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Sitting in the overheated bus with Michael sitting next to me, while everyone on the bus chatted away loudly talking over each other to get their opinions voiced.

 

Michael and I talked to each other quietly amongst all the noise; I decided to bring out my Walkman out of my messy bag shuffling though my papers and other clusters in the depths of my bag.

 

I could feel his gaze on me as I went though my bag, when he saw the Walkman in my hands, I could hear the small squeak of excitement burst from him. I could not help but that find the sound utterly adorable and restrain myself from pinching his cheeks which he hates so much when I do so.

 

 

Deciding to play his favourite song that we hadn’t heard in awhile, seeing the Walkman empty I shuffled though my bag again finding the battered black tape labelled ‘James Brown – Get Up offa that thing’

 

I put the tape into the Walkman and left the headphones to rest on my lap while the funky melody of the song played, though Michael and I bopping our heads to the melody. I knew if we were standing out in the open Michael would start dancing immediately to the beat and didn’t care who was watching in that moment because he would let the music move him.

 

I have witnessed him doing that a few times every time I bring my Walkman along with us and play a song he likes and well he wouldn’t stop moving until the music stopped or he would drag me out to dance with him. We would do a duet dance or dance battle until the music stops and we would flush in embarrassment when we hear the cheers and claps of onlookers around us.

 

We listened to the tape all the way to school the bus finally arrived.

Everyone including Michael and I grabbed our bags and waited in line until we could get off the bus.

 

Michael got off the bus before me, held out his hand and I rolled my eyes knowing he did this every time to tease my height even further. Grabbing his hand to humour him, I jumped off the bus landing in front of him.

 

Instead of letting go of my hand, he continued to hold onto my hand and I didn’t mind it was a natural thing for us to do sometimes. So we walked hand in hand to school and when we got into class for our lesson Michael let go of my hand and the day started once the bell rang.

 

The day went faster than usual, the first lessons going in a blur until we had the last lesson before the lunch hour.

 

It was sadly History, which I found not to be one of my favourite lessons unfortunately. I put my head down on the desk, letting the taller person in front of me become my shade. I could hear Michael whispering to me to wake up in the seat across me, shrugging my shoulders at him, almost falling asleep until the cool, cold voice of our history teacher Mr. Smith spoke “Sleeping again in my class Miss. Bailey” He asked a hint of irritation laced in his voice.

 

Snapping my head upwards and seeing Mr.smith tall frame loom over me, his eyes narrowed.

 

 

I started to pull the strands of my hair nervously avoiding eye contact, Mr smith sighed slowly and then spoke his voice still irritated “since you have so much time to sleep in my class why don’t you answer the question on the board?”

 

Looking at the board and seeing the question, I began to stutter nervously “w-w-ell u-h-h, you se-e---“

 

Michael who decided to save me like the superhero he was, put his hand up and said in a timid tone, the answer to the question.

 

Mr. smith sighed once again nodded at Michael seeing he got the answer right, said sarcastically “you should use your friend as an example Miss. Bailey, and don’t let me catch you sleeping in my class again or next time you will get detention”

 

I blushed in embarrassment, breaking eye contact with Mr. smith who walked back to his desk and continued the class.

 

When he turned his back, I looked at Michael and mouthed the words ‘thank you’; he smiled and nodded his head turning his attention back to our teacher.

 

Thirty minutes later when the class ended for lunch hour, Mr. Smith giving us papers to hand around the class for our next homework due next week. The bell rang shortly and everyone including Michael and I shuffled around chatting and shoving textbooks, papers into various different bags.

 

I stood up carrying my bag slung on my shoulder and pushing my chair back into the table. Walking away from the table seeing Michael at the door nodded his head, grabbed my hand and we made our way to the cafeteria.

 

We walked in silence to the cafeteria, Michael using one long arm to push the door open, he walked and I followed.

 

We joined the line for our meal, a couple of minutes later we held our trays filled with our food and drink. We dodged the busy tables that had all various cultures of people sitting together and managed to find a medium sized table in the middle of the room empty.

 

Dumping the tray lightly onto the table, we both dropped our bags near our feet and ate our food in silence.

