It had been four days since my date with Mike Fuentes. He hadn’t called me back to ask me out again, but we’d texted back and forth nonstop every day.
Stupid conversations with meaningless topics, somehow made us work. I didn’t have to try too hard. Joking around with him was easy, answering his questions were easy.
I just really hoped that that was enough for him.
I’d just left the classroom for my final class of the day, and started heading back home to work on my assignment. More Friday night fun for me.
Stripping of my jeans, I put on a pair of spandex shorts, my favorite paint splattered sweatshirt and tied my hair up in a bun. Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge by My Chemical Romance was blasting my ears into oblivion, the vibrations of the music shaking the floor beneath me. All of my neighbors didn’t really mind, they were all artists too, in general. Or young people. They all knew loud music was a 3C thing.
I stared at my half-finished canvas. I hadn’t really planned ahead on this piece; I’d just somehow started to let things flow. Art meant the world to me, art was my escape from my past, my problems, my sometimes returning depression.
It was the only thing in the world that felt mine, and that I knew would never leave. Art would be forever my best friend, because I knew that people left, people forgot, people moved on. Art didn’t.
My painting was starting to feel really personal, and I loved it. My hand flew across the canvas, adding details and lines to different areas, my mind following my gut. I loved the feeling of losing myself in a piece, not caring or noticing what happened around me, not even having knowledge of time and space. This was paradise for me.
“So this is why you’re not returning my texts.” I heard a voice bellow behind me over the sound of Taking Back Sunday.
“What?” I turned around startled, paintbrush flying in the air and landing on my sweater. I struggled to catch it but it just kept rolling down the length of my body until it clattered on the floor, leaving all my legs splattered with bits of blue.
“Shoot.” I muttered. I headed over to the stereo and pressed pause, turning around to face the person who had interrupted me from my moment.
Angry retort at the tip of my mouth, I started, “What do you want Soph—“ I stopped dead in my tracks. This was not Sophie, it was Mike. There, standing in the doorway to my room, leaning against the frame, was Mike Fuentes.
“Am I interrupting?” He raised his eyebrows, standing up straight under the doorway.
Of course not. “No! It’s okay; I was going to take a break either way.” Lie. I could’ve gone all night without stopping.
“You sure?” His eyes bore into me. I saw his gaze move up and down my body, regarding my appearance. Messy dark hair, paint splattered clothes, paint stains all over my face and legs. His mouth twitched up on one side, an amused expression on his face.
His eyes made me feel hot all over. “Yeah, it’s okay really.” I breathed deeply, trying to calm down the beating of my heart. I don’t think I’d ever get used to being in his presence. “What are you doing here?”
“I texted you like, two hours ago asking if you’d like to go out for dinner later, but you never answered.” He took a step forward. “I decided I’d come ask you in person, since apparently you forgot that we were having a conversation on the phone. But if you’re asking what am I doing here, as in inside your bedroom? Sophie let me in.” He grinned at my stunned expression.
Bless Sophie. Bless her beautiful, extravagant soul. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t hear the phone over the music, and well, I didn’t really realize how much time had passed.” I looked at my bare feet on the ground.
“It’s alright,” He sat on my bed, as casually as if it were his own home. I sucked in my breath, I haven’t had a boy inside this room since my freshman year, and here was Mike Fuentes, on my bed. “So, do you?”
“Do I want to go out to dinner with you?” I asked, my voice small.
“Well yeah dummy, I didn’t come all the way over here to just watch you stand there staring at your paint-messy toes.” He leaned back on his hands, his always present smile on his face.
“Of course I want to, could you just give me a minute?” I looked down at my more than messy clothes. “I have to change.”
“It’s okay, you don’t have to. We’re just going to get some pizza.” He eyed my legs, barely covered by my spandex shorts. “Maybe put on some jeans.” His smile twitched.
But my face was all covered in paint, my hair too. My sweater most of all. “Are you sure? You won’t be embarrassed to go out with the lunatic walking around covered in paint?” I asked him, my own face stretching into a smile.
“You’re an artist, it’s understandable.” He shrugged, as if it were nothing. “Won’t you be embarrassed to go out with the lunatic walking around covered in tattoos?”
I sucked in my breath. I thought Mike’s tattoos were amazing. His whole body was a painting canvas, his skin covered in beautiful artwork. Mike was a walking masterpiece.
“Don’t ever think like that.” I said softy, as I reached into a drawer, pulled out a pair of dark jeans and headed to the bathroom, pulling them on. I tried cleaning a bit of the paint from my face quickly. It looked better, but it was still there. I sighed and headed out to the sight of Mike observing my unfinished painting. His hand was stroking his stubble-covered chin, his eyes intense on the piece.
“This is amazing.” He breathed, shaking his head in disbelief. “You are amazing.”
I swear, the world stopped. I was getting compliments about my art from Mike Fuentes. I still couldn’t get over it, and I didn’t think I ever would.
“Thank you.” I whispered. He reached out for my hand, pulled me close and gave me a peck on the cheek.
“You look nice.” He said, smiling at my burning red cheeks. “You ready?”
I nodded and let him guide me out of my room, to where Sophie sat in the living room, watching T.V.
She looked up when we came in the room, her face spreading into a goofy smile. “Hey guys, where are you going?” She eyed our hands, intertwined
“Um, we’re off to get some pizza.” I scratched my nose. The paint was itching.
Sophie wiggled her eyebrows at us, not even bothering to be discreet. “Okay then, you better bring her back to me Mike Fuentes.” She said, pointing an accusatory finger at him.
He chuckled. “I’ll try.” He squeezed my hand once more and led me out of my apartment, 3C, down the stairs and into his car.


