Movie Night

 CHAPTER FOUR

 MOVIE NIGHT

 Kelvin, Sylvester, and Michelle stood outside the movie theater. A lot of people were lined up at the other corner with their tickets in their hands. They were waiting for Michael. 

 "Are you sure he's still coming?", Michelle asked.

 "Yeah! I just texted him. He replied that it was hard to convince his dad...", Kelvin was interrupted by Michelle.

 "Uhhh! I think he's here",

 A car stopped in front of the building. A man from the front seat came down and opened the back door as Michael stepped out. Kelvin, Sylvester, and Michelle walked to meet him.

 "Hey, guys!", Michael called out when he saw them.

 "I'll go in with you" " the man who had opened the door for him said.

 "No! You would have your own fun in the car, or anywhere you choose. I'll be safe and fine with my friends, okay?", Michael said.

 Kelvin and others tried not to laugh because the man's expression was saying he was going to do otherwise.

 Turning to others, Michael said, "Has the movie started?"

 "Let's go in", Kelvin said as Sylvester led the way into the movie theater.

 Inside, they quickly found empty seats enough for the four of them. Kelvin and Sylvester quickly rushed to take the seats at the row's end, leaving Michelle and Michael to take the next seats. Michael frowned. He was expecting to sit with either Kelvin or Sylvester and not Michelle, who handed over the big cup of popcorn to Kelvin while she took a seat beside Kelvin.

 "Michael, come and sit", Kelvin said when he noticed Michael was still standing.

 "I don't want to sit there", Michael sighed.

 "The movie's about to start. Just sit there, okay?", Kelvin tried to convince him.

 Rolling his eyes, Michael reluctantly goes to sit beside Michelle. Michelle, who also wasn't expecting what was going on, became so conscious of Michael sitting beside her. She made sure she put all her focus on the movie. She almost couldn't breathe properly also because she could feel Michael's gaze on her or maybe not—Kelvin and Sylvester were lost in their own world while trying to guess what scene was to show next. They do this every time. 

 To herself, "Those brats. They're leaving me out of the conversation." She didn't even understand the movie or what the movie was about. The whole place was dark except for the lights from the movie screen. After a while, she slowly turned her head and saw that Michael had fallen asleep. She smiled. He looked so innocent and peaceful. She quietly leaned back and pushed herself to his side as she slowly used her hand to make his head lean on her shoulder. She took up one of his hands as she tried intertwining it in hers. She removed her hands immediately Michael shifted a bit. He was trying to adjust his head on her shoulders. Her gaze went to his face. And slowly she bent her face towards his own. She didn't know why she was doing this. Halfway, towards his face, Kelvin had turned to see Michelle leaning towards Michael. He tapped her arm lightly.

 "Mich, is something wrong?", He asked.

 Sitting up slowly, she turned to Kelvin, "Nothing. I just thought I saw something on his face"

 "Okay. Are you comfortable like that?",

 "I'm fine"

 "Okay." He nods and continues his discussion with Sylvester. 

 "Traitors!", She muttered under her breath. Just then, Michael moved a bit, but this time, he opened his eyes. He saw his position and slowly sat up. Michelle turned to look at him. Their eyes met but none of them said a word to each other.

 * * * *

 It's Monday morning. Michelle was feeling very sick, but she was trying her best to hide it. She even had to apply a friend's lipstick to cover her pale lips. That morning, at the school's assembly hall, the principal called her to come up to the stage and give a speech to the students. Inside her, she was shivering but she still tried so hard to cover up the stage and give a speech to the students. She almost missed a step.

 "Is Michelle feeling well?", Michael whispered to Kelvin and Sylvester.

 "I don't know, but I don't see anything wrong with her", Kelvin said, looking at Michelle, who was already giving her speech.

 "Can you ask her later?", Michael still insisted.

 "Oka...", Kelvin paused when he heard noise from the students around. He looked at the stage. Michelle suddenly sneezed before everyone. She was suddenly embarrassed, especially when her eyes met with that of Michael, who was staring intently at her.

 The principal quickly rushed to her side to help her complete the speech as one of the teachers came up the stage to help her down the podium. 

