"Why is everyone taking pictures of the notice board?" Jason questioned as he sat next to Elise who was writing something in her notebook.
"Well, the mid-term exams are starting two weeks from now so everyone's taking pictures of the date sheet." Elise kept on writing in her notebook.
"Oh, sounds cool. By the way, what are you doing?" He saw Michael eating quietly in front of them.
"Making a study plan." She didn't look up.
"For two?" He said, looking at what she was writing.
"Yes, one for Michael, too. I can make one for you if you want it." She smiled at him.
"Ah no, thank you." He quickly went back to eating his food.

"Elise."

"Elise."

"ELISE." Michael almost shouted this time and Jason gave a small chuckle. She was so caught up in working that she didn't hear him call her name.
"Yes?" She asked, confused.
"Eat your food first." He said, his plate almost empty now. She closed her notebook and started to eat.
"Wow." Jason muttered under his breath. Elise shot him a confusing look but then decided to ignore him.

"Anything wrong with you?" Jason asked Michael who shook his head in response.
"So you're still mad at Alex for the other day." He stated, expecting Michael to say something but he didn't respond.
"Abby told me about it." He spoke again and it made Michael look him in the eyes.

"Abby? Alex told Abby about this? Wow, when did he started telling Abby everything?" He put down his fork.
"I don't know but they seem pretty close. They sometimes look worse then Milex." Jason said.

"Whatever."
"What's Milex?" Michael and Elise said at the same time.

Jason smirked, "Just a ship name for Mikey and Alex."
Elise giggled while Michael just rolled his eyes.

"I'm outta here." Grabbing Elise's half eaten apple, he walked away.

"I'm almost done, wait for me." Elise said, with a mouth full of food.
"Guys? What about me?" Jason saw Elise finish her food and pack her bag.
"Sorry, Jason. Call me at 4, we need to talk." She whispered in his ear and started running to catch up with Michael's fast pace.

********

As soon as the clock struck 4, Jason called Elise.

She didn't answer.

He tried again. No answer this time either.

He tried again. Someone picked up the phone.

"Elise? Where the hell were you? I've to tell you something really important. Need your help." Jason shouted.
"Hi Jason." Michael said in a calm voice.
"Maa-e-kal?" His voice faded.
"Yes? It's your boy here." He replied, a smirk forming on his face.
"You're at Elise's place? Hmmm, what are you dirty teens up too? Where is she?" Jason asked in a playful tone.
"In the kitchen. And before you make any assumptions, we are studying." He answered.
"I didn't say anything." Jason laughed.

"So what was the important thing?" Michael
asked, as if he had sensed that there was something wrong.
"I'll tell Elise. Not you." Jason stuck out his tongue at him even though he knew he couldn't see it.

Michael didn't want to laugh at this. He was about to say something when he saw Elise walk back into her room. He gave the phone to Elise and went back to solving his questions.

"I'm sorry. It took longer than I expected." Elise said, hinting at the phone call she had promised to make.
"No problem. You enjoy your precious time with my favourite mate. Good luck!" Jason laughed and then cancelled the call.

*******

"So what was he saying?" Michael asked, fifteen minutes after the call.
"Who? Jason?" Elise looked up from her notebook, confused. They were working in Elise's room on a table, sitting opposite to each other.
"Yes, did someone else call too?" Michael said with a small smile.
"Ha ha, it was nothing. He was just telling me to enjoy my time with you. Nothing else." She went back to working on the questions.

"So are you enjoying your time with me?" He smirked at her.
"Yes of course. Why won't I?" She replied in a mocking tone. He got up from his chair and dragged it to her side.
"What are you doing?" She asked.
"Wait." He adjusted his chair right next to her. Sitting very close to her, he finally spoke in her ear, "How would you integrate this?"

"What?" It took Elise a while to realise that he was talking about a question. Her reaction made Michael roar with laughter.
"Shut up!" Her voice was more of a request than an order. He stopped laughing and showed her the question he was talking about. It took them a while to solve it but after they finally did, Michael placed his head on her shoulder.

"Michael?" She quietly said.
"Yes?" He didn't move.
"Why?" She leaned towards him.
"What?" He sounded tired.
"I remember how you used to be. And as creepy as it sounds I have watched your every move. Why? Why the change?" Her question seemed to disturb him. He sighed and got up, looking her straight into the eyes. If he had done this a few months back, she would have been uncomfortable by that intense stare but things were different now.

"Why? Why do you keep asking me questions like these?" Michael asked in a nonchalant way.
"Because I want to. I want to know you." He felt uneasy of how genuine she sounded.
"So that was your plan all along? Get to know me? Then rob me off my billion dollar property?" He had a smirk on his face.
"It wasn't a joke. You're so annoying, I hate you!" She sounded disappointed.
"You really do?" Michael asked, his face now serious.
"No, I like you." She blurted out.
"What?" Michael exclaimed.
"What?"
"What?"
"It's time for dinner, you're staying, right? Mama will appreciate that." Elise changed the topic.
"Yeah, sure." And then they both cleaned up their books from the table. He carried his bag with him to the dinner table, planning to leave right after eating.

"Goodbye Elise, see you tomorrow!" Michael said as he walked out of the house.
"Goodbye! Come again soon!" Mrs. Woods shouted, even though he was just at the main gate and she was by the house door.

*********

"Alex! Come over here!" Jason shouted and made Alex sit next to Michael. They still weren't talking due to their recurring fights and it was giving Jason a headache.
"Ok so Alex? Michael? Why don't we go out for lunch today?" Jason suggested.
"Nah mate. Got work today." Michael gave his excuse.
"Yeah, I've to study too. Maybe some other day?" Alex gave an apologetic expression.

