked through the things, I slipped the bracelet into my pocket so they wouldnâ??t see it. Knowing him, Clarence would probably drive us over there, make me give it back, and then tell M.J. to NEVER get me anything like that again unless we were getting engaged, and that would NO TIME SOON! â??I see someone got you a snow globe but who got you some purple goggles?â? â??One of M.J.â??s friends.â? â??Why did he get you GOGGLES? And why did they get you gifts; they barely know you.â? â??I donâ??t know, I guess they wanted to be generous. Iâ??ve met them before at a party.â? Thank you very much! â??Who drew that portrait of you? Whoâ??s Ray Ray?â? See, this is why I didnâ??t want them to see MY presents. I knew he would pick them up, inspect them, then ask questions. â??M.J.â??s friend. He did it for a grade.â? I got up and took it from Clarence. â??I donâ??t know why he got you so much. Iâ??m sure you didnâ??t get him that much.â? Clarence speculated. I didnâ??t say anything but Angela handed me a platter of sugar cookies that you can buy at the store. To make them hush, I took a cookie and barely nibbled on it. â??Did you have a nice dinner at their place?â? Clarence looks at Michael. â??It was nice,â? he softly says. I canâ??t help but turn around because Michaelâ??s doing that â??good boyâ? act again. â??Michael had stayed at his house before he went over again. You knowâ?¦because of his religion.â? â??I know,â? I nodded. Iâ??m not stupid. I had already discussed this with Clarence when Michael had first moved in. I yawned and stretched real quick before I got up. â??I have to get my things together.â? â??What time is your flight again?â? Clarence asks Michael as he gets up after me. â??Itâ??s at two in the morning.â? â??Wowâ?¦all these crazy times.â? â??I know with the planning, weâ??d have to leave at time again.â? â??â?¦I guess so. But I didnâ??t get to look at your leg like I wanted to becauseâ?¦â? I left them. Thatâ??s why. â??because I didnâ??t get the chance.â? â??Itâ??s fine.â? â??Dr. Newman was going to check on her leg again.â? â??And you said sheâ??d be in the cast for about five, six weeks?â? â??Yes. He says her leg is strong.â? â??Gets that from me.â? then he actually smiles. â??Iâ??ll take my stuff upstairs.â? â??You never brought your suitcase in to know what you need to bring or leave.â? â??I brought our stuff in here for that reason.â? I face Michael as he hands my suitcase out to me. I hoist it upstairs and sit it on my bed while I check to see if thereâ??s anything I wanted to swap. Then while I was standing there, I noticed Michael hadnâ??t given me anything but I had a feeling he had something for me. The same for me though! Then I gasp. I remember that portrait of US was in my closet. I canâ??t believe I had actually forgotten it! But with the hoopla that had happened once I got here, my mind wasnâ??t concentrated on Michael. I put the portrait back in the bag and sat it against my suitcase. Michael was at my threshold when he tapped on the door. He gave me an encouraging smile. â??Ready?â? with his foxy afro and gleaming smile, Michael was the closest to a teddy bear that I could get. So before I could think to not do it, I ran into Michaelâ??s arms and just grasped onto him. I couldnâ??t believe how COMFORTING and UNDERSTANDING he was. I tried to hold in a tear, but as one went down my cheek, Michael whispered in my ear: â??Theyâ??ll be time for talk. Just try to hold in it together for me then we can talk all you want, okay?â? he pulled me away as he looked intently in my face. Though he was like a beautiful angel to me, I quickly looked away as I wiped my face. I kept my pain to myself, which Dylan had inflicted on me. â??Iâ??m almost ready. Iâ??m just doing some last minute checking.â? I went back to my suitcase and when I saw that royal purple-looking bikini, I thought about tossing it in my dirty hamper. â??Donâ??t toss that out.â? I looked at Michael, â??I like it.â? I was surprised when I saw him wink and walk away. I decided to leave it in. When I was done, I went into the room that Michael was ORIGINALLY in. â??Whatâ??s up? Are you ready?â? â??I called the airport and theyâ??re delayed a little.â? â??But Michael.â? I began to whine. â??This canâ??t be happening.â? â??But it is. Weâ??ll just stay put for a little before they tell us itâ??s a go, then weâ??ll step on it. I promise.â? I look into his wide eyes for a little longer, then I walk towards my room. â??It wonâ??t be too long Lyric. I promise.â? There goes that phrase again. â??Okay,â? I mumble as I glance at him. Then Michael pulls me in another hug. I clench onto him until I felt his grip soften, then I walked out. I decide to try and call a friend I hadnâ??t seen in a long time. â??Patricia?â? â??Hey girl whatâ??s up?â? â??How about Merry Christmas?â? â??I know.â? She giggles. â??Merry Christmas to you too.â? â??How was your Christmas?â? â??It was great! I got to spend it with Austin.â? â??Oh really? So you were at his house?â? â??Noâ?¦Dad allowed him to be at ours so it was me, Austin, Dad, and Mom.â? Sounds like my Christmas. â??Thatâ??s good.â? â??I know,â? I could hear the smile in her voice. â??But what about yours?â? â??Well mine was spent with the boyfriend as well. But I was at his house.â? â??Yeah?â? â??Yeah.â? â??Well how was it silly?!â? â??Like any other time,â? but I was totally lying. And Pat is smart enough to know that. â??No way it couldâ??ve. Today was Christmas.â? â??Maybe we wanted to spend more time with the fam.â? â??But what did yâ??all guys really do?