![Embarassed :oops:](./images/smilies/icon_redface.gif)
Part 21
Maria waited outside the house on the steps for Michael. He’d gone somewhere, and he didn’t drive up in the driveway until almost 7:00.
“Where have you been?” she demanded.
“Had to go get a box,” he replied. “You know, for my dick.”
She rolled her eyes.
“What? You gave me the idea.” He held up the box and studied it. “You think it’s big enough?”
She shook her head in exasperation.
He sauntered towards her. “You don’t think it’s big enough?”
“A little too big,” she said. “Might be just the right size for your ego, though.”
“Oh, Maria.” He sighed and sat down beside her on the steps, holding the box on his lap. He smiled at her, then reached out and touched one of her curly spirals of hair in his hand.
“Stop,” she said, leaning away.
“You look like a Barbie doll,” he commented, smiling. “Without the boobs.”
“You look like an ugly Ken doll,” she retorted.
“Hey, he couldn’t have been too ugly. He fucked Barbie.”
She laughed at that for a moment despite her desire not to, then abruptly silenced when she thought about the context. Was there supposed to be some hidden meaning in that? Was he trying to get her to imagine . . .
Oh, gross.
“What’re you still doin’ here anyway?” he asked her. “I thought you and Maxwell had a date.”
“We do,” she said. “I was waiting for you to get back, though.”
“Why?”
“Because . . .” She swallowed her pride and forced the words to come out. “Alright, I’m not, like, proud to be saying this, but I need your help.”
“Here we go,” he muttered.
“No, Michael, this is serious, okay? I’m worried about Liz.”
“What, you two get in a fight?” he asked.
“No.”
“Bad lesbian experience?”
“No, Michael!”
He shrugged.
“No, I just . . . I think I might have upset her a little bit. Or a lot. Look, I just . . . I really need you to go out on a date with her.”
“Fuck, Maria, how many times do I have to tell you . . .”
“Look, you don’t have to actually date her, okay? Just ask her out tonight, flirt with her, kiss her, make her feel good about herself. Have sex with her if she’s willing to go that far. I don’t think she will be, but--”
“Then what’s the point?”
“The point is that she’s my friend and she has a crush on you. Or, she used to anyway.”
“Used to?” he echoed, sounding both shocked and offended. “What, you mean she doesn’t anymore?”
“No, not really.”
“Well, that’s just insane.”
She saw the perfect opportunity to appeal to that self-centered ego of his, so she took full advantage of it. “Right, so this is your chance to reignite that crush and prove what a big stud you are.”
Surprisingly, though, he was still reluctant. “I don’t know, Maria,” he said. “She’s kinda--”
“She’s a virgin,” Maria blurted.
“What’s her phone number?”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
4215. Michael dialed the last four digits of Liz’s number and held the phone up to his ear, waiting impatiently as it rang over and over again. Maria stood beside him, her hands folded together as though she were praying.
“I can’t believe you didn’t know she was a virgin,” she said.
“I figured she was slutty since she was hanging out with you.”
She whacked him on the shoulder, and he laughed.
Finally, just as he was about to give up on the call he was placing, Liz picked up her phone. “Hello?”
“Hey, Liz,” he said. “It’s Michael.”
“What?” she said. “Why?”
He chuckled. “Why?”
“Well, I just mean, why are you calling? Not that I mind. Not that it’s the highlight of my life, either, which it isn’t. I mean . . . I don’t mean to be rude.”
So she was a spaz. He could handle that. “Yeah, it’s alright. Listen, I was thinkin’ we could hang out tonight, do something. You know, just the two of us.” He cast a glance at Maria and grinned.
Her stunned silence was all the answer he needed. He had her hook, line, and sinker. Definitely.
“Liz, you still there?” he prompted.
“What? Oh-oh, yeah. I was . . . just . . . wow, I . . . oh my god.”
“You don’t have to,” he said, “I mean, if you’ve got something else goin’ on.”
“No!” she shouted. “I mean, uh . . . no, not really.”
“Alright, so why don’t you come by then? We could hang out over here, watch some movies.” Have some sex, he thought to himself.
Maria shook her head, mouthing “movies” sarcastically.
