Sunshine was blaring through the windows instantly causing me to wince and toss the covers over my head. When the sun didn’t stop shining in my face, I sat up in frustration, completely unaware of my surroundings. I looked to my right and saw a body beside me, shirtless and wrapped up in the blanket. Once I realized that I wasn’t wearing any clothes, only my bra underwear, I hit the body beside me repeatedly, until they groaned and sat up and shouted, “What?!”

“Please fucking tell me you’re wearing clothes.” I said, last night’s beverages ready to shoot up though my mouth.

He opened one eye and looked under the covers, his mouth dropped open which instantly made me sick, before he shouted at me again, “Yes! I have pants on, dude. Look.” He uncovered himself and the black skinny jeans that the tattooed drummer was wearing last night were still in tact; belt was still looped and the zipper was still up. I sighed in relief but was still curious as to why I didn’t have clothes on. So, I asked. “You kept bitching about your dress or whatever so you took it off. I told you to leave me alone and not touch me, so I put the pillows between us.” Mike gestured to the three pillows that divided us and immediately felt better.

“What the fuck happened last night?” I sighed, digging down on the ground and finding my dress and slipping it over my head.

“You got trashed, dude. I mean, I did too, but it was obvious that you hadn’t gotten that wild in a long time.” Mike laughed rolling out of his bed and walking toward the restroom nearby. I heard the toilet flush, then the water from the sink run when he came out brushing his teeth. “You need to up your game, Bonnie.”

I rolled my eyes, getting out of the bed myself and searching for my Tory Burch bag, and digging through the small bag to find the travel toothbrush I brought with me everywhere. “Whatever dude, that’s nothing to be proud of.” I pushed him out of the way and began brushing my teeth also, not being entertained at the funny faces he was making in the mirror. Once I was done, I spit out the toothpaste, wiped my mouth and walked out into his room, again. “You’re not funny, either.”

“Let’s go get breakfast. I need bacon.” He said, ignoring everything I had said and finding a t-shirt off of the ground and putting it over his head, then spraying two spritzes of cologne on.

I nodded, strapping on my shoes and making sure I didn’t look too fucked up makeup and hair wise. “I love how even though I was super drunk last night, I was still responsible enough to take off my makeup and wash my face.” I laughed, checking myself out in the mirror in Mike’s Cadillac. He snorted then backed out, going to some diner place I’d never been too before. I was playing with my pink diamond, Sasha, and adjusting her, seeing how she matched with my outfit. I could stare at her all day.

“Come on, drunk girl.” Mike said when he parked and waited for me to get out of the car. My eyebrows were scrunched together as i walked passed him and into the diner. We sat at this open booth near the window and instantly ordered a glass of water and a cup of coffee. We both wanted pancakes and bacon, his eggs were scrambled, mine were over-easy, so we ordered that too. I was on my phone, replying back to everyone that had text me last night and found myself in a back and forth conversation with Steven, whom was telling me all about the New York Knicks game he went to last night.

“Wow, you sure are great to talk too.” Mike said rudely, commenting on me being on my phone.

“Ew, what’s up your ass today?” I asked, putting my phone aside and sipping on my coffee.

“You’re different.” He said, studying me carefully, his brows winced. I didn’t know what he was talking about, but I wasn’t going to let him upset me if that’s what he was trying to do.

“Different how?” In that moment, the waiter brought out all of our food, so we paused the conversation for a second. He was drenching his pancakes in syrup and put Tabasco on his eggs before he spoke again, his attention going from his plate of food to me.

“You’re different. The Bonnie I met a year ago and the Bonnie now are two different people. Even what you wear now is different. You’re just, flashy now.” He glanced at my ring than rolled his eyes, sipping on his drink.

I was taken aback by his words. Flashy? I am not flashy, I’m far from it, actually. “Excuse you?” I was glaring at him by now, offended that he called me flashy and had something stuck up his butt today.

“You heard me, Bonnie. You’re fucking different, now. Ever since you and St—“

“—Oh, here we go. Steven this, and Steven that. I’ve always been like this, I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about. Mike, I’ve always been this way. I’ve always focused all my attention on beauty and fashion and worked my ass off to get somewhere and wore the clothes I’ve wanted to wear. This is who you met a year ago. Honestly, I think now you’re finally seeing why you and I could never work. It’s because you hate the real me. You hate how I really am. This is the real me. This is who I’ve always been. I have not changed one bit. And guess what, you haven’t either. You’re still the same ol’ Mike; drinking and partying and playing drums. That’s you. That’s who you are. I don’t judge on that.”

He shook his head, disagreeing with the words I was saying. “I’m not judging you.”

“Yes, you are. Admit it, Mike, you’ve always judged me. You’ve always judged my parents, my lifestyle, Steven. You’ve never, ever, been okay with anything about my life. And that’s fine, you can’t force somebody to accept you— but fuck dude, admit it. Stop being a fucking baby and admit that you’ve always judged me.”

