CHAPTER 5

Mike’s attempts to connect with Sarah have been dreadful ever since ‘the morning’. Avoidance is evident between them. Her constant diversion from him and narrow attention to Jessica and Laura drove Mike up the wall.

Confrontation.

That's what he needs. But even for that, he needs to pinpoint her alone, without the other 3 and that too, seems impossible since she runs off to work early before Mike.

His touch, scent, and warmth send a shudder down her spine every time the memory resurfaces. Sure, they are best friends since 7– they had mud-wrestled– they had jumped over the school compound– she had helped him to get his feelings across to another girl, like a bloody postwoman– he had even helped her unbuckle her bra once. But it is different now. He is a full-grown, tall, masculine man, who reminds her of her attacker.

Returning home from work, he caught her sitting on the living room’s sofa. One foot tuck under the other that has rose up, heels on the couch edge, her face next to her knee. Her fingers busy, fiddling with cotton pad across her toe nails.

“Hey…” Mike croons which he is sure she heard.

Yet there is no response to his greetings. Beyond his view point, her eyes swiftly edge the corner before returning to her toes. He let out a sigh, rubbing his temples.

Looks like he has to squeeze the words out of her.

Walking over, he sits beside Sarah. His thumb pinch grips her toes and forcefully pulls them to his lap. Sarah lost her stability due to the unexpected gesture of Mike and gasp sharp. He then snatches the cotton pad from Sarah’s hand, remaining nonchalant the whole time. A flip of the little plastic bottle soaks the cotton pad with nail polish remover and he starts working in small circles on her nails, avoiding her face at all costs.

He is too charming and irresistible for a psych. Looking at this masculine figure in a well-stitched Armani dark grey suit, a Tag Heuer watch and rough squarish fingers holding on to her toes just because she didn’t talk to him in the past 48 hours initiates a sneaker in Sarah, but she suppresses it well with fingers in front of her mouth. Her soft, tiny toes cast an unexplainable tingle to his stomach. It dawns on him that they rarely touch each other since he returned from overseas-all grown up with a career to pursue.

“If it helps, I’m sorry” Mike finally said, after done removing her nail polish. Her expression flips drastically

“Excuse me!!!” she exclaims.

“Are u saying that I–I–that I….” seeing her struggle for words, Mike interferes, still avoiding her face.

“You seduced me?” a shiny nude glass bottle appeals to him, among all the other colors. Giving it a shake, he grabs the back of her ankle. Her lips gape, as she tries to sit up, ready to put on a fight.

“I–” but before she could lash out on him, Mike tightens the grip on her ankle, effectively clamping her mouth.

“Don’t move, you are going to mess up my work”. A glare spun from him before he resumes, diligently painting her nails. Each gentle stroke lines a soft nude pink against her brownish pink nail.

“How can u say that I seduced you??? I was fast asleep” Sarah said.

“So, are you saying I miss used you?” a sharp stare slashes her way without actually tilting his head up– a clear warning laced with self-respect. It’s not what she meant, yet that is how it looks now, surging a pang of guilt in her as she seals her lips and looks away. With the challenge put off, Mitch resumes his work.

“I don’t remember exactly what happened. All I can recall is you mumbling something. I moved closer to comfort you. I must have fallen asleep before I could retreat.” He pauses to blow on the nails.

It wasn't a complete lie. He remembers how he woke up. And it still sends butterflies bursting and gliding through his system. A pair of round creased eyelids, with the thick long eyelash–the first to greet him on that blissful morning. Their nose bumping against each other. Their lips almost touched–almost, that he had to swallow his saliva to control his urge. His hand wrapped around her waist and she pressed hard against his body till mild curves plummeting her midchest peekaboo-ed.

“And I can surely say that I couldn’t have forced you to snuggle into me. You didn’t move at all throughout the night? I mean, the other 3 had fled into the room”

Sarah looked somewhat gloomy, reanalyzing the possibilities.

“It’s possible... I haven’t woken up without a nightmare in the past few days”. Her mind wandered away, recalling each and every nightmare.

“That morning was probably the first and last...” she adds.

A sting of smile arch on the corner of his mouth “Then we probably should sleep together more” Sarah snaps her head before punching his shoulder. His smile widens.

“What??? I am serious” Mitch waves his hand with the nail polish wand.

“I mean...do you remember our prom when we were 17?” she nod with a slight chuckle.

“You went with Marcus, the werewolf and I went with–“Mitch begin

“Betty the sour-head cheerleader” Sarah adds.

“And in the middle of the prom, Marcus disappeared and you went looking for him. That’s when you found him, making out with Susan, journalist of the century” she grins even more.

“Boy...I was furious...” her eyebrows rise at the memory that was agonizing back then.

“And somehow you came up with a plan to expose them, mixed bleach and detergent together, spilled them under the laboratory door creak,” Mitch recalls the day, years ago.

“They slipped and fell on the way out, messing their expensive dress, with white patches all over. Did you see Marcus’s black tux? I mean, he was a freaking dalmatian!!!” she laugh out, finally.

“And the bucket of cow dung hanging over the door??? Classic!!!” he is chuckling too at this point.

“But you were too scared of accidentally spoiling your own dress and ultimately causing your mom to flip out that you took it off, hung it in the genitor’s room before actually putting the deed together, partially naked all the while!!!”he says and she rub her thumb into another palm, blushing crimson.