“Uh, yeah. Okay,” Liz agreed. “Sure. Um . . . but Michael?”
“Yeah?”
“Why do you wanna hang out with me? I mean, we’re not, like . . .” She trailed off, obviously nervous.
“Liz, relax,” he said. “I think you’re a nice girl. I just wanna get to know you a little better.” And if that knowing came about in a sexual way, he was perfectly fine with that. He loved deflowering virgin girls.
She giggled softly and said. “Cool.”
“Yeah . . . cool.” He wrinkled his forehead and shook his head. Typical freshman adjective. “So I’ll be waiting for you.”
“Okay,” she said. “I’ll be there really soon, I promise.”
“Alright.”
“Bye.”
“See ya.” He ended the call and set the phone down on the back of the couch. Before he could even get a word out, Maria squealed and threw her arms around him, hugging him excitedly. “Ooh, yea! Michael!”
He smiled.
“Okay, it’s official: You are, like, the best worst friend ever! Ah!” she exclaimed, taking a step back.
“Brag me up, babe.”
“No, seriously, I really . . . appreciate it.”
He smirked. “Ha, ha. You owe me.”
Her eyes grew wide and she fearfully asked, “Uh, owe you what?”
He laughed, surprised she’d even let her mind wander there. “Relax, not that.”
“Oh. Okay.”
“I mean, unless that’s your preferred payment.”
She smiled and hit his shoulder playfully. “Stop it. You’re so gross.”
“Part of my charm,” he reasoned.
“Mmm-hmm.”
He leaned back against the couch and crossed his arms over his chest. “So what exactly happened with you and Liz anyway? You still haven’t told me.”
She sighed heavily and replied, “It’s . . . complicated, okay?”
He shrugged. “You got time to explain it. Max is still gettin’ ready. He’s like a girl.”
“Sexist,” she remarked.
“Sexy,” he corrected.
She rolled her eyes. How many times did she roll her eyes per day because of him? The number had to be staggering.
“So what happened?” he prodded.
“It’s nothing, okay? I think she was just feeling a little lonely, and I know you like making girls feel . . . less lonely, so I figured I’d play matchmaker.”
“Matchmaker?”
“Yeah, you know, kinda like you did with me and Max.”
“Right . . .”
Just then, Kyle came stumbling upstairs, his facial expression indicating that he was shocked . . . about something. “What’s this I hear about you and Max?” he spat.
Maria looked up at Michael and said, “Yeah, Michael. What’s with that gay vibe?”
“You bitch,” he said, pinching her side. “Nah, this one right here . . . she and Max are goin’ out on a date.” He smirked. “Thanks to me.”
“What?” Kyle shrieked. “Am I the only one here who sees how bad this is?”
“Whoa, Valenti,” Michael cautioned. “That vein, on your forehead. It’s kinda--”
“Well, that’s ‘cause I’m pissed!” Kyle roared. “Roommate-roommate relationships are bound to be disastrous. There’s no way this can end well!”
Maria gave him a look. “Well, thanks for that vote of confidence, Kyle.”
“I’m just saying . . .”
“Kyle, Kyle, Kyle,” Michael intervened, understanding his friend’s reaction. Kyle was the one who kept everything under control in their house; he was the rock. “The way I see it, it’s a good thing. Maria’s goin’ out on a date, and Max might actually get laid. I mean, those are two things that have never happened before.”
Maria shot him an angry look and said, “Don’t help.”
Kyle threw his hands up in the air and backed away. “Fine. But don’t blame me when this whole thing blows up in your face.”
Michael shook his head as Kyle retreated back downstairs to his bedroom. “What a drama queen,” he muttered, eliciting a small smile from Maria.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Maria knocked on Max’s bedroom door, confused as to what was taking him so long. “Max. Did you die in there?”
“No, I’m just finishing up getting ready,” he replied.
“Okay, well . . .” She glanced up at the clock on the wall. “It’s almost 8:00.”
“Just one more minute. I’ll be ready,” he promised.
She sighed. Something told her this wasn’t going to be the world’s greatest first date for either of them.
She strode back into the living room just as Michael was coming out of his bedroom. He had changed from his plain grey t-shirt into a black shirt with a collar. He looked . . .
