part10

Maria ran as fast as her legs could carry her. Teary eyes clouded her vision as they ran down her cheeks quickly being replaced with fresh ones. What had started out as a beautiful sunny day had quickly turned into nothing more then a grey blur that surrounded her, almost like a veil of mist.

She didn�t hear the car sirens as she ran across the road, and she didn�t hear the frightened screams of her female alien friend Isabel. No, the only sounds Maria Deluca was able to hear were the soft giggles that had filled the empty library and exploded into a symphony of gentle words of emotions that had never passed her lovers lips to anyone else but her.

Like a never-ending movie, the sight of Michael and Miranda holding hands and staring into each other�s equally brown eyes filled Maria�s mind. The look upon Michaels face as he reached for Miranda�s arm, stopping her from walking away from him, the agony of hurting her, the regret, and relief when she forgave him was suffocating for Maria.

On pure routine she managed to unlock the front door and ran inside leaving the door to shut close with a bang. She walked into her room, which brought safety from the world around her. She crawled upon the bed, hugged her pillow close to her chest and gave in to the teary hurricane that had built up inside her all those short minutes ago, and with a heart aching sob she cried out his name��Michael.�

***********

�Wow,� she said while spinning around in the middle of the living room, taking it all in.

�Not bad Michael, not bad at all,� Miranda told him when she finally looked at him. Michael smiled a little, not quite believing her impression with the little two-bedroom apartment he was currently sharing with Max�his home.

�I know it�s not much, but its home. My home�

�Oh no Michael,� Miranda assured him, �it is great, its so you.�

�Thank you,� he said with a smile. Miranda smiled back and he had to stop himself from bursting into a huge grin, because that was exactly what he wanted to do.

Miranda�s smile had a weird way of lighting up the entire room and Michael found himself never wanting it to end. As weird as it was, she made him feel warm and happy inside. Even though he would�ve sworn it was the strangest thing in the world, seeing her standing there in the middle of his living room seemed like the most natural place for her to be. It was almost as if she was the piece of furniture that had been missing, like a piece of a puzzle. And for a moment it scared the living crap out of him.

�Would you like something to drink?� he asked her, breaking eye contact.

�Um? Yeah sure, I�d love some,� she answered and took a seat on the old worn out couch.

Michael walked into the kitchen to get the drinks while Miranda walked around the room, looking at few of the pictures on the shelf. One was of Maria, looking very beautiful. Another was of Michael standing next to Isabel and Max. The last one was of the whole group all dressed up, �probably the prom� she thought to herself, and then Miranda noticed two kids that she hadn�t seen before, a boy with dark hair and blue eyes standing next to Isabel, and a girl with curly blonde hair next to Kyle.

Suddenly she felt a rush of sorrow mixed with hatred towards the girl. As stupid as it seemed she looked familiar to her and for some stupid reason it disturbed her. There was just something about the way she smiled that sent chills down her spine.

�I see you�ve found me in a tux, huh,� Miranda turned around quickly, startled by his voice.

�Yes I did, and I must say it�s a good look for you,� she smirked.

�Actually it was the worst thing I ever had to put on,� he told her �I hate those things; they make me feel like I�m going to suffocate. I just can�t stand them.�

Miranda smiled and then said, �I know, you�ve never�� suddenly she froze, the image of Michael complaining about this very thing seemed so real to her, almost like a deja-vu, only different.

�What, do you mean you know?� Michael asked, her reply apparently confusing.

�I�I mean I understand, my ex-boyfriend never liked to dress up either,� she explained quickly, �You guys rarely do. Although I still think you look good.�

�Yeah, thanks,� Michael smiled briefly, �I guess that�s true, anyway I only did it because of Maria, she really wanted to go to the dance so I had to sacrifice myself,� Miranda smiled.

�That�s so nice of you, anyway you two look really good together, and you�re perfect for each other. She makes you happy,� Miranda told him.

�Yes she does, she�s the only person besides Max and Isabel who ever gave a damn about me. I guess she saw something in me worth the while, and don�t ask me what,� Miranda looked up at him, her brown eyes filled with compassion and sorrow. She would�ve been blind if she hadn�t.

The look in Miranda�s eyes startled Michael for a minute, why was it that everything that she said seemed to go right to his heart? It left him wondering what his life would�ve been like with her in it from the start and why he never wanted her to leave. She was a stranger and yet so familiar, it was like he had known her all his life. Michael stared into her big pools of chocolate brown eyes.