Mike’s silence was all the answer I needed, but it still pissed me off that he would not admit it. He would not admit that he always had a problem with where I came from. I needed him to verbally admit it because that’s when he’d finally get it. I wasn’t stupid, I could tell he was still stuck on our little fling we had a year ago. But, he needed to let it go. This was going on far too long. He was stubborn as fuck, and it made me so mad.

We ate quickly then went back to Mike’s house. My car was parked outside and I couldn’t wait to get in and go back home to LA. The car ride was so quiet and awkward and the second he killed the engine on his car, I got out and grabbed my purse. I had begun walking to my car when Mike pulled me back, “You think I want to be stuck on you, Bonnie? Well, I don’t. I would love to just forget about you and move on with my life like I originally planned. But, I can’t.”

“Why not, Mike? This wasn’t anything more than a fling or something that happened for two months. Two months. I’ve never given you any reason to stay. And you know what, you broke up with me. You’re the one that broke up with me! You said it yourself, Mike. I’m a diamond, and you’re just a fucking stone.” I looked up at him, annoyed that we were still having this conversation. He refused to admit that he was being judgmental and he refused to say anything else after that. I scoffed then turned around and got in my car, driving off.

---

“Yikes. It was going so well between you two, also.” Nicole said the next day over a cup of coffee as we were heading to the shop with Lora, the woman who would be the official shop manager while we were in New York.

“I know! It really was going so well. He’s just never gotten over it and it bothers me. Like, move the fuck on, dude.” I was annoyed with Mike and I thought he and I could be friends, but apparently, we couldn’t. It was strange to me how he suddenly changed like that.

“Eh, his loss. You’ve got bigger things going on right now, Bonnie. Life is about to change, but it’s about to get that much better.” Lora stated as we walked into the shop and began to get ready for the work day. Our girls Jasmine and Dana were taking a liking to Lora and were even considering hiring other employees to keep up with the rush.

Throughout the day, we had been focusing on buying and ordering just like we used too but for other people. Nicole and I were going to miss doing all of this, that’s for sure, it was our dream. But we’d be styling models and celebrities and leaving our opinions on the Vogue blog; this was a new dream for us. And, our excitement was exploding throughout our core. The countdown was on.

I was organizing racks of clothes with Jasmine when the bell rang overhead; Jasmine looked over to them and smiled as she greeted them, but then I heard my name. “Bonnie?” I turned around and there stood Mike, a beanie on and an Iron Maiden cutoff tee, paired with black skinny jeans and black Vans— the typical Mike Fuentes look. “Can we talk for a second?”
I nodded, giving Jasmine a reassuring look that she’s got the hold on the store while Dana, Lora, and Nicole were in the back getting orders done. I followed him out of the store and down the street to Nipsy’s, where we found the usual table and got iced coffees. He was sitting across from me, nervous about something as he was fidgeting with his legs and drumming his fingers on the table. I shot him a look as if I didn’t have all the time in the world to sit here and that’s when we cleared his throat to speak up.

“I did have a problem with your lifestyle.” He said suddenly, honestly shocking me. He was admitting it. He was finally admitting it. “I know it sounds like complete bullshit, but it was a lot of my insecurities, you know? Bon, look at me. I’m this tall, skinny, tattooed, pierced up, drummer from San Diego. My parents lost their house because of the recession a few years ago, and I didn’t grow up like you did. I didn’t live in a nice house or go to a good school. Shit Bonnie, I barely graduated. I spend my life on a plane or a tour bus traveling to other cities and countries to play drums for people who want to hear me play the drums. That’s my life.

You scared me. And, I’m not scared of anything. But you, you made me terrified. But, in a good way, you know? Your dad is the top lawyer in the state and Steven is up there with him. I could never compete with that. I don’t wear nice clothes or even own a suit, I don’t wake up early. I drink a lot, I smoke a little weed now and then. But, that’s me. I did judge you, too quickly. Do you know what it’s like to have this completely out-of-your-league girlfriend and then she posts this picture with her handsome, rich, ex-boyfriend? That one cut me deep. I can’t blame you for that, I can’t blame Steven for that. I blame myself. I blame myself for letting my fears get the best of me. It just happened. And no, you didn’t change. You’re still the same Bonnie.

I’m just mad because I’m still the same Mike. The same lowball, never going to be good enough Mike. And that’s fine because you’re happy Bonnie. You’re the happiest I’ve ever seen you and I could never, ever, ever, get in the way of that. But I do want you in my life, I want to be your friend. What do you say?”

Notes

WHOOOOOAAAAAAAAAA, now that's a pipe bomb.

What do you think about Mike's speech there? How do you think Bonnie is gonna take that? Does this signify hope for her and Mike?

Find out next time on the next chapter of Something Else.

Thanks for reading :) As always, leave your questions comments and concerns.

XO,
Amber