“How do I look?”
Good. “Sickening,” she replied, unwilling to give him that much of an ego boost.
“Maybe that’s what I was goin’ for.”
“Seriously, Michael . . .” Before she could say more, there was a knock on the door. “Must be Liz,” she said.
“Yea,” Michael muttered as he went to open the door.
“Hi!” Liz squealed, jumping a little. “Sorry I’m late.”
Maria glanced at the clock again. It had only been ten minutes since Michael had called her . . .
“No, you’re fine,” Michael assured her, stepping aside. “Come in. Come in.”
“Okay.” Liz stepped inside, took off her shoes like any other good houseguest, and waved at Maria. “Hi.”
“Hi,” Maria echoed. It was quite obvious seeing Liz like this that her crush on Michael had never truly gone away. She could deny it all she wanted, but she still had the hots for him. And Max.
Talk about opposite ends of the spectrum, Maria thought to herself. Ay, ay, ay.
“Well, Liz, I’m really glad you came over,” Michael said. “I’m sure we’re gonna have a great time.”
“Oh, definitely,” she agreed. “I brought this.” She handed Michael a VCR tape.
Maria almost laughed as Michael read the title. “The Notebook.”
“Yeah. It’s my favorite.”
He nodded. “Hmm.” He looked back at Maria, and she just smiled at him. He would never make it through that movie. He’d already tried. After five minutes, he always fell asleep.
The door to Max’s bedroom opened then, and he came out with flowers in his hand. “Sorry I took so long,” he said to Maria. “Oh, hey, Liz.”
“Uh, hi.”
He stepped up to Maria and smiled, holding out the flowers. “These are for you.”
Had she ever received flowers before? Probably not. Most guys just gave her orgasms and assumed it was enough. And usually it was. So Max was trying to go above and beyond. He was a really nice guy. Always had been.
Michael would never get me flowers, she thought, taking the pretty red and yellow roses from Max. But in all honesty, she wasn’t exactly a flowers kind of girl. Michael knew that. “Thank you,” she said, smelling them anyway. She looked Max over for a moment as she did so, thinking that he did look really nice, nicer than she’d ever seen him look before. He didn’t look like a study-nerd. He looked like . . . a boyfriend. But Michael still looked . . . like Michael.
Then she remembered that Liz was in the room, though, and she felt bad. She wasn’t trying to rub this date in Liz’s face or anything.
“Um, we should get going,” she said.
“Yeah, you should,” Michael agreed.
“Or . . .” Max gestured between the two of them and Michael and Liz and suggested, “we could make it double, if you guys want.”
“What?” Maria shrieked, thinking that nothing could possibly be a worse idea at that point in her very messy life.
“Yeah, it’d be fun,” Max insisted. “We’re all friends.”
“Or enemies,” Maria reminded him. “Case in point--”
“Oh, DeLuca, you know you love me,” Michael cut in, grinning smugly.
“I do not!”
“Maria,” Liz spoke up quietly, “I don’t really think it’s that big of deal. You know? If the guys wanna double, let’s double.”
Maria forced herself to calm down and think about it. If Liz could do it, so could she. Right?
“I’m down,” Michael said, tossing The Notebook down on the couch cushions.
“Me, too,” Liz agreed.
Max turned to Maria. “Well?”
She sighed, giving in. At least a group date would eliminate the possibility of any awkward silences she might have if she were just out with Max. She and Michael never stopped talking.
“Fine,” she said. “Let’s double.”
“Awesome,” Max said. “So what do you guys wanna do?”
“Movie,” Michael said, grabbing his jacket.
“The Notebook?” Liz asked hopefully.
“Or Saw IV. You know, whatever,” Michael replied, leading her towards the door.
“I’m not watching that,” Maria said decidedly.
“We’ll find something we can all agree on,” Max said democratically.
“Like Saw IV,” Michael muttered, heading out to the car with Liz by his side.
Max held the front door open for Maria, and as she walked past him, he promised, “We’re gonna have so much fun tonight.”
She smiled, but somehow, she really doubted that.
TBC . . .
-April
(he he he, well, Alien_Friend, you mentioned a double date! Little did you know, one was right on the horizon!)
![Laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol.gif)