indexpart8

Michael�s POV

Maria DeLuca. That name was in my head all last night. After the disastrous kiss incident all I could think of was kissing her again. When I saw her standing at the front of the parking lot I got my chance, walking through the quad was none other than Brian Woods. He was staring right at us when I kissed her, I didn�t even have time to register the fact that I was kissing her again. Brian only looked worried he didn�t look jealous or even effected by the fact that I was kissing her. What an a.sshole.

In Math class Alex was bugging me saying that Maria was really into the kiss, and that I should have kept it going for longer so that she could kiss me back. I let him bug me for a while but the novelty soon wore off when he wouldn�t leave it alone, she was not going to kiss me back she is in love with Brian.

�Dude I am telling you that girl is into you, and you aren�t doing a very good job of pretending that you aren�t into her as well.�

�Alex for the last time, I am not into her, this is all a bet that Kyle came up with and I fully intend to win it.�

�You liar, you want her and she wants you just admit it.� I do want her. But she wants Brian and I will not stand in the way of that. Isabelle comes sauntering into the room with a look on her face that can only mean one thing.

�So did you hand in the nomination?�

She leans down and gives Alex a hello kiss, when she stood back up she looked at me with barely masked contempt. � Yes, I handed in the nomination, Maria will be on the ballots for winter princess. I just hope you know what and a.ss you are being, Maria will find out about this and chances are she wont forgive you.�

As if I don�t know all of this, as if I don�t know that Maria will without a doubt find out about the bet and I will loose any sort of relationship we may have. That does not change the fact that I made this bet and I will not back out of it.

�Look guys I know that you all think that I like her and that she likes me but that is not the case and it never will be.� They look at me with matching faces of confusion.

�You cant still be denying the fact that you are totally falling for her.�

�No Isabelle I am denying the fact that Maria is falling for me. Have none of you noticed the way that she looks at Brian she is totally in love with him and for that very reason she will never be into me.�

�How do you know that? You have to give it a chance Michael, without risks there can be no rewards. Are all of you forgetting that Alex was nothing but a computer nerd when we got together? He was in love with another person and he fell in love with me this is exactly the same thing.�

�Um� Isabelle I hate to tell you this but it is not even close to the same thing. When we got together I was in love with another person that much is true, but the other person was the Ice princess that you let everyone believe you were. I fell in love with you when you showed me who you really were. This is not the same thing; Maria isn�t in love with two Michaels she is in love with one Brian and one Michael. It is very different.�

�SHE IS NOT IN LOVE WITH ME!!!!� The whole class including Mr. Arnellien look up at my outburst. Thankfully the bell for lunch rang and I didn�t have to offer any further explanations.

As we walked into the quad I saw Maria and Liz sitting by themselves and knew that it was my �boyfriendly� duty to sit with them. Max however beat me to it. When we got to the table I sat down next to Maria and casually placed my arm around her, she gave me a look but didn�t shrug away from my touch.

�So did Brian say anything to you in class?� I try to ask casually but even to me it came out pathetic.

�Um� yeah first he asked me if we were dating and then he told me that I should be careful because you were in love with another girl named Maria DeLuca.� As she says this I choke on the pop that I had just swallowed.

�He said what? He doesn�t know who you are yet?� I thought for sure that when he watched us kiss earlier today who knew what was going on and would do something about it not make her feel worse about being in love with someone who does not even know who she is.

�You heard me. It was actually funny he is such a bonehead thing. It was also kind of rude. Telling me that you were in love with someone else when I am dating you. And the stupidity of thinking that you were in love with me that is totally insane.� She looks at me with a face that almost looks likes she wants me to deny what she has said.

�Yeah that is completely stupid, well we will just have to show him. You are a real catch and before this month is over you will have Brian Woods completely in love with you.�

She looks like a deflated balloon at that when I say this and I cant help but want to kiss her again. God I wish that she were in love with me instead of him.

Maria�s POV

Oh my god, can Michael get any more dense? I basically just said that I don�t care that Brian doesn�t know who I am and he vows that by the end of the month I will have Brian in love with me. Can you say IDIOT? The next time that he kisses me I will be ready and he wont know what hit him. Lets see if he can be stupid to my feelings after that.

�Maria did you hear a thing I said?� Liz looked pretty upset that I was ignoring her.

�Um� yeah you were saying that we have closing duties and the caf� tonight?� Liz nods her head and I feel a wave of relief that my wild stab in the dark was actually right.

Michael leans down and whispers in my ear, the sensation sends shivers down my side. �Bad guess, she was asking if you wanted to go shopping after school.�

I blush all the way to my toes at the fact that I was so obviously ignoring Liz, but more that that I blush at the thoughts of Michael that are running through my head.

Liz was still blathering on about something or other but still my thoughts were on Michael. How can I get him to kiss me again?

�Uh�so I have to go to the washroom, I will be right back.� I shoot a look at Liz hoping that she picked up on the signal that I want to talk.

�Me too.� Liz, Isabelle, and Tess all say at the same time.

We get half way to the washroom before Isabelle pulls on my arm and stops me.

�Okay so what the hell is going on? Why did you suddenly feel the need to go to the washroom?�

Never one to beat around the bush I got straight to the point. �How do I get Michael to kiss me again?�

Tess is the first to offer her opinion. �Well you could fake drowning and then kiss him when he gives you mouth to mouth.�

�That would involve being near water and that wont happen in the next twenty minutes.�

Isabelle came up with the next brilliant idea. �Just walk right up to him and lay one on him before he has a chance to react.�

�Yeah well that would involve me having guts so I would say that it would be a really big NO!! Do you have any ideas Lizzie?�

�Um� not really the whole manipulation game isn�t really my thing.�

�Well thanks for the great help on that one Lizzie. I don�t know how to get him to kiss me again.� We only have 10 minutes before the bell goes for 4th period and I have no idea what I can do about Michael. Something tells me that we won�t be locking lips any time soon.

TBC

Part 8