“There was no one down the hall...” she mumbles, defending her atrocity.

“Then I went to find you, only to catch you coiled at a corner because you can't cross the hallway to genitor’s room without being caught by Marcus.” With a serious face, he looked up at Sarah.

“I gave you my jacket, huddled you into the ladies before going to get your dress. We were 17, Sarah!!! Way over the appropriate age of seeing each other naked yet that didn’t flinch you. What is wrong now? I am still the same Mike, you are still the same Sarah” she remained silent, with flat lips and eyes on her knees.

“Look at me” he demands and Sarah snaps up at his face.

“Nothing– I mean nothing should make you flinch away from me, ever...You understand?” it means she is welcomed to sleep in his embrace anytime she wants and she smiled gently at him.

It’s agonizing to see Sarah’s sad, droopy face. He would go to any extend to cheer her up. It’s a debt he is still trying to repay. Mike’s mom passed away due to cancer at the age he is most attached to her, 7. His father, Joseph Ricci was in his own trauma that Sarah was the only clinging point Mike could turn to. She was there–simply there as an incapable little child, sharing his pain, wiping his tear, reminding him to move on. They stuck together ever since, right until after high school. She has always been the hidden influence behind each turn of his life.

He recalls that day, sitting on a bridge's edge with Sarah next to him, dangling their feet over the edge.

“I don’t want to go, it’s very far” he hasn’t stopped complaining for days regarding his acceptance into a foreign university.

“Why not? You are a big guy now; you can take care of yourself. And you have always been fascinated with the criminal mind thingy” Sarah put her best pitch

“I can’t stay away from you that long…Why can’t you just come with me, I’m sure you will find psychology or some other course in the college interesting” his eyes flash with a hint of brightness, hope she will take the bait.

“No, Mike…. my dad just passed away and my mom is in a bad stage right now. She needs me more than ever. You know how naive she is. And I won’t allow you to turn your back on your passion. If you insist on doing so, then never ever ever ever talk to me again.” Mike just stared at her coldly.

“What? Are you going to hit me?” She raised both her hand into a fist

“Come on big guy, come on!!!” punches lands on his shoulder, that was a mere ant-bite to Mike

“Are you scared now? Not so tough ahh.”

Mike looks away, nonchalantly grabs her fist coming at him, and pushes her into the river, ending with a loud splash. She resurfaced drenched and blowing water from her mouth

“Mike, you jerk!!!”

He just sits there smiling in satisfaction, while Sarah splashes water at him, of course not tall enough to hit him.

They were getting along well when she came to terms that it’s not the end of the world if someone touches you or hugs you. She is usually uncomfortable with even ladies touching her.

The stay at the house is nothing but a pleasant exchange of affection. She taught Mike how to cook some simple dishes. So did he– some emergency recipes he learned in university. They took care of each other when they were sick. A (1) Saturday per month has been declared as Sarah’s homestay day. The house became an extremely warm and cozy place to stay. Not only Sarah but Jessica and Laura also tend to share their problems with Mike, even private intimate issues. One can ask Mike to buy a menstrual pad for her and he won’t mind doing that. Safe to say, they have become gravitated to the house, much more attached with each other than they were before.

Mike bears a certain fascination with tattoos and he sports some on his body. Permanent imprints on him. He had been brainwashing Sarah to get one too. After long, consistent persuasion, she finally agrees to get a small lotus on her neck.

Mike is in front of her, holding her hands tight while automated needles swiftly pummels black lines on her skin. She is well aware of the pain, but never did she imagine this much. Her lips tight to bear it with her chest against a chair’s headrest. Looking at her predicament, Mike grew impatient with every passing minute.

A sharp knife twists into the slit between his chest, or so it felt– fairly new to him. He finally cracked when a single drop of tear slips from the corner of her eye, even though she remained bowed and her eyes tightly sealed, faking courage she didn’t have. He regrets convincing her. He stood up in a flash and his knuckles gently circle her back and in response, she immediately put her hand around his waist.

He then squatts to face her “Do you want me to stop him?” He asks with a frowned eyebrow, still holding her hand.

“No, you moron!!! He is already halfway there. It will look weird” She answers with bursting frustration. He sighs before placing a gentle kiss on her forehead and standing up to hug her again.

When they were done, Mike went off first to bring the car around while Sarah paid the tattooist.

“You are so lucky!!! Your boyfriend really loves you deeply. I swear I saw a drop of tears on the edge of his eyes”. Sarah raised her eyebrows in astonishment.

“No, no, no... He is my best friend who happens to be a big baby” and walked out of there with a smile.

Sarah is mostly simple and plain at home or when going out with friends, but when she goes out to meet customers, her dressing sense is impeccable. She once came downstairs with a white, halt neck sleeveless jumpsuit. Her long hair with natural big locks let loose. A simple, neutral makeup on her face. Mike just about to take a sip of coffee from his cup when his eyes caught Sarah, effectively hiding his wide-open mouth.

“So, you finally found yourself a boyfriend!!!” is a statement more than a question. After a sip of coffee, he looked up at her. “When are you going to introduce that crack head to us?”

“When you introduced your gold digger to us, of course...” Sarah said with a mocking tone and poured a cup of coffee for herself. Mike resorted to a mischievous smile as if he is saying ‘I already have a girlfriend’

With the love and support of her friends, Sarah gradually phased out THAT NIGHT from her memory.