�Who are those two? I don�t think I�ve met them yet,� she asked pointing at Tess and Alex on the picture she was still holding in her hand.

�Oh that�s Alex he was one of my best friends,� Michael told her with a slight feeling of pain and sorrow in his voice.

�And the girl�s name is Tess, she was also one of our friends, she even dated Max for a while, but then she�� his voice broke for a slight second, which didn�t escape Miranda, but there was something in the way he spoke of her that sounded so filled with anger, and for a slight moment his eyes flashed black.

�Then she what?� Miranda asked slowly, her voice sounding a little bitter. Michael looked at her, feeling a little unease by the way she ran her finger over Tess�s picture.

�And then she moved,� he lied.

�Where? I mean where did she move?� Miranda asked.

�Home I guess,� He told her a little coldly, then turned around and took a seat on the couch, �wherever the hell that is,� Michael answered, and then sipped his Snapple. Miranda put the picture back on the shelf, and sat next to him, carefully watching him from the corner of her eye.

�So when do I get to meet this Alex guy, he sounds like a cool guy,� she asked.

�You won�t meet him�ever,� he answered.

�Why not?� she asked and looked at him.

�Because he�s dead, he died last summer in a car accident,� Michael told her, his voice filled with sorrow.

�Oh I�m sorry I didn�t know. I�m truly sorry for your loss,� she told him and laid a hand on his shoulder, �It must�ve been difficult for you. It couldn�t have been easy losing a friend like that.�

�It was worse for Maria and Liz, they had grown up together,� Michael explained, �They were like family,� he told her. His voice sounded filled with agony. It was almost as if he blamed himself for Alex�s death, like it was somehow his fault.

Michael couldn�t help but blame himself, because it was partly he who got Alex killed, even though it had been Tess who had actually killed him.

As if she could read his mind she said, �But it wasn�t your fault and you can�t blame yourself for something you had no control over. Besides, he was your friend too�.

Michael looked at her, slightly confused. How was it that she cared so much about someone like him and how come he wanted her to? Then suddenly he felt a rush of images flow through his mind, blurry visions of them holding each other and a memory of feeling loved filled his soul.

Miranda felt it to, felt a bond tying them together, like an invisible string of silk that surrounded her heart. There was something about him, something so real, so right, something she could relate to.

He was tall and strong and everything she knew he would be. He was kind and had a gentle soul, no matter how much he tried to hide it. Miranda knew that behind that rough exterior there was a boy who just wanted someone to love him, a boy who wanted somewhere to belong, someone to belong to, who wished for a family of his own.

A feeling she knew as well as the back of her hand. It was a feeling she had lived with her entire life, and it was as much her wish as it was his. The way Michael made her feel reminded her of something that she had experienced so long ago, somewhere between dreams and reality, where she knew that she was safe and home.

A tie of emotions rushed over them both and for a minute Miranda thought she could hear her soul sing, there was something strange about the way she was drawn to Michael, it was so frightening how he seemed to understand her. She had always had a tough time trusting people and yet Michael had without speaking a single word. He�d broken through her walls and made her feel safe for the first time in her life.

Their eyes were locked onto each other, it was just like a bond had been tied and it refused to let go. Miranda could hear her heartbeat slowly synchronize with his, till they were beating as one.

Her hand had been resting on his shoulder, slid slowly down to his hand and he took it, held it in his and just looked at her.

Flashes, memories, a floodgate open, relishing everything that had kept itself hidden all those years, spent apart, and now for the first time their sub consciousness let them in on a secret that had been so carefully hidden away from all eyes to see, including hers.

A mixture of emotions flooded her, happiness, sounds of children�s laughter, love belonging, and then as sharp as a knife, PAIN, screaming muffled cries that ran over her like a black stormy wave casting her onto the cliffs of loneliness and destruction.

Miranda�s heartbeat sped up; lightning flashed in front of her eyes and the familiar feeling of pain let itself known.

She tried to let go of it, tried to break this connection that had arisen, but something wouldn�t let her, the pain grew stronger then ever before and suddenly she couldn�t breathe.

�Stop it, stop it,� she begged, �no more, no more,� she could hear herself screaming at the top of her lungs, and yet not a sound left past her lips.

Michael stared at her. There was something wrong; he knew it, he could sense it. Miranda�s breathing had gone shallow and he could barely see her chest rise and fall.

�Miranda,� he spoke softly, �Miranda, are you all right?� Still she didn�t answer him. It was as if she was in some kind of trance, her body was there yet her mind wasn�t.