"How about you guys just get over your petty fights and start behaving like, you know, normal people?" Jason couldn't bear the heavy tension in the air around them.
"There's nothing wrong with us, J. You're overreacting." Alex replied calmly.
"Me? I'm overreacting? You cheating bastard?" Jason stood up and started shouting, bringing the attention of everyone to them.

Well now he was overreacting.

"Come on, just stop this." Alex controlled his anger. Michael chuckled, clearly amused by this scene.
"You think it's funny? No, this is funny!" He took the ketchup bottle and emptied its contents on Michael's face.
"Jason. I think you should run." Alex suggested and Jason quickly grabbed his bag. He started running with Michael behind him. After just one round around the ground, Michael caught him and Jason was on the ground.
They were hysterically laughing after this fight and Alex was laughing with them too. Maybe things will get better soon.

********

"Angry boy!" Abby shouted as she saw Michael walk into the corridor she was standing in. He stopped as soon as he saw her. Her blue hair was gone now replaced with her original brown hair, probably because Jason got rid of his pink hair too.

"Would you like to go out with me for coffee today? Abby asked, as soon as he was in hearing range.
"Why?" He counter questioned her and she was a little taken aback by this response.
"Elise told me that she was studying alone today so I thought you might be free. I swear it won't take long, I know you have to go to the workshop too. Maximum thirty minutes." She gave him her best smile possible.

They weren't that close so once again Michael asked her, "Why?"
"Argh! Why do you ask so many questions?" She seemed irritated.
"Why do you want me to go with you? You get along better with Alex and maybe Jason too. Take them for coffee if you want company." He eyed her like she was an alien.

"Ok so I think I should tell you the truth. It's Jason. He has a date there today. I kinda want to ruin it and see if I can make him jealous." She didn't look him in the eyes as she told him this.
"So you were taking me on a date without telling me that it's a date." He bent down to her level and whispered.
"Ah sorry but please. Please. Please." She was literally begging now.

"Why me and not Alex? He kinda knows that I'm not available." He was shocked by his own words but she didn't pay attention to it. He wanted to know everything about her plan before going with her.
"Because you're better suited for this. Alex would probably start laughing and will make a fool of me." She didn't understand why it was so hard to convince him.
"So you have a crush on my friend. I should tell him." Michael started walking in the opposite direction.
"What the hell? Stop! You're not doing that!" Abby shouted and ran to catch up with him. Seeing her frightened face, he started laughing.
"Girl, I was kidding. We'll go right after school, okay?" Michael laughed again.
"Sure." She took a deep breath and they both left for the class they were already late for.

********

"So what's the plan?" He said as soon as he spotted Jason walk in with a blonde woman that looked like she was in her early twenties.
"What the hell is wrong with him? The woman is almost 10 years older than him!" Abby tightened her grip on Michael's arm.
"That's an exaggeration." He stated and she just rolled her eyes at him.

"We'll walk towards them and I'll first try to make him jealous. If that won't work, I'll go ruin his date." She whispered.
"Damn. The love is strong. Just don't kiss me." Michael whistled and laughed. She smacked him in the ribs but got no response.

Following the plan, they both walked towards the table they were sitting on. Abby put her arm around Michael and laughed loud enough for everyone to hear. Jason had their attention now. He was still eyeing them, not so sure if it was really his best friend glued to his girl.

What? No. Not his girl.

"Michael?" Jason said, not sounding as cheerful as he normally did.
"Oh hello?" He slowly pushed Abby away from him, hiding the fact that he was feeling better now she was not glued to him.

"I'm surprised." Jason raised his eyebrow.
"I'm not." Michael eyed the woman sitting on the table and said.
"Abby? I'm kinda disappointed." Jason was now smirking.
"What?" She looked confused.
"I know Mike quite well. If you wanted to make me jealous, you should've made a better plan." When she heard this, she opened her mouth but no words came out. Michael chuckled and saw the blondie leave the Café.

"Mission successful: Date ruined." Michael said in a robotic tone and then laughed at it.
"No boy. I don't ruin my dating days and since Abby ruined it, she'll make up for it." Jason smiled slyly.
"That's great. I should be leaving you both here now." Michael laughed again.
"Wait Michael, don't leave me. And Jason, how will I even make up for it?" She asked, confused.
"You're going out with me tonight. For a movie." His face was supporting a huge grin now.
"What if I don't?" Abby raised her eyebrow.

Jason kissed her cheek and whispered something in her ear that Michael couldn't catch. Seeing the expression on her face, he was quite glad that he didn't hear what he had said.

"We both are leaving, mate. Sorry for leaving you alone." Jason got hold of Abby's hand and they both left the Café leaving Michael alone.

Smiling to himself, he was about to make for the door when he bumped into someone. The man was just an inch shorter than him. With his greying brown hair and soft blue eyes, he looked really charming. He seemed familiar but Michael couldn't recall where he had seen this man before.

"Lil', ah not anymore, you look more like a sheep now." He laughed, a good hearty laugh that made him look ten years younger.
"What?" Michael was beyond confused.
"Nothing, boy. Have fun." He patted his back and left the Café.

"What was that?" Michael voiced his thoughts.
He glanced at the clock and realised that he was late for the workshop, again.

*********

A/N
Hello people,
Hope you all are doing great.

I tried to make this chapter full of young love and even felt quite odd while writing it.

You'll see more of that stranger soon. And guess which one I'm talking about?

Don't forget to comment and share.
And please press that little star button, I would really appreciate it.