190 days left till graduation. 190 days till my life begins.

"I would like a hot chocolate with extra whipped cream please." the customer before me requests.

"Sure. Would you like to have it here?" I ask her.
She doesn't answer me. I look up and see that she's distracted and staring at something behind me.

I turn around to see Michael coming in from the back, trying to put on his apron by himself. The muscles in his arms flex as he tries to do this. I can she why this girl is distracted. She's from my school. I think I've even sat next to her a couple of times during Physics. Patricia, I think her name is. She brought some life to the drab Physics lessons.
When Michael successfully ties his apron he looks up and doesn't notice the incredible pretty Patricia before me. Instead he screams my name and pulls me in for a hug. I think Patricia's mouth opens.
Yes Patricia the guy who looks like a sex god is hugging the DUFF and no, even I don't know how this happened.
I haven't seen Michael since last week. Apparently he had other commitments and didn't show up for work the past few days. I had a small voice in the back of my head saying that it was my fault he doesn't want to work here anymore, because of the kiss and how both of us are pretending like that never even happened.

"Long time no see Lou. I'll chat with you in a bit." he says and looks at the computer in front of me.
"One hot chocolate with extra whipped cream coming up. Would you like to have it here ma'am?" He now asks Patricia, giving her his full, undivided attention.
She somehow hears the same question I asked a few minutes ago, now that it came out of Michael's mouth. She stutters a yes.
She's still a bit dazed as I give her the bill and collect the change.
Michael has that effect on people. Travis does too.

We make small talk until Patricia leaves.

"Have you opened the letter? The one your dad sent you?" he suddenly asks me. I'm surprised he remembers that. I briefly mentioned it to him when I was calling in to inform him that I couldn't make it last week.

"Oh that. No, I haven't gotten to it. Yet. I have it with me though. I've been carrying it around, looking for a right time and right place to open it." I say taking out the letter from my back pocket.

"Do you want to do it now? We could close up early. It isn't very busy today and I'm sure my mum wouldn't mind. We could go over to my place? There's no time like the present isn't?" he says.

I thought I'd open it when Travis is around, but there's no denying that Michael has been terribly sweet about all this. I feel like he truly gets it in a way Travis can't.
So, before I know what I'm doing, I agree to his plan.

We serve a few more customers who come in and we then shut shop.
We head to the back of the café where he picks up two helmets.
"Here you go." he says as he hands me one of them.

"You come here on a bike?" I ask.

"Yeah, sometimes. My parents aren't big fans of it." he says as we head out the back door where I spot a Honda HD-1.

"So this is my babe. Lou meet The Flash, my motorcycle. Flash, meet Louisa William Edwards." he says as he puts on his helmet and gets on the bike.
He has named his bike. Cute?
"What are you waiting for Lou? Hop on. I promise Flash is nicer than he looks." he says.

"Well I've never been on one of these contraptions before. I'm not sure." I say. This doesn't look safe. I'm considering taking the bus or something. I'd rather sit next to some fat, stinky, sweaty bloke.

"Oh come on Lou! Live a little. I promise it'll be fun. I'll keep you safe. Don't you worry." He says reassuringly.

Fine. Let's do this shall we?

I put on the helmet and get on.
I'm starting to regret this decision already.
Once I'm on, I don't know where to place my hands. I need something to hold on to, otherwise I'm sure I'll be off in about 5 seconds.
Michael answers my question, without me having to awkwardly ask him, and reaches behind him, grabs my hands and places them securely around his waist.

"Let's get this show on the road." he says. And with that we're off.

As he starts off, I feel like we're going to fall off any second which is why I think I hold on to Michael real tight and I don't think he can breathe. He then gets the message and makes small talk to help me keep my mind distracted. I learn that this bike is the reason he started working at the café. It's a used one that cost a 1000 Pounds. His parents refused to get it for him and after a lot of arguments, they agreed to let him buy it but he'd have to earn the money himself.
I find it hard not to compare him to Travis in this moment. If Travis had asked for a bike, he'd have gotten a brand new one and he would've gotten it in the blink of an eye.

We reach his house where I couldn't be more glad to have my feet on the ground. I might kiss the ground any second but I'd rather have Michael not see me as a crazy person.
Let's just say that I don't look forward to, or even see myself getting on that bike again.

We then enter his house.
His house looks very pretty. It's nothing  like Travis's house. It's very small compared to Travis's in fact.
It one of those houses with a white picket fence, with a cute little garden up front. The inside is very homely. It's not a designer house or anything but something about it just makes you feel at home and comfy.

