Troubleshoot Chapter 5

A Chapter by Fatboyftw

Chapter 5: Diagnosis

The first thing you learn when studying Psychology is that people are fundamentally the same, the details are different, but everyone wants something, everybody needs something. Sometimes people know what they want and go after it, sometimes people don't have the slightest clue, and sometimes...sometimes they agonize over it, making excuses for why they can't get it.

I watch as Micheal nervously looks around as he grips his shirt with some nerdy decal on it. He was still outside the house, even though the party is inside. Bet the poor sap actually came on time and has been standing around out here for twenty minutes waiting for me. He gives me a sheepish wave as he recognizes me.

"Heya Brooke." he says, giving me another wave.

"I'm surprised you showed up at all, considering what Amy's told me about your past track record with these things." I give him a verbal prod, just to see his reaction. I watch as his eyes light up in surprise. It's been said that the eyes are the window to the soul, and Micheal's are very expressive. Even if he could keep his body language under control there's no way he'd be able to hide anything, with those eyes. As quick as they lit up, they darken a bit.

Without saying a word he turns on his heel and marches towards the door, the defensiveness in his demeanor was impossible to ignore. Maybe that was a bit too sudden, but he really needs to grow a spine, and if he can learn to stand up to me he'll be able to stand up to anyone, including Amy. I love her like a sister, and want to see her end up with a good guy. Don't want her to date the same kinds of a******s I used to. Micheal is the type that would never take advantage of her and give her the love she deserves. However, as passive and insecure as he is now an actual relationship between them wouldn't last a week. He just needs a push in the right direction. I watch him hesitate at the door, appareantly not wanting to open it. Well, ok, maybe he needs more of a hard shove...

I sigh a bit in frustration and cut in front of him, opening the door and gesturing for him to walk in first. He does so hurriedly, clearly embarrased that I noticed him hesitate earlier and trying to cover it up by going in the complete opposite direction. Poor guy doesn't even realize that just makes it more obvious.

I close the door behind me and brush a bit of hair out of my eyes as I look around, nothing out of the ordinary so far. It's still early in the night, so not like anybody's gotten trashed yet, though that won't last long. There's groups of people mingling, lots of flirting all around, and almost everyone has started drinking, even if it hasn't affected any of them yet. Not one to be left out I march straight to the kitchen to pour some shots for Micheal and myself. Hope the host doesn't mind. I find the plastic cups on the counter and Vodka in the fridge. I pour a bit into each cup, trying to eyeball what one shot was. I take a look at each cup and bite my bottom lip, thinking I poured more of a double shot in each of them. I know I'll be fine, but I'm not really sure about Micheal. Oh well, it'll be funny to see him drunk.

As I walk out of the kitchen, alchohol in hand, I see that Micheal hasn't moved an inch. He's in the same spot I left him at. However I spot him sneaking a glance at a girl across the living room. She's a cute red head in a blue dress. I lean up against the wall next to him. He hasn't even noticed me.

"Like what you see?" I teasingly knock him out of his concentration. He almost jumps, once he notices me. He calms down quickly though.

"It's not like that. Her name's Katelyn. She's in one of my classes. I couldn't really concentrate on school today, after a certain someone kept me up all night." he glances in my direction.

"Don't say it like that, people are gonna talk!" I say in fake embarrasment. He just rolls his eyes.

"So earlier today I was thinking about asking her for her notes is all, I don't really know anyone else in class and we sit next to each other." he finishes.

"Go talk to her then." I say

"I'm not really sure if now is a good time. It'll probably be really awkward. She's also talking with her friends right now, I'll probably just ruin her night or something." he mutters dejectedly.

"Maybe this'll help." I say while trying to hand him one of the cups.

"Oh, uh, I'm only twenty. I can't really drink."

"Don't think of it as alchohol. Think of it as liquid courage, to help you talk with Katelyn."

"Call it whatever you want, it's still booze."

"Tomato, tohmatoe."

"Nobody says 'tohmatoe'. But fine, if it'll get you to stop..." he trails off as he grabs the cup out of my hand.

"Now if only getting you to confess to Amy was that easy." After that comment the mood changed a bit. I could see him get more tense and a bit defensive.

"Sorry, sorry." I say, with a wave of my hand, like I'm trying to cut through his defenses.

"Those kind of jokes aren't funny, you know?" he grumbles a bit.

"And yet you'll let Amy call you retarded without batting an eye. Seems to me like you've fallen for her pretty hard, if you're willing to ignore her insults despite your thin skin." He gets visibly flustered at this, his cheeks getting a sudden pink tint. There's a clear objection in his eyes and he definitely wants to say something to me, but he ends up looking down and mumbling something. This is so damn fun, but I remind myself that there's something I still need to ask him.

"Alright fine, let's shift gears for a second. Before I get fully invested in the relationship between you and Amy I need to know why. What do you love about her?" I pose the question to him that'll decide everything. Time to see if I'm right about him. His cheeks become an even dark shade of pink and he stares into the booze in the plastic cup. Suddenly he chugs it. He gets in down in one swig but is left a coughing mess afterwards.

"You think you can answer now?" I ask, a giggle escaping my lips.

"Sorry, it's just, I'm not used to talking about this stuff. But um, I really admire her. I mean, look at me, ever since setting foot in this house I haven't moved an inch, I'm even too scared to talk to one of my class mates. If she was here she'd be the life of the party, I'm really jealous of that. But not like she's some shallow valley girl or anything, it's obvious that she does care about the people close to her, even if it's in a...unique way. And well quite frankly, what's not to like?" he rants, his eyes lighting up the whole time. It's obvious how much he cares for her just by the way he talks.

"I propose a toast." I say, bringing my cup up close to his.

"To...?"

"To our new partnership of course. I was just testing you before, now I know you're genuine."

"And you couldn't of just asked me that without all the extra teasing and comments?"

"Hey, a girl's gotta make her own fun." I say while shooting him a wink and I watch as he goes weak at the knees. While he's distracted I grab the cup out of his hand.

"Um..." he searches for his words, still recovering from my charms.

"Can't have a proper toast if one of our cups is empty. I'm gonna get you a refill." I turn around and walk back towards the kitchen while I hear him scramble for something to say to stop me.