Chapter 29 - "You are brilliant and I love you!"

By the time Courtney reached the gate to the Oaks Estate, her understanding of where Max was coming from had settled in, but where they would go from there? Courtney had no clue. Understanding Max's actions didn't excuse them. But she didn't care for the idea of confronting her.

Courtney sighed and rested her head against her seat, staring at the gate.

What's the next step?

Go home.

Solid step if I've ever come up with one. Max, I'm putting you away in: Things To Deal With When The Time Arises for the time being. Enjoy your stay along with Micah and Could He Be Avoiding Me?

Oh, definitely not thinking about that.

Courtney punched in the gate code and watched as the iron gates swung slowly open. She drove, the canopy of leaves creating patches of dappled light across the road. Oh look, it's pretty, so pretty it's all I can think about. Or at least convince myself it's all I'm thinking about and not about... That person and that issue.

The pretty light, Courtney, focus on the pretty light.

Courtney turned into her driveway and hit the brakes. Parked at her front door was a familiar Jeep. Courtney felt her heart hiccup.

What? Since when can a heart hiccup? My ankle stops working properly and everything feels the need to act out. Jeez.

Courtney remained there, staring at Micah's car, clutching the steering wheel.

"Definitely should move. It would look weird if I stayed here," she said.

Okay. Moving forward. Shockingly enough, she actually listened to herself and managed to park her car and get out. As she approached the front door, she half expected Micah to be sitting on the front step. He'd look up and stand as she approached. He'd do that nervous hair tug and say 'hey' like it meant a million things.

Micah wasn't on the front step.

Naturally. What idiot would wait outside? I mean he was an Idiot, not an idiot. There was a difference.

Micah wasn't waiting in the foyer either when Courtney walked into the house. It didn't matter, she knew where he was. After all her parents were still working at home for that week. Seeing a lone soul waiting outside their house they wouldn't miss the opportunity. Feedback was feedback.

Courtney paused in the doorway to her parents' office and saw Micah sitting in one of the large black swivel chairs and her father standing before the wall of screens, pointing to one. At least they gave him a comfy chair to sit in.

"Dad," Courtney said. "You can not commandeer my friends just because they come over."

Micah twisted around and her father looked at her. The relief on Micah's face told Courtney he'd been there longer than she realized.

"Come on, Micah," she said. "I'm stealing you back."

Micah hurriedly stood. "It was nice to see you, Mr. Hart." He lifted a packet of papers. "I'll answer these questions and get it back to you."

Courtney rolled her eyes. Her father was completely ridiculous.

"I appreciate it, Micah. Where are you two going?" her father asked.

"My sewing room," Courtney said.

"All right."

Beyond the door, Micah let out a breath.

"How long were you trapped in there?" she asked.

"Half an hour."

"Sorry I didn't come home sooner."

"It's fine. I should have let you know I was here."

Courtney nodded but still felt that invisible wall between them. Neither of them spoke for a second.

This is a pleasant, awkward silence. Truly refreshing change to the comfortable silence we usually share.

"Here," Courtney said, handing him one of her crutches. "I haven't put any weight on my brace at all today and you make a prettier crutch."

As Micah took her crutch, she wrapped her hand around his arm for support.

"It will be slow going," she said.

"Okay."

Courtney rested her foot on the floor and felt as Micah tensed his arm in preparation. She fought a smile at his reaction. She took a step, testing the weight she could put on her foot. It was more than the day before. That was something at least.

They made their slow way across the foyer to the hallway. Neither of them spoke and Micah worriedly shot looks at her foot and face the entire time. Looks that Courtney caught from the corner of her eye and almost smiled at.

"So," she said. "Do you want to talk about the thing that we aren't talking about? Or do you want it to be the miscommunication that we slowly internalize until it grows till we can't contain it any longer and we blow up on each other and the fight is so devastating that our relationship is eruptively damaged and all for the lack of a single conversation?"

"What?" Micah asked.

"Classic Teen Fiction plot point."

"Oh."

"So do you want to have that conversation to avoid the disaster later?"

In answer, Micah tugged at his short curls.