 Kelvin and Sylvester signaled to her, but she mouthed, "I'm fine", but they shrugged. Her eyes met with Michael again. He was still looking at her.

 * * * *

 On getting to class, at the door, students clustered around her. They were asking about her health and other things. The noise was too much for her, and when she couldn't handle it anymore, she passed out. The students started screaming. Michael had to hold himself from running as he quickly rushed to her and bent down where she lay. He touched her forehead and noticed it was hot. He made to carry her but Kelvin immediately suggests that he let him do that. Michael agreed, and they carried her to the school's infirmary. 

 Michelle was the only student admitted by the time they got there. Kelvin, Sylvester, and Michael were there while the nurse admitted to her. Michelle was fast asleep by the time the nurse was done. Michael had someone deliver lots of meals and supplements for Michelle. The delivery arrived and the nurse brought it in. Sylvester and Kelvin had to help the nurse carry the bags into the room and drop them on a table beside the bed.

 "Michael, you ordered so much?" Kelvin said, taking out some things from one of the bags.

 "Yeah! She would be needing all of it", He replied.

 The nurse looked at Kelvin and Sylvester with slight confusion dancing in her eyes.

 "She needs to wake up now and eat something" " the nurse said, touching her forehead.

 "Can I wake her up?", Kelvin asked.

 "Yes, do that." The nurse nodded.

 "Mich! Mich, baby", Kelvin tapped her arm lightly. Michelle shifted a bit and slowly opened her eyes. Everything was blurry at first before it finally cleared up.

 "Mich! Let me help you sit up." Kelvin and Sylvester helped her sit up properly while the nurse adjusted the drip stand. Michael just stood watching them. She looked up, and her eyes met that of Michael, but she looked away, slightly embarrassed.

 "Water", She said softly.

 Kelvin quickly opened a bottle of water by the side and handed it to her. He almost helped her with it, which earned him a side eye from Michelle, and that amused everyone in the room.

 It was quite a sight for Michael who stood at the end of the bed. He watched Michelle banter words with Kelvin and Sylvester as they tried to feed her themselves. It was almost a chaotic mess, trying not to stain her school uniform.

 To himself, he said, "This is beautiful. It's usually Dad, Miss Hena, his dad's personal assistant, Mr. George, and his doctors." He smiled.

 The nurse gave Michelle her injections while Sylvester kept on teasing her. It was then that Michaels's phone rang, and he stepped out to answer it. The nurse finished and left. It was just the three of them. Kelvin turns to her.

 "Can you now tell us what happened",

 "Yeah, Mich," Sylvester nods, looking at her.

 "It's my aunt." She paused. "Please do not tell Michael".

 "We won't", Kelvin said

 "Promise?", She wanted to be sure.

 "Fast. Before he comes back", Sylvester quickly added.

 She licks her lips, "My aunt came back early on Friday. Her friends canceled their night outing without telling her, and when she got home, she found out I was out too. She had a lot to say when I got home. She even said I went whoring", She paused as she tries to blink back the tears gathered up in her eyes.

 "What?!", Kelvin said

 "She...um...asked me to leave the house. I mean, it was late, and I had nowhere else to go. She told the gateman not to let me in. Even into his house. He later helped me, but then I had to sleep by the doorpost. I caught a cold and I took some painkillers. I don't know it started again this morning",

 Taking her hand, Sylvester said, "We're sorry, Mich"

 "No, you shouldn't be. I don't regret going out with you guys. I had a good time and we didn't know this would happen, right?",

 "It's okay, Mich. You'll be fine", Kelvin said and quickly cleaned the tears on her face, "I think Michael's coming. So brighten up quickly. He's a sensitive one".

 She nods and smiles. She also cleaned the tears, and as she was tying her hair to the back, Michael entered the room.

 "Michael!", Kelvin called out. 

 Michael stopped at the foot of the bed.

 "How is she feeling now?" He asked, looking at her. 

 "I'm..." She tried to speak, but Sylvester interrupted her.

 "She's fine now. She just needs some rest",

 Michael nods but looks at her again.

 "Did you cry?", He questioned, genuinely curious. Kelvin and Sylvester looked at each other.

 Michelle looked at Michael and shook her head.

 "No, I didn't", And she looked away.

 "Okay", Michael nods slowly.