We were sitting in a small pizza parlor, chewing on a double cheese pepperoni delight. My eyes rolled back in pleasure. “This is so good! Why have I never come here before?” I took another cheesy bite and a sip of my Coke.
Mike stared at me with a look of pure amusement. “You’re adorable.” He took his own bite of the pizza and wiped his face with a napkin.
“Yeah, right.” I said with my mouth full, cheese dripping down my chin. I must look so attractive right now, I thought. But for some reason, I didn’t really care. I loved this pizza with my heart and soul.
“Your eating manners are repulsive.” He reached across the table and cleaned the cheese off my chin with a napkin. Oh God, I disgusted him. I put my pizza down and wiped the rest off, trying to gain some composure again.
“I’m sorry.” I muttered.
He rolled his eyes at me. “You’re constantly apologizing to me, did you notice that?”
“Maybe.” I replied.
“Well then fucking stop it!” He grinned. “Are you done?” He said motioning to my now empty plate.
“I guess.” I shrugged.
Mike paid the bill, and took my hand, leading me out the door into the starry night. We walked across the street to a park, Mike claiming he wanted to take a stroll. I was usually quite nervous to be out at dark, but with my hand in Mike’s I felt pretty reassured. I felt safe.
I heard a buzzing noise, followed by a hushed curse word from Mike. He dug in his back pocket and produced his cellphone, sliding to answer and bringing it back up to his ear.
“Yeah?” He looked at me and smiled. “Hey Vic, what’s up?” My heart stopped, he was talking to Vic! The realization crashed on me like the first day I met Mike. Mike was in Pierce The Veil, therefore, actually knew the rest of the band, obviously. I had gotten so used to texting with Mike and holding his hand that I’d totally zoned out on the fact that he was a famous musician, from my favorite band. “Well, I can’t. I’m on a date.” This was a date? I guess it was. Problem? Hell no. “Yeah, it’s with Sam, the girl I told you about.” Mike squeezed my hand and I smiled up at him. He’d told people about me. “Well, I guess I can ask her. Okay, I’ll call you later.” He hung up and faced me.
“So, apparently Jaime decided to throw a party tonight and they want me to come.” Oh, so I guessed the date was over.
“Okay, can you just drop me off at my house before you go?” I asked.
I won myself an eye roll apparently. “I’m asking you to come with me to the party. You can bring Sophie.”
A party? At Jaime Preciado’s house? Oh my God. My heart thumped in my ears. “Are you serious?”
“Of course I am. I can drop you off at your house so you can get ready. The party starts at 10:00.” Mike said pushing a strand of hair behind my ear.
“Okay.” I said. I was literally at a loss of words. I was going to a party where Vic Fuentes, Mike Fuentes, Jaime Preciado, and I hoped, Tony Perry would be. I was going to meet my idols. I was going to go to one of my idol’s house for Christ’s sake! How could I say no?
I trembled a little, my nerves wracking my brain. Mike must’ve misinterpreted it as a sign of me being cold because he shrugged off his leather jacket and offered to me. I took it silently and put it on. God, it smelled amazing. It smelled like him.
“It suits you.” He smiled, and leaned into me. The moment his lips came down on mine, my body burst into flames. Fire cursed through my veins, the rest of the world disappearing as I closed my eyes.
His lip ring felt cold against my skin, but I loved the feeling. At some point, my body had unconsciously decided to become bold, and I raised my arms, intertwining my hands behind his neck.
God, it’d been so long since I felt this way. It’d been so long since I touched someone like that.
Mike’s tongue demanded permission to come through, and I granted it, relishing the taste of him. I was acutely aware of one of his hands on my waist, the other on the small of my back, pulling me closer to him.
I don’t know how much time passed until we finally broke apart, me gasping for breath. My arms were still around his neck, and his hands were still on me. My body burned where he touched me, sending waves of pleasure through me. He made me crazy with a simple touch, it was ridiculous.
His eyes bore into mine, a happy light dancing in their depths. His mouth twitched into a crooked smile. “That was great.”
I highly doubted it was as great for him as it was for me. “It was.”
He released me and took a step back. “You really are something Samantha Martinez.” He gave me a small peck and took my hand, leading me back to his car to drive me home and get ready for the party.
So I followed him in silence, my mind a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. What was I getting myself into? I already felt myself falling for him. I couldn’t let it happen again.
But for some reason, when he walked me up to my door and leaned in for another kiss, I let him. I didn’t care about anything when I was with him. To hell with being careful, I couldn’t push him away like others. Mike was different.

And as Mike said he’d see me later, I walked into my apartment, feeling like I could fly.

Notes

I KNOW I'M CHEESY BUT LET ME BE.
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