"Well hello there Louisa! How lovely to see you here." I hear Katherine, Michael's mum come up to us as we enter.

I talk to her for a bit. She asks me about school and everything and before I know it, Michael is dragging me to his room.

His room is again nothing like Travis's room.
I've got to stop comparing.
But I cant help but wonder you know, how things would be if Mr. Darcy chose Michael's mum instead.

He's got a small bed, meant for only one person in the corner and we go and sit on it.

I then take out the letter.

"Do you want me to read it out for you?" he offers.

"I'll try reading it. If I don't get through the first line, you take it from there." I reply.

"Sure thing." he says and smiles.

Here goes nothing.

Dear Lou,

I hear his voice in my head as I start off and I decide that I can't do it, so I hand it over to Michael. Maybe somebody else reading it will lessen the pain.

Dear Lou,

Happy Eighteenth Birthday, love. You just turned eighteen. My little girl is all grown up. I don't know how that happened. Time flies fast, bloody fast, when you're having fun I guess.
Oh Lou, where do I begin?
Let's start off by saying that I love you so much sweetheart. My actions probably contradict me but I want you to know that you were the light in my life. All those years ago,when I had so much going on, just the thought of coming home  to you and your mum made me get through it all. Then your brother came along. Little monkey that one was, wasn't he?
I also want you to know that what I did had nothing to do with our family. It's cocky to say it, but I always thought that our little family was always a perfect little one. If there's one thing I'll regret for all eternity, it's leaving you guys.
I really want to tell you why I did it, maybe you'll understand then, but I just can't love. Just please know that I did it to protect you.
I also know that it's probably been a little hard for you these past two years, but I know you're a strong woman, just like your mum. I knew you'd be able to get through it. I knew you'd grow up to be a strong, beautiful woman. I knew that even if I left, you'd never let anything stop you and one day I'll just fade away, stop causing you the pain I did when I first left. But please, never let what I taught you fade away ok? I am aware of the fact that one day I'll maybe become a part of you imagination, that was the risk I was willing to take to protect you. The world is a big bad world Louisa, but if you look close enough, you'll see the beauty in it, the beauty in small things.
Basically, don't let my actions affect you take on life. Your life is a precious one.
I also know that one day you will find love and have your own little love story like your mum and mine and if that happens, don't be afraid to open your heart. It's better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all. But that being said, if the bloke you fall in love with breaks your heart or doesn't treat you like the princess that you are, then let him know that I will haunt him for the rest of his sad and pathetic life.
I'm going to end this here.
Be strong Louisa. Don't you ever under estimate yourself. You are a bright and brilliant girl and I'm sure you are going to go on to do great things. I have no doubt.

I will always love you.
Take care.

With Love,
Dad.

Michael looks up at me as he finishes.
I thought I'd be a mess once we got through this letter but I'm not.
I just don't say anything.
Michael comes over next to me and gives me a small hug and kisses me on the forehead.

"Thank you so much Michael. Really, I mean it but can you take me home?" I ask him, I just want to be in my head and forget about it all for a while you know?

"Of course Lou. No problem. Come on, let's go." he says getting up

We then head out and get onto his bike, as much as I don't want to.
I didn't even say bye to his mum, but Michael reassures me that it's absolutely fine and that his mum wont mind.
I make a note to call her tomorrow.

We then head to my place. Michael keeps talking to me, I really appreciate the effort he's putting in to make me feel better.

At one point, we're at an intersection and as we're crossing I see lights coming from my right and before I know it, everything goes black.

I open my eyes and see that I'm lying on the road. I get up and see that I seem to be fine but I see Michael lying on the road a few feet away.
I rush to his side.

"Michael! Wake up! Oh please be alright! Michael don't you dare leave me now!" I seem to scream. I see a paramedic coming out of an ambulance and rushing to his side.
I try to speak to her but she doesn't seem to hear me.

"Louisa." I hear Michael  whisper.
"I'm right here Michael." I say.
"Louisa! Where is she? Can you find my friend?" I hear him scream.

I'm right here. Why can't he see me?

"Don't worry sir, we've got her. She's injured a lot more. She's got a concussion. A few broken bones. She'll probably be alright. We'll take care of her. Don't you worry." the paramedic replies.

I'm right here. What is she saying.

"Ashley! We've got to get her to the hospital stat!" I hear another paramedic call out from the ambulance.

I head over to the ambulance and I see myself on the stretcher.

What is happening?