 

Until a loud burp erupted from Michael who covered his mouth in embarrassment and his big eyes wider than before. I snickered and smirked at Michael “well Applehead, you must have been really hungry to produce such a loud burp”

 

Michael pouted in annoyance and said “it was an involuntary reaction and don’t tease me about it amber!”

 

Shrugging my shoulders and changing the topic to our last class “anyway Applehead thanks again for helping me get out detention with Mr Smith”

 

He rolled his eyes, bite into his chicken, chewed and swallowed. “Girl, I always gotta do that for you, stop sleeping in class”.

 

Now rolling my eyes as well, pointing a finger at him I was about to snap my reply until a soft deep voice cheerfully interrupted our conversation. “Lil bro, why you hiding away you got something to hide?”

 

We both turned our heads to see a tall dark skinned, light brown eyes figure walk up to our table holding his tray of food.

 

He walked up to our table, dropping in the seat next to Michael who sighed irritated. Looks like he knew him by the looks of it I thought to myself.

 

Seeing him up-close I could see the resemblance between him and Michael, he must be one of Michael’s brothers that he never told me about.

 

Michael snapped rudely “I’m not hiding Marlon, why you gotta come here?”

 

Marlon smirked in amusement ignoring his brother’s reply, turned his head towards me, his light brown eyes pinned on me. He smiled charmingly and spoke “who’s this pretty young thing here mike? She your girl?”

 

Michael’s cheeks turning a rosy shade of red, spluttered a resounding “N-o-o! Why you gotta think like that Marlon, she’s my friend!” he exclaimed at the end, his voice raising up a pitch higher.

 

My cheeks turned pink as well and I swiftly shook my head as my answer. Marlon laughed in merriment over hearing our replies, putting his arm over Michael’s shoulder and playfully ruffled his huge afro.

 

Michael protesting in detest “agh, get off Marlon” trying to get his brother off him. Eventually Marlon let go and Michael patted his Afro, glaring at his brother whose attention now was focused on me.

 

I giggled over the brotherly affection Marlon showed his brother and now he’s attention was back me. He spoke sweetly “Marlon Jackson at your service, what’s your name sugar?”

 

I giggled over the pet name and brought out my hand and said smiling shyly “Amber Bailey, nice to meet you Marlon I never did hear about you until today”.

Marlon smiled back taking my hand in his, placed a soft kiss on my palm. He replied,

“Well it is my pleasure sugar to meet ya and my adorable brother over there never likes to talk about our family, like he’s embarrassed or something” he rolled his eyes and pointed his head to his brother.

 

Letting him continue to hold my hand while using my other hand to cover my giggles. Michael snorted in disagreement and continued to chew on his chicken.

 

 Marlon got up holding his tray, and said in farewell “well it was nice meeting you sugar I hope I’ll see you again, look after my brother, I’ll see you later at home bro” he winked at me, ruffled his brother’s hair again, snapped annoyed “Marlon!” walked away giggling to his table and sat with his friends.

 

Now that Marlon had left, Michael looked back at me embarrassed and ashamed, his eyes not meeting mine down on his food. “I hope my brother didn’t annoy you, he gets on my nerves so much”

 

I raised a single eyebrow and counted two fingers on my hand “hmm well Applehead, that’s two other siblings I’ve seen, what other siblings could you be hiding from me? Maybe another six perhaps?” I ended on a sarcastic tone.

 

Michael snorted and folded his arms against his broad chest, quickly changing the topic like he always does when it comes to his family, which frankly annoys me every time something new pops, my itch to know about his family grows even more.

 

“How about the way you were giggling like a little school girl over my brother Amber?” Michael had his chin on his hand as he looked me in curiosity and..... was that Jealousy in his eyes?

 

I could feel the warmth sip into my cheeks as he asked, snorting and crossing my arms against my chest, I answered “none of your business Applehead and what I can’t giggle like a girl now?”

 

 

He shrugged his shoulders and as he was about to open his mouth. The bell rang ending the lunch break. I stood holding my tray smirking at him, throwing the wasted food in the trashcan. Michael picked up my bag handing it to me, then grabbing his bag and taking my hand we walked back to our class for our last classes until it was time to go home.

Chapter End Notes:

So Marlon's been introduced!, I hope i got his character down, we will still see more of him~

and why is michael hiding his family from Amber? what's his problem? i don't know lol

 

and what did you think? any errors? tell me i would love to know :D

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