Page 41 of Beneath the Surface

Micah:

Home. Why?

Me:

Mind if I come over?

Micah:

Sure. Want me to get you? We shouldn’t be alone, remember

Me:

It’s a five-minute drive. I’m at ZGT

There was no reason for me to rush to his house. But somehow, in my delusional mind, the fact that I went to him would mean that Livy wouldn’t get to him.

Olivia had already won Grayson. She didn’t get to keep Micah, too.

I decided it was better to walk than to drive. It wouldn’t take me long. I knew his dad had spent more hours in the gym than he had at home, but I didn’t want to risk him seeing my car and asking Micah questions he couldn’t answer. Did Micah ever think the house was too big for the both of them? Because that thought crossed my mind all the time. One of my sorority sisters had asked me if I would be moving into the house, but it didn’t appeal to me. Why share a room with another girl when I had a home to myself? They thought living with my dad was some sacrifice on my part. Neither my father nor Mr. Pierce had a wife anymore, but both men were married to their jobs.

I wondered if sometimes Micah felt as alone as I did. Trapped in a house full of memories.

As I walked up to the door, I looked at my outfit, asking myself once again why I cared about these things with Micah when I never did before. I felt good in my pelted mint mini skirt and black blouse. It was cute and sporty. It looked good without trying too hard.

He must have been waiting for me to get here because I didn’t even get a chance to knock before he was already opening the front door.

“Hi.” My voice came out lower than I had intended.

“Hi yourself,” he shot back. His eyes were on my face, but then slid down my body. His gaze not only burned me, but it made my heart rate speed up.

It was just Micah. There was no reason to feel nervous.

I followed him into the living room, where he had the TV on the sports channel.

“How was the game?” I asked because suddenly I was feeling more nervous than I should have been.

Micah leaned back on the couch, looking ahead but not paying attention to the newscaster.

“You obviously heard they lost,” he muttered.

Sitting next to him. I turned my profile to see him and not the television.

“Did you see Gray after the game?”

Micah’s body tightened when I asked my question, which I found a bit odd. I thought their animosity was slowly fading, and they were on track to become friends, but I guess I was wrong.

“Why?” His question was a slow drawl.

“Because all the girls at ZTG were upset he didn’t come downstairs to the party.” I shrugged. “I figured he was feeling sad or some shit.”

When Micah finally turned to look at me, his light brown eyes were so intense they took my breath away.

“I think we’re all trying to deal with this situation as best we can.”

I got the feeling he wanted me to drop the whole Grayson thing.

“Micah,” I blurted his name before I could think better of it.

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