You Got Me On My Knees, chapter 1

He found me sitting on his bed, occupying my fingers with the edge if his white sheet, obviously lost in my own thoughts, too distracted to notice him. "Hey... " he said and sat next to me. I shrugged and managed to give him a fake smile before focusing on what I was doing before he entered. "You were a little... I don't know... off today." He told me. "Really? I'm fine." I lied again to him. If I was the strong woman I always wanted to be I'd get up and leave or talk to him, tell him what he wanted to know, but, being me, I just stood there, mumbling unimportant answers to whatever he asked.
"What's going on El? You don't like Sarah?"
"No I do! She's very nice." I seriously had to cut the lies. The truth was I hated Sarah. I wanted to tell he to tell her to shut up because everything she said seemed like pointless shit. But I couldn't tell that to Mike now could I? She was his fucking girlfriend.
"El damn it, just talk to me." Mike sighed and closed his eyes, letting his face land on his hands. I knew that when he did that, he was about to start yelling. He didn't get angry easily but now he would have a pretty good reason. "You are my fucking best friend and this is a girl is actually good for me. "The volume of his voice was being raised. "I know I'm sorry!" I gasped. "I just feel... I don't know... irritated."
"Of what?"
"Of this! You hadn't said anything about her and suddenly you go all 'I'm in love!' With a stranger?"
"I've known her for some time now." He admitted. He had got up from the bed and now he sat back down next to me.
"Exactly. And I'm supposed to be your best friend and your roommate and I had no clue."
"I'm sorry about that." He breathed and kissed me gently on my forehead. That used to make things better but now it didn't. "Other than that what did you think of her?"
"I... umm... I don't know."
"Why?" I left him sitting on the bed and walked to the door of his bedroom. I looked back and saw Mike's confused face knowing that this was my fault. "You don't get it do you?" I asked. "I'll be in my room." And with that I disappeared into the only place in the world where I could have my piece of mind.

"Can we at least talk about this?" Mike was now standing on my doorway and I could tell it was one of the few times he was uncomfortable around me. "It's okay Mikey... " I sighed and let my book down, approaching him. "I'm sorry for being a bitch before." I tried hugging him but he pulled away immediately. "El, it's not that simple. You said that I don't get something; what is that?"
"Forget it, I was mad when I said that."
"Why? Why were you mad Layla?" he had just used my full name. Things were not looking good. "There are so many things I want to ask you." He murmured desperately. "Why don't you like Sarah? And what is it that I don't get? And why do you always go to your room when we are alone in the house? Were you always this distant? Was it always like this?" I looked at his pleading blue eyes and couldn't help but smile sweetly at him. "Mike...the answer to all of your questions is the same." I said.
"And what is the fucking answer?"
I walked towards him, one hesitating step at a time and didn't stop until my face was just inches away from his. "Don't you know what the answer is Mikey?"
Before I knew Mike had grabbed me by the waist, collapsed me in the corner of the wall and was kissing me with such great strength that it was almost impossible for me not to completely break down. I held him by his arms, trying to steady myself as I was feeling his tongue slipping in my mouth and his body being pressed hard against mine. He could easily lift me up and he did so I wrapped my legs around his waist and kept the passionate kiss going unbuttoning his shirt quickly and leaving him bare chested, touching every area that was now revealed to me. He placed me on my bed and topping me he got rid of my blouse without pulling away. I finally came to my senses when he went to unhook my bra and I sat up desperate to catch my breath and think straight at the same time. "Okay so I may know the answer." He said trying to breathe in as much air as he could. I smirked and nodded, still unable to speak. Mike got up, picked his shirt from the floor and put it on, buttoning it back quickly. "Listen El. I have to go somewhere to... fix something. I'll be back in an hour or so. Please wait up I want to talk about this. Okay?"

I nodded again and also covered myself. Mike smiled and bent to kiss my cheek. His gorgeous blue eyes saw right through me and I was kissing him again after a second or so. He encircled my waist and brought me closer to him once more. I felt like screaming to him to make him stay. "Give me an hour." He whispered. "Just an hour and I'm here for good. I promise you."



Mike and I had met five years ago when I was only fifteen. He used to date my sister's best friend, Holly, and since Holly was spending most of her time in our house I got used to Mike being around as well. I remember having a crush on him since the first time his blue eyes met with my black ones and from that day and beyond my crush turned into passion and the passion turned into something different which I now realize was love. But I couldn't do anything about it back then. The only reason he was close to me was because he wanted to hang out with my big sister and his girlfriend. He was nineteen anyway so I knew nothing would happen. If I could say that our friendship begun in one particular moment then it would be when one day he entered my room, having Holly stuck on his face. She was kissing him like she was testing for how long she could stay without air. I felt so jealous that I wanted to get up and kick them both out or start crying my eyes out but I didn't do neither because Mike would think I'm crazy. I couldn't even do something to let them know that they were being watched so I just kept cleaning up my harp (yes I can play harp.) like they weren't there. Mike pulled away and looked at me shyly. "Sorry, we thought that was the bathroom." He said. Of course I couldn't speak to him so I nodded, trying to hide my face for him not to notice my huge blush. "Hey you like the Clash?" he asked, staring at a poster on my wall. "Yeah kinda." I replied. "That's cool. I like them too."

And after that Holly just pulled him away to where the bathroom really was. And that was the first 'dialogue' Mike and I shared. Next time he came, he knocked on my door and from what it seemed like, he was perfectly aware of the fact that it wasn't a place where he and Holly could make out until their lips got swollen. "Hey Mike." I said, playing with my fingers.
"Hey... Layla. Right?"
"Right."
"Like the song?"
"Like the song." Yeah, my mom had announced to my dad that she was pregnant to me at their favorite bar one night, and this Eric Clapton song was playing. Mike started exploring my room, hands in his pockets, having a slight smile on his face. "So you read a lot huh?" he asked, pointing at my book collection.
"Yeah." I answered. "You can borrow some if you like." I told him.
"Nah I'm more of a musical guy. I'm actually in a band. We call ourselves Green Day." His face suddenly lit up at the mentioning of his band. "Your sister has already seen us. You should come with her to a concert some time."

And things moved from there. I went to a concert, my sister left me alone to go talk to her friends and after the show Mike found me sitting by myself and suggested that I go with him. I met Billie and Tre, his band mates and... that was it really. We started hanging out. Mike and Holly broke up, I started dating a guy named Luke, who was two years older than me but we broke up after a year because he was getting abusive occasionally and I had no intention in keeping up a fucked up relationship. Finally, when I decided to move out of my house Mike offered me a room to his place.
My parents fully supported every decision I made even if they didn't agree with it so I moved out without any big fights. They knew I would be the one to leave first because I was the one who never felt at ease. Their home was paradise for my sister but not for me.
My feelings for Mike never disappeared but were forgotten I guess by the strong bond of friendship that was created between us. We became best friends and I always felt protected when I was around him. He didn't date lots of girls and I also wasn't so crazy about dating guys. I had no extreme desire to be in a relationship after the Luke debaco. And now this was happening.

My heart was still beating like crazy as I was hugging my pillow tightly close to my body and I recalled the moment between me and him. I wasn't able to control a quite impressive grin. We were finally going somewhere.