Rise & Rise Again

"You what?!" I yelled. I had to be hearing wrong.

"Well how was I supposed to know what was going got happen right after! We were just friends before this Mike" Victoria defended herself.

A small, bitter, laugh passed my lips as I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah? Friends kiss each other at sunset on the beach?"

"Shut up Mike," she warned and left her living room, making her way upstairs. My feet carried me up the steps after her.

"No. Explain to me what that was about! Why did you kiss me on the beach?!"

Victoria stopped and leaned against the frame of her bedroom door. She let out a sigh, her shoulders and head dropping after. When she turned around her eyes looked scared and tired.

"I don't know," she whispered and shook her head "I didn't think about it. My mind was blank. I just-"

"How long have you wanted us to happen?" I asked softly.

"What? Mike I don't kn-"

"I'll tell you how long I did," my eyes went up to look at her face. She looked scared still, and I knew why.



The smoke came out of my mouth and dispersed into the outside air. I laid back on my roof and ashed the blunt that rested between my fingers before picking up my phone. My mom had texted me a few minutes ago but I hadn't bothered to look. Her message only said one thing.

Tree.

I sighed and put the blunt out, saving it for later when I handled the issue at hand. My mind raced through the reasons that this could have been happening right now. I climbed back through Vic's bedroom window and walked downstairs, nodding at my mom as I passed. When I walked outside I saw Victoria's hair hanging from her branch of the tree in her front yard.

"Bubby" I said when I sat in front of her. She didn't answer. "What's wrong?"

"He cheated on me. Josh cheated in me. He said he couldn't wait until I was done with school and I came back," Victoria paused and sniffled "I gave him everything I had in me Mikey."

"I wanted you from the second I laid eyes on you, ya know that?" She laughed "but I'm so scared Mikey."

"I won't do what he did to you Vicky."

"I know you won't."

"So then what's the problem? I don't even think things would be different between us, you know? Everyone thinks we have something going on already."

"The problem is that I don't know what I want!" Victoria yelled suddenly. I fell silent and slightly angry as I saw tears well up in her eyes. "I want you but I want Tony too. I don't know what to do.."

I took a few steps forward and placed my palm on her cheek. And smiled slightly.

"Take some time. Just figure it out for yourself. Spend time with Tony. Spend time with me. See who you want more."

In one quick motion, Victoria leaned forward and pulled me down by my shirt, kissing me softly.

"Thank you."

I nodded and turned away, walking out of the house. My feet carried me across our front lawns and over to my car.

~

I pounded my fist on the bedroom door that was in front of me. I kept calm when I was at Victoria's house, but I'm fucking pissed.

"Dude what-"

"You fucking KISSED her!" I screamed and pushed him back.

"Yeah what's the fucking problem!" He yelled at me. "You guys BOTH said you were just friends Mike! Was I supposed to read your mind and KNOW not to go near her?"

"That's not the point. Don't go near her Tone."

"You're really getting mad at me for kissing a girl who you said was your friend?"

"She's not just my friend anymore," I groaned and threw myself into the blue papasan in the corner of his room.

"Awesome. What is she now? Your little toy? Like all those other girls you had on you while you were with Mari?"

"Dude shut the fuck up." I said harshly "She is not my toy. She's the most amazing girl that I have ever met."

"You fucked her." He let out a dry laugh.

"I did not 'fuck' her"

"Oh then what happened? You made love? Don't be fucking stupid, Mike."

"I have wanted her since the moment I fucking met her. She's been my best friend for close to a year now, Tony. You met her what, two weeks ago? You don't know shit about Victoria or what she means to me."

"So what happened?" Tony said as he sat down in his desk chair.

"I told her to take some time and sort her head out. Then she can decide." Tony nodded as I spoke.

"May the best man win then?"

"It's not a game Tone," I rolled my eyes.

"Shut up jerk, that isn't what I meant."

"I know, Mario Kart?" I smiled slightly and looked at his Nintendo 64.

"What else is there to do?" He laughed.

Well, there's getting Victoria to want to be with me more then you.

Notes