Page 5 of Saving Micah

“Yeah, Mi. I know I can talk to you. I’m just not ready yet.”

“Ok.” That is all that is said and I sigh in relief.

After a bit, she gets up and heads toward the creek. I watch her.

She has turned into a beautiful girl. We’ve watched each other change over the years. I was the only one that got to pick on her for having braces and bad haircuts. Everyone goes through those awkward stages. Anytime anyone else would try to pick on her, I shut that shit down. I don’t care if the guys thought of her like a sister, they didn’t get to pick on the way she looked. That level of joking was just for me. She knows that I would never mean it.

After a little bit of sitting under the tree and just watching my friends, Levi takes a break and comes over to me. He leans against the tree and watches everyone with me. Chance has walked over to the creek with the girls.

“What’s up man? Why you sitting over here by yourself watching everybody?” Levi means well but he is a nosy punk. He always tries to get me to talk. We have been friends for a long time. To be so goofy and loud and obnoxious at times, he pays way to close attention to people. He knows when things are off with me and I haven’t decided if I like it or not. Micah is the same way but I can always evade her if necessary. Levi – not so much.

“I’m just chillin, dude. Didn’t really feel like moving.” I’m going to be as evasive as I can for as long as I can. I know his needling is coming.

“How’s Micah?” And… here it comes.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, have you asked her out yet? Have you told her how you feel about her?” And… there it is.

“Levi, man, I have no idea what you’re talking about. Mi and I are just friends. I don’t have anything to tell her.” Lying after so many years - you get the hang of it after a while.

“Yeah man. Whatever you say.” I don’t look at him. I feel his stare boring into the side of my face but I keep my face forward. The goal is to not let him see my eyes. He continues. “You do know that someone else may come in and take her from you, right?”

“We are 16 years old right now, Levi. Even if I was interested in Micah, now is not the time to start anything. We are good friends and I will never mess that up by telling her about any feelings that I may or may not have for her. Besides if Micah finds her soulmate, I will not stand in the way. I will support her 100 percent.”

Why did I just spit that glass out? The look on my face must tell Levi that I’m full of crap too. He starts laughing.

“Did you just hear yourself? You are so full of shit. If Mi starts to date someone, you will lose your mind.” He continues to laugh a little bit before he quiets down and becomes serious again. “I’ll shut up about it for now Z but, don’t let that girl get away. We will all be friends until the end of time but I know and you know that the only soulmate that Micah has is you.” With that, he gets up and walks toward the creek. He puts his arms around Micah from behind and she leans back into him. They’ve done it a million times. I know he is doing it to tick me off this time but, I don’t let it.

He loves her.

He will never love her like I do.

Chapter 3

Micah

We were strikin’ the matches

right down to the ashes

setting the world on fire

{‘Setting The World On Fire’ -Kenny Chesney}

“How you doing Micah?” Levi has walked up behind me and engulfed me in a hug.

“I’m ok. How are you?” I giggle a little as he tickles me lightly on my sides. I’ve known Levi since Kindergarten. He immediately became my friend in first grade when he told Stacy White to kiss his butt after she was picking on me because my bow was not ‘bright enough’ for her. Come to think of it, Levi has become our friend by taking up for each of us in some form or another. He’s our fighter and he will never step down from anyone. When it comes to us girls, he can get extra protective.

He continues to lightly tickle me and even though I fight it, I can’t take it anymore. “Stop!” I wiggle to get out of his arms and he lets me go. I turn around to face him so he can answer me.

“I’m perfect. Look at this. Can’t you tell?”

This boy. I swear. I smirk at him and shake my head.

“Hey Micah.” Kelly calls for me. “Are you coming over to skip rocks with us?”

“No. I’m good.” I say to her as I look up and see that Zant is still sitting under the tree. Watching us. Something is going on with him. He’s been shaken for a few weeks. I wonder what Roy has done now. The last time Zant was like this, Roy had left marks on his back with a belt. Zant showed up to my house to talk to my dad and dad’s face was so red I thought he was going to explode. That was about three months ago. I have no idea what provoked the beating and Zant never told me about it. My dad did.

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