�Miranda,� he now spoke a little louder�trying to get through to her. All the while never knowing that she had locked on and logged onto every part of the essence that was him. A chill went down his spine and he suddenly got scared.

�Miranda! Miranda, wake up!� he shook her. He let go of her hand and tried to wake her up once more. She felt herself being bombed with emotions, each one stronger then the last and just as she was about to fall over the edge and into the abyss, the flood flow stopped and the next thing she was back in Michael�s apartment sitting on the couch next to him.

She stared at Michael for a minute. He looked scared and slightly panicked, he was saying something, yet she couldn�t hear what. It was as if someone had pressed the mute button and she couldn�t hear him say a thing. And then�

�Miranda!� she heard him yell; she blinked and looked at him.

�Michael?� she asked, her tone a little wondering, �What�s wrong?� she asked him.

�What�s wrong?� he said, �You tell me. You�re the one who went all vegetable on me,� he told her. She gave him look, showing she had no idea what he was talking about what so ever.

�What are you talking about?�

�What I�m�Miranda I�ve been shaking you for the past few minutes, trying to wake you up, it was as if you went into some kind of coma state.�

�I was?� she asked him, not remembering for a minute what had gone through her mind or body. And then just as quickly it hit her, she had connected onto Michael�s subconscious.

�Oh, I�I�m sorry, I didn�t realize, I just spaced out,� she lied. Michael stared at her in question.

�Yes, you sure did, must�ve been some kind of a trip, cause you were gone for quite some time,� he told her.

Miranda stood up and took a few steps away from the couch, as if to create a little bit of distance between the two of them.

She turned her back on him and took a deep breath.

�I�m really sorry for freaking you out like that, it�s just that sometimes my mind just wanders off, and I get a little lost. I get so concentrated I can�t even hear anything around me.�

Well at least it was a half-lie; it was partly true, because she really did space out. She turned around and faced him, only to find him standing right in front of her. He was looking at her intensely, as if he was scanning her to see if she was lying to him. She couldn�t blame him, his whole life he�d been lied to, but then again he had told a few lies himself.

But he wouldn�t find any traces on her face, no sir, Miranda had learned how to cover her tracks well; she gave him a crooked little shy smile.

�I�m really sorry Michael, I didn�t mean to scare you,� she told him. He let out a breath, and then smirked at her in false macho expression.

�You didn�t scare me,� he told her, �you just �� he tried to come up with a better word.

�Freaked you out,� she offered, smiling at him.

In defeat he shrugged his shoulders, �Yeah something like that.�

�I guess I found you out now huh,� he said, the sentence causing her blood to freeze, her smile died.

�What�s that suppose to mean?�

�Nothing, just that now I officially know your secret,� he smirked.

�And what would that be?� she asked, smiling back at him, trying her very best not to let her mask to fall.

�That you�re officially a space nut.�

�Oh I am? Am I?� she discreetly let out her breath.

�Yes you are,� he joked.

�I swear to god, I am a freak magnet,� he told her, �Wherever I go, I always end up attracting weird people.� He told her matter-of-factly.

�Oh really? Well then! We all have some special gifts, some people can heal others, can solve secret codes, but you and I Michael, we space out and attract freak people. Aren�t we a pair?� she laughed.

Hadn�t he heard her out he would�ve thought it strange joking about healing people and enigma codes, but then he saw the look on her face and just couldn�t help but to give a little laugh as well.

�What�s so funny?� They heard someone ask. Turning around they saw Max standing in the non-existing hallway, staring at them. The laughter died away.

�Nothing,� Michael told him, �just a little inside joke.�

�Hi Max,� Miranda greeted him, �nice to see you again,� she said looking him straight in the eyes, wondering if he would blush again.

�Hi,� Max said quickly breaking eye contact, not wanting to make a fool of himself again, especially not now after talking to Isabel�about the thing that happened with Maria.

�So what are you doing here? I thought you two were at the library working on your science project,� he asked, his tone accusing and almost cold.

Michael was just about to answer him, and scowl at him for the use of tone, when Miranda spoke, �Oh we were. Then we took a walk and next thing you know we ended up here. Michael told me that he owned an apartment and I just couldn�t resist. I must say, this is a really cool place.�

Miranda looked around a little, her curls bouncing along as she did, making him wonder if they were as soft as they looked.

When she met his gaze again her eyes seemed to give a little spark, she gave him a half smile, yet her eyes kept watching him intently, almost as if she was looking through him�as if she could read him and see just how uncomfortable she made him feel just by being in the same room as him.

