Chapter 10
“I missed you,” Michael ran up to me as I stood at my locker.
“I missed you too,” I laughed and hugged him.
“Who was planning on picking you up?”
“My mom. I have to go to the office to call and tell her she doesn’t have to.”
“I’ll come with you.”
“Hey, Mrs. Sheridan,” Michael greeted the secretary.
“Hello, Michael. How are you today?” She smiled.
“I’m great now.”
“What happened?” She asked with concern.
“Harmony is my girlfriend now.”
“Awwwh. I’m happy for the two of you. Now, did you come here to tell me that or for something else?”
“I wanted to use the phone,” I tell her.
“Go ahead, honey. Nothing’s stopping you.” I pick up the phone and dial the house.
“Hello?” My mother answers with a heavy breath.
“Um, hey, mom.”
“Harmony! How are you? I’ll be there in a couple.”
“Well, mom, I wanted to tell you that Michael’s taking me home today.”
“Well, isn’t that a relief?” She laughed. “He’s a nice boy. I’ll see you when you get home, sweetheart,” she said and hung up the phone.
“What happened?” Michael asked.
“My mom said it was okay.”
“Great. Are you ready?”
“Michael!” We heard a shout behind us.
Michael clenched his jaw and turned around. It was obvious he was getting annoyed by Rebecca. “Yes, Rebecca?” He forced a smile.
“I like you.”
“I know.”
“I mean like really, really like you.”
“I know.”
“That’s all you can say?” She asked.
“Yes.”
“Can you say something else?”
“Leave me alone,” he grabbed my hand and walked out.
“But-”
“Rebecca, you heard him,” Mrs. Sheridan said.
“Mrs. Sheridan let me change my schedule,” Michael held my hand as we walked to his car.
“Really? That’s great.”
“Yeah. We have all our classes together except for chemistry.”
“Well, that stinks. I wanted you in my chemistry class. That way I wouldn’t spill things anymore.”
“You spill things?” He laughed and sat on his car hood while holding both of my hands.
“Yeah. I’m not clumsy. I just happen to move a lot.”
“Well, stop moving,” he pulled me close.
“It’s not my fault,” I smiled.
“Well, where do you go when I’m in chemistry then?”
“Tutoring.”
“That’s nice of you.”
“I wish I could tutor you,” he smiled.
Gawd, I want to kiss him so bad. His lips are just so…. kissable.
“Welp, let’s go,” I said and walked to the passengers side.
“Why so soon? Who said I didn’t just want to sit there and stare at your beautiful face?”
“That’s weird, Michael. Now come on and open the door.”
“You’re right, it would be. But I would do that someday. So be prepared,” he laughed and opened the door for me.
“Are you taking me straight home?”
“Do you not want to?”
“To be honest, no. I think we should go over your house for a little bit.”
“Why?”
“I just wanna go, Michael. Is there a problem with that?” I smiled and looked at him.
He looked at me and bit his lip. He must not know how sexy that looked because it just turned me on. “Alright. We’ll go over. It’s no big deal,” he finally agreed and drove to his house.
“I don’t see why you wanted to come over. It’s not fun over here. I’d rather be at your house.”
“So, I can’t go over my boyfriends’ house now?”
“Never mind,” he smiled and took my hand in his as we walked in.
“Hey, Michael,” Jackie greeted him. “Who’s she?”
“Oh, that’s right. You didn’t meet her yet. This is my girlfriend Harmony,” he smiled.
“Well then. Hello, Harmony,” Jackie grinned and kissed my hand. I’m flattered.
“Hey, Jackie. Not cool. She’s mine.” When Michael got defensive over me, it turned me on even more.
“Would you like something to drink?”
“No, thanks. I’m fine.”
“You sure?”
“Positive. I wanna say hi to Janet.”
“That’s the only reason why you wanted to come over?”
“No. I didn’t wanna go home either.”
“Well, what makes you think I wanna come home?” Michael laughed as he led me to Janets’ room. “Janet, Harmony’s here.”
“Hey, Harmony!”
“Hey Janet. Hey LaToya,” I walked into her room and sat on her bed.
“Hey Harmony. What’s up?” Latoya asked me.
“Nothing really. I just wanted to come here.”
“Why?” She laughed.
“So I won’t have to go home.”
“That’s always a good reason.”
“Harmony, come here for a minute. I wanna show you somethin’,” Michael grabbed my hand and took me to his room.
“What?”
“Well, I actually want you to hear something. Tell me if you think this is good.” He played a snippet from a song he called “Starlight.” “What do you think?” Michael asked with excitement.
“I think it’s great.”
“Are you telling the truth?”
“I’m honest it’s great. I just think it shouldn’t be called ‘Starlight.’ It just doesn’t sound right.”
“Well, what do you suggest?”
“Well, I would have to listen to it again.”
“Oh. That’s fine. You can tell me later. I really just called you in here because I wanted you to myself again,” he smiled.
“Oh, Michael,” I laughed.
“Come here, gorgeous.” I wanted to him and looked up into his beautiful brown eyes. He took my hand and put his hand on my waist. Chills ran through my body at that one touch. It felt good. “Dance with me,” he whispered in my ear.
“With no music?”
“With no music at all.” I didn’t think this would be crazy, but I danced with him in my converse sneakers and jeans. It was a smooth dance as I lay my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes. He was so romantic and I’m glad he’s my boyfriend. “Harmony,” he whispered as we kept dancing.
“Huh?”
“Can we go to your house now?”
“No, I’m enjoying this.”
“I am too,” he slightly laughed and pulled my waist closer to his body.
“Michael?” I heard someone knock on the door. Michael ignored them. “Michael,” they said again. We still danced ignoring the world. “Michael!” They opened the door. We turned around to see Mr. Jackson. “What is this?” He asked with a mad look on his face.
“Nothing. We were just dancing.”
“Dancing to what? There’s no music playing.”
“There doesn’t have to be.”
“Are you getting smart with me?” Michael looked at him coldly with clenched jaws. “Answer me,” Mr. Jackson urged him.
“I was just explaining to you there does’t have to be music playing to dance.”
Mr. Jackson took a step closer to him.
I held onto Michael’s arm tightly because I was worried.
“Joe, calm down,” Katherine came in and held onto her husband.
“I didn’t ask for an explanation, Michael,” he said through his teeth.
“Michael, Harmony, go out somewhere. Joe, calm down,” she told him as we quickly walked past him.
I hate what just happened. Each time Joe comes, he always makes Michaels smile go away so quickly.
“Nows, a good time to go to your house,” he said and opened my door.
I didn’t say anything. I was still stuck on the fact of how mean his father could be to him. All we were doing was dancing. What’s wrong with that? And on top of that, what’s wrong with dancing without music?