â? How am I going to word this right? Patricia Payne is my best friend, so I feel indebted to tell her SOMETHING. For Godâ??s sake, the girl told the rest of us that she and Austin was more involved than a little, so I know there was something I could trust with her and the other two. â??We went up to his room.â? â??UN HUH!â? â??But donâ??t think anything like that happened.â? â??Jeez I know that. Donâ??t judge me for being happy for you.â? You have no idea of how â??happyâ? you could be for me. â??Iâ??m not.â? â??But I know you probably kissed him more than youâ??ve ever had in one settingâ?¦.Or ever.â? She snickers. â??Yeah, well after that, his friends came over.â??â? â??Yeah?â? â??The ones from this group called â??Mindless Behaviorâ??.â? â??That name rings a bell.â? Hmm, donâ??t it? â??I wonder why it doesâ?¦.Patriciaâ??â? â??You mustâ??ve heard.â? â??He told me.â? â??Who told you? And what was it he told you?â? â??Prodigy. And it seemed that after all, Danielle is FINALLY letting a guy show her some attention.â? â??I know. I said the same thing. What did he tell you exactly?â? â??I just knew they went to the movies. But I thought it couldâ??ve been more than the movies.â? â??It was. But that was all he told you. It was probably the last place they went.â? â??Yeahâ?¦Iâ??m happy for her! Heâ??s cute,â? I smile. â??But I wanted to ask YOU something.â? â??Yeah?â? â??Are you and Austin still beingâ?¦you knowâ?¦safe?â? There was a slight pause. Then I hear her giggle quickly. â??Sometimesâ?¦you know it just depends. Like if itâ??s quick and he has to get to swim practice in fifteen minutes, then thereâ??s no time to be â??safeâ??. We just get it in real quick.â? â??Thatâ??s not a good enough answer Patricia. I NEED yâ??all to be SAFE.â? â??Well yeahâ?¦regardless. You act like you and M.J. are such ANGELS.â? â??I know we arenâ??t. I wouldnâ??t even want to give myself that kind of commitment to him.â? â??Ouch.â? â??I just donâ??t want to.â? And you have no idea of some of the stuff heâ??s said. â??I guess so.â? Then I tell Pat about his friends from the group came over, handed me gifts, then sang to me. â??How was it? Did you feel like the only girl in the world or what?â? I laughed. â??I mean I DID feel special. Being serenaded always makes me feel special. But I couldnâ??t show that I felt too special, you know? My boyfriend was standing there.â? â??If it was me, Austin wouldnâ??t have cared.â? And when she asked me what they got for me, I wanted to waver from doing so. But I ainâ??t got a choice. Just like I didnâ??t want her to, Patricia began to over speculate the fact that M.J.â??s friend, Ray Ray, decided to paint a portrait of me. â??Aw man thatâ??s so sweet! You havenâ??t told me about M.J. Doing that for you. And Ray Ray mustâ??ve been paying some attention to you on â??The Dating Gameâ?? to remember you want to be an entertainer.â? â??I won Patricia so thatâ??s how he remembered.â? â??No. That isnâ??t true. You were the prettiest so OF COURSE he would remember you! Whatâ??chu think about him??â? â??What do you mean what do I think about him?â? â??Lyric itâ??s okay to have an opinion about another dude and tell it to your friends. We do it all the time!â? I remembered that bracelet was in my pocket and I tried not to think about it. â??I mean I think heâ??s cute. But maybe heâ??s too adorable for me. Plus he reminds me of my cousin.â? â??So what?â? â??He reminded me of my cousin!â? â??â?¦Oh.â? â??Itâ??s just an analogy I discovered. Donâ??t judge me.â? â??If you think so. But what could be wrong with him?â? â??Maybe heâ??s too immature for me, I donâ??t know. I really donâ??t know him so I canâ??t make a final judgment.â? â??Well maybe you should. He painted a portrait of YOU.â? â??Yeah but M.J. got me a bracelet.â? â??Aw man but he bought you a NECKLACE first. Now more jewelry? Ray Ray outlined you. PAINTED you. Then got a grade for it. I just think you should ask M.J. to do more for you other than buy you stuff.â? â??I havenâ??t told you M.J. just â??buyâ?? me stuff all the time. And I only told you what he got me because you wanted to know! And where is this coming from?â? â??Nowhere. I wouldnâ??t tell you itâ??s all fine and dandy to leave your boyfriend and start liking his friend. But Austin and I have gone double-dating with Prod and Danielle. Ray Ray was the â??fifth wheelâ?? a time or two and I have come to learn that heâ??s not just jokes and fun. He has depth to him like any other guy.â? â??Good for him. Whatâ??s your point?â? â??I just donâ??t want you to forget about your friends, Lyric. We havenâ??t seen you a lot. And I know M.J. isnâ??t the only reasonâ??Michael has something to do with it too. But I just donâ??t want you to get wrapped up in a guy. I know Iâ??m with Austin, but I try my best to make time for yâ??all.â? â??I wonâ??t Pat,â? I mumble. I really didnâ??t want to talk about this anymore. â??I just care Lyric.â? â??I know Patricia.â? Then I hanged up. I shook my head as I rubbed my hands across my thighs. I mean sure Ray Ray is another eye catcher. But is it really worth starting over with someone new just because heâ??s nice? Then that means I could date a lot of guys on this earth but if Iâ??m constantly going from guy to guy, then how will I EVER be happy? **************************************************************** I decided to stop this part where I did :). I know it isnâ??t the most exciting part, but itâ??ll make more sense in a while. -Aariyan
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