Page 6 of Saving Micah

My dad is a kind and patient man but he has been so mad at times over this whole situation with Zant and Roy. However, he hasn’t confronted Roy. Yet. I know Zant has told him not to. I know my dad and I know that he would have said something by now if he could. I’m confident that Zant has something to do with that. I just wonder why.

We all start to head home for supper. The guys say they will drive us so we don’t call Macy’s mom. Macy sends her a text message to let her know. Zant and I take Kelly since she lives a couple blocks from us.

We drop Kelly off and head home. The radio is playing ‘You and Me’ by Lifehouse so I turn it up. Zant begins humming and I join in. By the time we get home we are both all-out singing at the top of our lungs.

“Cause there’s you and me and all of the people with nothing to do / Nothing to lose / And there’s you and me and all of the people / And I don’t know why / I can’t keep my eyes off of you”

We are parked outside of Zant’s house and singing to each other now. I smile and he smiles. Lost in the moment. I really don’t want to move. Once the song ends, he kills the car. We still don’t move.

“Forever Zant?”

“Forever Micah.”

After supper, Mama made her famous lasagna, we all settle in the living room to watch a movie. I am in my favorite chair and Zant has taken up his spot on the floor.

Mama and Daddy are on the couch cuddled up. My parents are sickening in love. I think they act like teenagers in love or something. I wouldn’t know. I haven’t had a boyfriend. When I get one, I hope we are as in love as my parents though. Mama always ask me about boys but, I’m just not interested. I love hanging out with Kelly, Macy, Zant, Chance, and Levi too much to want to spend time with anyone else. Also, I want to wait until at least my senior year. Sixteen is way too young in my opinion.

I look down to Zant. He is absorbed in the movie just like Dad. It is an action movie so I expect nothing less. He’s the cutest of all the boys as school. His green eyes are like the beautiful fields of Scotland that I see on TV. He wears his ball hat backwards most of the time and that’s what makes him the cutest to me. He’s confident in himself despite what his dad does to him. He’s a protector with the kindest heart.

Right now, he’s lying on the floor on his side with his hands propping his head up as he watches TV. He’s grown taller. He’s wearing black basketball shorts and a Red Sox t-shirt. I have no idea how he will ever look better but somehow, I know he will.

Once the movie ends, Zant goes home, and everyone gets into bed, I pick up my Kindle to read some before sleep takes me. I’m unsure what Zant has planned for tomorrow afternoon but, I can’t wait. My eyes grow heavy as I read and eventually sleep takes over.

Today is Wednesday. The last few days of Spring Break have passed by with hanging with my friends at the park. We’ve ridden around listening to music and singing our hearts out but, we always end up at the park. Today, Zant and I are under our tree like normal. The girls are off talking with some others from our school. The guys are throwing football with a few other dudes. Eventually, it will turn into a flag or tackle game. Zant and I are just sitting. Watching. Then he speaks. “Micah, what are you going to do after high school? Where are you going to college?”

We are sitting side by side so I look over at him. He is looking right at me. I can’t decipher the look in his eyes so I give him the most honest answer that I can. “I don’t really know yet. I haven’t thought that far ahead. I can’t comprehend leaving you guys for a long period of time. I know that Macy and Kelly are going to a community college but, I don’t know if I am going there are straight to University.” He smiles at me like he is happy with my answer. I’m confused though. I didn’t really give him an answer. I don’t have one. His next statement answers my questions.

“That’s good Micah. I want you to go as high and as far as you can. You’re super smart and I never want you to settle. No matter where you go. You can always come home. Never forget that.”

I just look at him. I don’t know what to say. It’s almost like he is ok with me leaving him and my heart aches a little at that thought. I shake the thought away and tell myself that is not what he meant. He just wants the best for me. My stomach still feels uneasy for some reason though.

We all decided that on Friday we would all go catch a movie. We have the weekend but Spring Break is almost over. The movie theater is in the next town and Levi’s mom has offered up her SUV so we can all six ride together. Levi and Zant sit up front, Chance and I sit in the middle, and Kelly and Macy sit in the back. We are jamming out to some ‘Whats Up’ by 4 Non Blondes. The girls are giving it all we have. The guys… not so much.

“And I wake in the morning and I step outside

And I take a deep breath and I get real high.

And I scream to the top of my lungs –

WHAT’S GOING ON?”

Zant turns around to look at me. He has a smirk on his face. He knows how much I love this song. I smile back at him.

He gets me.

He’s always just gotten me.

I fall a little more in love with him right then.

As customary to our group, the girls sit together and the boys sit together. We made a pact last year not to disrupt, or as the boys call it ‘cockblock’, each other while we are out as a group. We all take up one row of seats. The boys sit together. There are two seats in between and then it is the girls. I look over to the boys once we are settled with our snacks and such. Zant is closest to me. He’s talking to Chance about something but, Levi is looking at me. He has a smirk on his face and when my eyes land on his, he winks. Right then the lights go dim to signal the start of the movie. My mind is reeling. What was that for? Levi is acting weird.

As the movie gets going, I choke it up to Levi just being Levi and settle my mind.

After about a third of the way through the movie, there is movement to my left. I look over and there is a girl trying to get into our row. Kelly and Macy look her up and down. I see the girls roll their eyes and let her through. She gets to me and I haven’t moved my legs yet. For some reason, I just sit there. She gives me this look that says she is going to step on me if I don’t move my legs. Instead of getting into an altercation with her, I let her through. I’m not sure who she is going to see but, knowing them guys, there isn’t any telling. I look back at Kelly and Macy so I don’t look at this chick’s butt until she sits down. They are already back to watching the movie. They don’t care.

When I look to my right, though, my stomach hits the ground. Chick and Zant are in a full-on tonsil hockey match. My eyes fly away from them and land on Levi. He’s looking at me again with the same smirk on his face and after a second of just looking at me, he winks again. My eyes almost bulge out and he settles back in his seat. I look back to Zant and now his hands are all over her back and in her hair.

I can’t watch this. Or listen to it. I tell the girls that I need to go to the bathroom and they let me out. I practically run to the bathroom and throw myself into a stall. I don’t even breath before I start sobbing.

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