�Thanks,� he said a little quietly.

�So what are you doing home so soon? I thought you were going to Liz�s,� Michael asked, the irritation slipping through as he spoke.

Max saw his opening to tell him about what happened with Maria, hoping Miranda would leave if he did. There was just something about her presence here that made him feel unease.

�I was planning to, but then we got a call from Isabel saying she saw Maria�and that something happened,� as expected Michael reacted fast.

�What about Maria? Is she all right?� he asked sounding worried all of the sudden.

�Yeah I think she�s fine now,� Max said as he poured himself some Snapple and took a sip.

�But she wasn�t before. What happened, Maxwell?� Michael asked him this time not bothering to try and hide his aggravation with him.

�I thought you�d know?�

�How am I supposed to know when I�ve been with Miranda at the library the entire day?�

�Because Isabel said she went over to see you, something about a study snack she had made?�

�Study what? What the hell are you talking about? I never saw her, she never came by, and we were alone the entire time.�

�Well maybe she saw you,� Max told him, hoping he would understand.

Miranda sure as hell did, she knew what Max had been trying to say. Obviously Maria had gone to visit them at the library. She must�ve seen them together and got the wrong impression, after all she was his girlfriend and he had been spending a lot of time with Miranda this past week. It was only to be expected that she reacted this way. Girls always did.

�Maybe you should go see what�s wrong, Michael,� Miranda told him, �Just, you know, talk to her, see if she�s all right,� she told him, �it might be important�.

Michael looked at her. He knew she was right�if something was up with Maria he needed to know about it. Especially since he hadn�t seen her for a while.

�Yeah, you�re right, I should probably go,� he said.

�Now would be good Michael,� she said�pointing out the obvious.

�But I can�t just leave I mean you just got here,� he told her feeling slightly embarrassed about kicking her out like this.

�Oh don�t worry about me Michael. I�ve got to be going. I need to get home and finish unpacking anyway.�

�Are you sure you won�t mind?� he asked.

�Yes I�m sure, I can give you a ride over to Maria�s place if you want?�

�Yeah that�d be great. Can you just wait a minute, I�m just gonna change my sweater,� he told her.

�You do that, I�ll wait right here,� she told him and smiled as she watched him run into his room.

When she turned around she found Max looking at her. The look on his face said it all. He thought that some thing was going on between Michael and her. Maria�s reaction was not that hard to interpret. So she stared back, daring him to say something. To her surprise he did.

�What�s going on between you two?� he caught her off guard. She�d never thought Max to be so forward.

�Something, but it�s not what you think,� she told him, her voice calm yet strong.

�And what do I think?�

�What every guy thinks when he finds out that his best friend is spending time with another girl�besides his girlfriend�especially a stranger like me. And especially when you�re best friend isn�t known for making new friends very often.�

Max listened to her speak. The way she spoke to him so calm and collected gave him the creeps. She wasn�t lying and she wasn�t angry like most girls would�ve been. No, Miranda was simply truthful and it impressed him, yet her tone sent chills down his spine. Beneath all that calm he suspected there was something more hiding behind that formal curtsey in her tone and it made him feel cold inside.

�And what would that be?� he managed to speak.

�Friendship, or have you forgotten how that feels? I know why Maria is upset, I may not know the exact reason, but I do know it has everything to do with my friendship to Michael. She�s not use to that. From what I�ve heard none of you ever are�when it comes to strangers. Do you honestly think this hasn�t happened to me before? I�m not an idiot, Max. I�m used to this kind of treatment. I know what I am and how I affect people�guys in particular�but I�m not that kind of girl either.�

�What kind would that be?� he asked her, getting slightly irritated at the way she made him feel like the most obvious idiot on the planet.

�The boyfriend-steeling type. You see, Max, I don�t attract to unavailable guys no matter how much I might like them. I prefer a partner who doesn�t have obligations elsewhere, unlike some people.�

The last part had pierced through him like a knife through butter�especially since she was looking at him like she knew every intimate detail of his life. As if she knew everything about him and Tess. He opened his mouth to tell her just how wrong she was, but then Michael came out of his room telling Miranda he was ready to go. She took her backpack she had left by the door as Michael opened it.

�Ladies first,� he told her, gesturing with his hand like one of the doormen. She gave him a quick smile and then turned around to look at Max once more before she left.

�It was nice seeing you again, Max,� she said politely and walked out the door.

TBC

Part 10