Page 23 of Faking it with My Boss' Son

I rubbed my eyes as I saw Michelle in the kitchen early Friday morning. I was about to go for a morning run. She never woke up this early on her days off. She was usually up and about when I came back from running. I was surprised as to what woke her up so early; then, I remembered that I had to drop her at Leah’s apartment.

Was staying with Lucas’s cousin so exciting that she couldn’t sleep? Well, good for her to want to spend time with the people she loves! I thought to myself. How nice would it be if she wanted to spend time with me? but shook myself out of it when those thoughts came up in my head. She is just a really good friend, I would tell myself. Well, she only sees me as a friend.

I was behind her, watching her work. I admired the way she was able to handle housework and office work together so efficiently and meticulously.

‘‘Hi…how long have you been standing there?” Michelle asked as she wiped her hands with a washcloth after washing them in the sink. “I didn’t see you.’’

‘‘Just for a moment,’’ I lied. ‘‘It looks like you’re on cloud nine about seeing Leah,’’ I said sarcastically. ‘‘That’s why you’re up and about this early.’’

‘‘I’m happy that I’m going to see Leah, but that is not the reason I’m up and about so early.’’ She said as she walked to the refrigerator.

‘‘Then what is it?’’

‘‘You told me the other day that you’d be missing my cooking. Now you won’t. There is enough food for you in the refrigerator for the next few days. You only need to warm it up in the microwave.’’ She opened the fridge and showed me all the containers.

For a moment, I was tongue-tied. ‘‘Michelle, thank you for taking the time to do all of this. You shouldn’t have troubled yourself.’’ I said as I watched her rearrange the Tupperware in the refrigerator. Again, guilt held me in its clutches as I silently watched her shut the refrigerator door and turn to me while I sat on the oak dining room chair.

‘‘It is no trouble, Ryan. Not at all. Now, go on your morning run. I have a little bit of packing to do. By the time you're back, I'll be ready. We can eat breakfast and then head out.’’

I didn’t reply but got up from the chair and drew a shuddering breath. ‘‘Fine, then. I’ll see you in an hour.’’

***

Neither of us spoke much at the breakfast table. I watched Michelle from the corner of my eye; she was chewing on her food reluctantly, as if someone was forcing her to eat it. It had become a cliché for me to ask her over the last few days, are you okay? Are you okay? When certainly she wasn’t. And she came up with the same answers: either she was fine, or she was missing home. I began to doubt the authenticity of it, but I’d given her the benefit of the doubt. She was a shy person, and she might not be comfortable sharing what was troubling her with me. That was perfectly fine with me. Maybe Leah could get her to open up.

I wiped my mouth with a napkin and looked up at her. ‘‘As soon as you’re ready, I’ll drop you off at Leah’s house.’’

‘‘Thank you. I’ll be back in a minute.’’

I nodded my head. She walked to her room, the shuffling of her slippers in the hallway echoing my restless heartbeat.

***

The twenty-minute drive between Bradbury and Beverly Hills felt like five minutes. Time seemed to get wings suddenly. I tried to be my usual self by cracking jokes and faking being a happy camper. Many things were weighing heavily on my mind, guilt being the heaviest—which had started to get more intense with each passing day. I was lying to my dad, and Michelle was leaving for a week. I was in an absurd predicament, having no inkling of how I was going to get out of the mess I had created for myself.

‘‘You missed Leah’s street.’’ Michelle checked Google Maps to see which direction we needed to take.

‘‘Yes, sorry.” I took the next turn and maneuvered through the streets. We got to her apartment and parked the car. “Here we are, finally!’’

As Michelle stepped out of the car, I spotted a teenager walking towards us, wearing earphones, lost in his own world. The moment Michelle turned around, he collided with her, and Michelle lost her balance and toppled over into the street, falling in front of an oncoming car.

The driver was about to hit her when I rushed to grab her arm, my head and heart throbbing. Pulling her into my arms, I moved both of us to the sidewalk.

I was panting. ‘‘Oh, God. That could have been fatal. Pay attention!’’ I almost snapped at her, still panting and gasping for air. I exhaled and more calmly added, “Are you okay?”

I moved her away from me. ‘‘Let me get you some water from the car.’’ I didn’t look at Michelle when I said this.

I handed her a bottle of water and one for myself, taking a few gulps. Realization hit me like a ton of bricks. If I hadn't been there to catch her, I could have lost her. My heart somersaulted in my chest at this terrifying thought, and I began to imagine life without her.

‘‘Are you okay? I asked. ‘‘Do you need to sit down?’’

‘‘I’m okay… I’m okay,’’ Michelle gulped down the water in a similar manner as I had moments before and rested her head against the fence beside us.

‘‘This is the second time you have done this.’’ She pressed her lips together and drew a long breath.

‘‘Done what?’’ I raised my eyebrows.

‘‘Put your life in danger to save me,’’ she pouted, and her beautiful, brown eyes turned red with tears.

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