I take it that's a wavering no.

Micah said nothing and Courtney wondered if he didn't know how to have the conversation. She remembered how he looked resigned the night before. Not angry. Which would have made sense to her, she had been more excited to see Denzel than Micah.

Oh, jeez this was her fault.

"I want to apologize," Courtney said. "I came to dinner because you invited me and I hung out more with your brother. That was inconsiderate. I'm sorry."

A beat passed. "I'm used to it."

"Being used to something doesn't mean it's okay. I'm really sorry."

Courtney looked up at him and Micah turned his head to her, putting their faces inches apart.

Micah jerked back. "Sorry."

Okay...ouch. Would you look at that? There's my pride shattered on the floor. Let me walk over it to make sure it's completely destroyed.

My sewing room, thank goodness! Courtney released Micah's arm and hopped over to her stool. Micah settled down on the other one, inspecting the floor.

Not sure what's worth the inspection there but maybe it was a better alternative to my appearance. That's depressing.

Courtney dropped her backpack and crutch to the floor. As they continued in the slowly unbearable silence, Courtney gathered up the materials for Lynn's Homecoming dress.

Nothing like uncomfortable silence to make you instantly seek a project. Micah raised his head as Courtney moved to the floor, laying out pieces of fabric and dress patterns. Snagging a pair of scissors, she went to work.

"I missed you today," she said. Might as well admit it.

"You did?"

She nodded, not looking at him. "Felt weird to drive home on my own. And I didn't see you at school. I thought maybe you were avoiding me."

She glanced up for confirmation and got a hair tug. Ouch again.

"I am sorry about last night."

"It's..." He made a slow turn on the stool.

Avoiding me yet again. Courtney went back to cutting.

"The thing with Denzel is... We used to be so close."

Courtney could hear the tension in Micah's voice as if he were having to drag the words out of some hole he'd buried them in. She knew that kind of struggle of admittance. She sat up.

"Micah," she said. "Is this something you want to share while I look at you with understanding eyes or would you prefer I continue to work, giving you space to talk without reaction?"

He stared at her then smiled a little. There, much better.

"Hey," she said. "You asked if my go-away was a go-away, go-away or a go-away-but-actually-please-stay go away. I want to be as thoughtful."

"You can keep working," he said, the smile still hovering around his lips.

"Okay."

She leaned over her work, angling herself so that even if she had some reaction Micah wouldn't see it.

"We were close but... But it changed his freshman year. We were separated: high schooler and middle schooler. He got on the junior varsity football team and I... I was still a little kid in his new friends' eyes. It didn't matter that we were only one year apart."

Micah slowly rotated again and Courtney sent a look his way. He moved with his head bent and brow furrowed.

"I sometimes wonder if it would have been easier if he changed who he was, becoming some condescending jerk I could learn to hate. But he didn't. He was still Denzel, kind, funny, and friendly with everyone. He tried to bring me places with him but I was always so out of place and everyone only called me Denzel's little brother, not Micah. So I stopped hanging out with him and his friends."

Another slow, contemplatively spin.

"He bulked up, became the football star, and I couldn't even make the freshman football team. Can't throw or catch a ball to save my life. Running a mile winds me. I wasn't cut out for sports. And that meant even when I was at school with Denzel again, we weren't friends. But I spent the last three years being Denzel's little brother."

Courtney paused, remembering her first meeting with Micah, how he'd looked surprised at her knowing his name but then deflated when he guessed it was because of his brother. She thought of last night and grimaced. Fudge buckets.

"Last night," Micah said. "I just realized I'm still Denzel's little brother. I forgot that for a little bit."

"Micah," Courtney said, giving up on her project to meet his eyes. "You are Denzel's little brother but that's not all you are."

"Right, I'm also the one guy in your life that clearly has a lack of arm strength."

"Okay, so? You also have a thoughtfulness that would put Denzel to shame. Your brother left and I didn't hear from him until last night, that's a full month and a half. I didn't see you all day and you were waiting at my home. I know what you're feeling won't be solved by what I say but I want you to know, I don't see Denzel's little brother when I look at you.

