Page 63 of Lessons in Love

M&M:

Oliver. I am in your walls. Let me in.

Lover boy:

Am I meant to pretend that that is a totally normal message to receive?

M&M:

Yes. I’m outside.

I glance down out of my window and a grin breaks across my face. Michelle is hanging out of the passenger seat of Ben’s car, waving her hands like crazy, her dark hair blowing in the breeze. I grab a jacket and head downstairs, ignoring my brother at the kitchen table when he opens his mouth to say something.

Dad and I still haven’t spoken. Well, at least not properly. He’s grunted at me a few times, but I’m not sure if that counts. I guess we’re going back to the way it used to be. Fine by me, I guess. The job offer was just a fleeting moment before it all went to shit again.

“Oliver!”

“Michelle!” I cross the road, and her arms wrap around me. I sigh deeply, inhaling her familiar floral scent. Michelle has this way of always making you feel at ease. Having known her since high school (and after being apart for the last few months) I’m not ashamed to admit how much I missed it. “What are you doing here?” Sliding into the back seat, I give Ben a wave.

“Well,” she starts, looking over the headrest. “I’ve got a weirdly long break for mid-semester which apparently is the case for the whole of Europe, and I thought why not come and visit my boys!” She affectionately pecks Ben on the cheek before turning her attention back to me. “And you’ve got a problem.” Rubbing my face I groan, but it doesn’t stop Michelle. “A big problem.”

“Is today just going to be you interrogating me?”

She smirks. “No,” she says, putting on some lip gloss. “I’ve invited her.”

Ben pulls away from the curb before I can reach over the seat and strangle Michelle. She’d better be grateful for the seatbelt holding me back.

“You did what?”

She shrugs. “I thought she might want to come and meet me. See some hot guys run around the footy field, all that jazz.” Noticing the look on my face, she rolls her eyes. “Oh, come on. It’s not going to be that bad.”

“She promised she’d behave.” Ben pipes up unhelpfully, eyes on the road.

“You knew?” The betrayal cuts deep.

“Come on, mate. There’s nothing you can do to sway Michelle from an idea once she gets one.”

“See,” Michelle laughs. “Everything will be fine.”

I wish I could be that optimistic. I mope in silence for the rest of the ride, an uncomfortable feeling writhing in my stomach. It’s not that I don’t want to see her. I really do. I just don’t know how to be around her anymore. After the museum we’re teetering on the edge of something, and I need Eden to give us the final push. I’m putting my heart in her hands, and that terrifies me.

The footy field comes into view before I know it, and so does she. Eden stands on the edge of the car park, tapping away on her phone. I like looking at her like this. When she isn’t aware anyone’s watching her.

She’s got a pair of jeans on and her hair is in two braids. Looking up, she smiles when our car pulls into view. And that’s when I spot her jumper. The jumper that just so happened to be missing from my bag after the mid-semester break.

“Dude. Is that yours?” Ben asks.

“No.”

“So, Eden just happens to be wearing the exact same jumper you own, in a size or two too big for her.”

“Yeah.” I unclip my seatbelt as the car pulls to a stop. “Funny coincidence that.”

“Very coincidental I’m sure,” Michelle comments, eyebrows raised. I’m sure I’ll hear a breakdown of absolutely everything that happens today, complete with diagrams. That’s her way.

“We do go to the same university. It’s not that weird.” I don’t hear what she responds with before I hop out of the car and make my way over to Eden. Her eyes light up when she sees me.

“Hey stranger! Long time no see,” she says brightly, wrapping her arms around me. I return the hug, lingering for a moment to inhale her scent. Vanilla. I could never get sick of that. I press a kiss to the top of her head that leaves my nose tingling before we pull apart, reminding me of the nights we’ve spent together.