STAY

11.

I knew that something was up with Michael during school on Monday. He felt distant, and he didn't say much when we passed each other in the corridor. However, after a couple of days, it was as if he was back to normal. We would stop and talk in the middle of the corridor, people looking at us annoyingly while we were blocking the way. We would at first only talk for a couple of minutes, but the more times we met during the day, the longer we talked. Our longest talks would usually take place in the afternoon when my friends or his friends weren't around. It wasn't like they didn't know that me and Michael were talking, but I guess we just felt more comfortable without them around us.

I did however notice that Daniella didn't seem very fond of the friendship me and Michael were having. I noticed that by the way she was acting around me after I had talked to Michael that she didn't approve of the situation. In a sense, I can understand her. She doesn't trust him when it comes to me and my feelings. According to her, she knows what guys like him are capable of doing, and when talking about it, she reminds me that she has been through the same thing once. The only reason why she is warning me is because she doesn't want me to get hurt. At least that's what she told me Tuesday morning after she saw me and Michael talking, while I was waiting for her. I tried convincing her that nothing was going to happen between me and Michael, but she said that she knew better.

Christina on the other hand didn't really bother that much. Even though Christina could be cold sometimes, she still cared about both me and Daniella. She just didn't want to get involved in this case. When it came to guys, me and Christina were always on the same terms; we don't get involved with each other's boy drama. For her, its more personal that it is for me. I guess that that's what happens when you have a long term relationship, no one else is supposed to get involved.

***

It was Friday already. The weeks started going really fast now that school was getting more serious. There were at least three assignments from different subjects that had to be done until next week, and the moment we handed those in, the next assignments came from another teacher. We had a good system in our school though; there were no more than three assignments per week, and if we were lucky they are not too long.

"What are you guys doing tonight?", Christina asks us while we are sitting, studying, at a round table on the backside of the school.

"Nothing", I answered quickly before finishing the math equation I was working with.

"I'm going out", Daniella said which made me look up at her. "I'm going to go on a date"

"Really?", Christina asked grinning. "So the thing going on between you two is turning out to be pretty serious huuh?"

"I wouldn't call it serious...", Daniella said as she started to blush. "But he seems like a nice guy, and I would like to give him a chance"

I didn't comment anything on the point. My irritation for Daniella had started to grow. The way she talked about her crush like he was an angel, and the way she talked about Michael as if he was the devil; it irritated me.

"Why?", I asked Christina, to avoid commenting on what Daniella had said.

"Philip is throwing a party this evening, and it would be fun if you guys could come"

"Well I'm sorry but I can't", Olivia started.

"Well I would love to!", I said and closed my math book. "I need to find something else to think about for one evening"

I wasn't sure if I meant school or Michael. Anyway, I just wanted to have a night where I didn't have to think about anything else than having fun. However, it turned out to be the complete opposite to fun.