"I see Micah. A great person. A really good friend. My Idiot Adventurer."

They held each other's gazes and neither of them moved, or even seemed to breathe.

"Sunshine!" Heather called out.

Micah snapped back and Courtney sucked in a breath. When had she stopped breathing? What was that? Was it hot in there? Stupid A/C not working.

Heather stuck her head into the room. She glanced between Courtney and Micah.

"Did I interrupt something?" she asked.

Not even sure. And if so, what?

Micah spun around on the stool and Courtney shook her head.

"What's up?" she asked.

"I handled your internet famous issue."

"Wait, seriously? How?"

In response, her sister wiggled her fingers. Yes, because that's not super vague or anything. Who cares! She fixed it.

"I would jump up and tackle you with a hug right now but that might cause more screaming in pain than in gratitude and I don't think you'd want that."

Heather laughed. "You're welcome."

"How did you do it?"

"I'm a hacker," she said. "I know my way around a keyboard."

"You hacked Youtube?!"

"No. I found a way to report the video and have it taken done. Then managed to find all the subsequent clips and have them taken down."

"You are brilliant and I love you!"

"I know. But next time come to me before you get to the point of having a Monday morning meltdown, will you?"

With a blown kiss, Heather left. Courtney flopped back on the ground and covered her face. She felt tears squeezing out. Bleh, this is embarrassing.

"Are you okay?" Micah asked.

Courtney nodded her head but didn't remove her hands from her face. Gone. The video, gif, and meme would all be gone. That one moment in her life that was still chasing her was at least erased from the eyes of thousands of people who laughed at her.

Courtney couldn't help it, she rolled over and buried her face in the carpet, crying from relief. She didn't have to pretend to smile when someone brought it up or laugh at how non-hilarious it was.

Courtney heard Micah drop down beside her and felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. He didn't say anything, only rubbed her shoulder.

"I'm sorry," she said, sniffing. "It was your moment and I stole it."

"It's okay. Now it's your moment."

She sniffed and sat up, swiping at her eyes. "I keep crying around you."

"I have that effect on girls. They see me and burst into tears."

Courtney laughed. "Not anymore." She wiped at her cheeks. "I am serious, Micah. I don't see you like I see Denzel. He's like my older ridiculous brother." She tapped his chest. "You are not. You are so much more."

Micah looked down and smiled.

**********************************************************************

Oh happy hippos hip-hopping!

(I mean everyone knows hippos have an amazing sense of rhythm)

Forget the hippos! I'm hip-hopping! *jumps up and starts flailing around without any sense of rhythm* Micah is back! YAY!! I thought I was going to have to stop reading this book because he hadn't been in it!

What a disaster that would have been! And for obvious reasons, if I stop reading that means you do to. And the only place to go from there is into someone writing a fan fiction and really I don't know if it would be the same.

Since you are clearly as excited as me, then you need to hip-hop with me! *grabs your hands and starts bouncing around* Tell me how excited you are! 💬💭🗯

*flops to the floor* What a relief. I'm so relieved that I might be able to answer your question with a normal answer... HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! *wipes away happy tears* Oh I crack myself up sometimes.

This question is from CarniaHolmes : What do you do when you have endured a really bad day? (Other than eating ice cream ofc) Tell me what you do!

Me: Funny enough I can actually give an answer that doesn't make me seem like I'm off my rocker.

*falls off rocker* Okay, that's embarrassing.

Lately it's been listening to BTS. Their music is amazing. And it helps me get out of my funk.

If music isn't enough I watch them being seven guys who can be incredibly professional on one end and on the other be like seven crazy brothers who troll with each other.

Honestly, watching them reminds me how of my brothers messed with each other. Or even makes me think of how Donovan and his brothers would act. I don't know, there's something so cheering about it.

Wow! I answered normally! This is a historic day! First Micah is back and I could be taken as a normal human being!

*waves hands and runs around cheering, hits wall, and collapses to the floor* Well, it was nice while it lasted.

โหวต, ความคิดเห็น, ติดตาม (Thai)

(If you want a brief introduction into who BTS is then here it is 👉)