From the moment they met in Kindergarten, Alex Adams and Michelle Yin became fast friends.
Michelle was Alex's protector that day. He was being menaced by a particularly large Second-Grader. Michelle, whose family were quite proficient in the Martial Arts, kicked the crap out of the other boy. The little thug ran away in sheer terror.
They were inseparable after that. No one could say a bad word about his friend to Alex. The two-month older Michelle became his constant companion and playmate.
Other kids in their whitebread-school wouldn't have much to do with the pretty Vietnamese girl. Not Alex. He spent as much time with her as he could. He spent nearly every recess with her, only occasionally playing football or some other game.
By the Seventh Grade, Alex was nearing 6 foot tall, towering over the tiny, 5'2" tall Michelle. He was playing more football, she was into her Martial Arts and linguistics. But they still saw each other every day, talked most nights.
In High School, they still hung out. Alex was playing quite a lot of football now, he was taking it very seriously. Michelle came to every game and cheered him on. He went to every one of her Judo or Kickboxing tournaments and did the same.
He took a pretty blonde named Julie to the Senior Prom and arranged for his friend Jamie to take Michelle. He couldn't see why Jamie was reluctant, couldn't he see what a doll Michelle was? Julie was almost pissed at him for talking with Michelle so much that night, but he and his best friend always enjoyed each other's company.
Michelle was overjoyed to see her best friend and his date crowned King and Queen of the prom. She made him promise her a dance though, as if she even had to ask.
College was the first time the friends were ever separated. Alex went on a football scholarship, Michelle was heavy into the study of languages. Both missed each other, but talked on the phone every weekend. Michelle was always bugging him, why was he so hesitant to make a commitment to Julie? They were hot and heavy now, their sex life wild and uninhibited. It puzzled some of their friends how they could be so open about their sex lives. Michelle had been a tad more experimental, she didn't want to settle down. No one, male or female – and Michelle had been open to girl-on-girl experiences – had caught her fancy.
"I can't answer that one Shelle" Alex told her over the phone. "Julie's wild in the sack, she's pretty and fun to be with. But when I think of settling down with her – ahhh, maybe I'm just one of those guys who is afraid of commitment."
"I know what you mean" Michelle said on the other end. "My folks are always bugging me about settling down and giving them grandbabies."
Alex sighed. "Yeah, mine too."
"Parents!" both said simultaneously and broke out laughing.
Post-college, Alex moved in with Julie. He blew out his knee shortly before graduation, but was offered the Head Coach job at their old High School. The money was quite good, he could stay in the area he loved, so he accepted. Not two months later, Michelle took on the position as head of the Language Department at the same school The two friends celebrated their reunion by having lunch. It became a daily thing.
Julie bitched about it constantly, which was getting on Alex's nerves, and he told her so. She didn't seem happy with him. Alex suspected that, in part, she'd hitched her wagon to his rising star, expecting him to play Pro Ball. When that went south, Julie became a bit more distant.
Michelle was his support system, as she always had been. He wasn't the type to cry, but Michelle knew he wasn't happy. "So, getting any?" she teased him over Pizza.
"Not friggin' much, compared to the post-High School wildcat I was with" he sighed deeply. "Julie's not a bad person Shelle, I just think I proved to be a disappointment to her. I let her down."
A brief surge of fire appeared in Michelle. "Listen, sometimes life has a way of taking us in another direction. If Julie can't handle that, that's her issue, not yours. She needs to get over it."
Alex gave her a faint smile. "You're right, I know you are. Don't think Julie is gonna see it that way, though."
Alex proved to be right. Not two weeks later, Julie announced it was over. Five years together was enough, she wasn't his wife, seeya pal, have a nice life. She packed up her stuff and was out the door.
Alex was a mass of confusion. He felt he should be devastated, but he really wasn't. He called Michelle, of course. Her voice on the phone cheered him up at once.
"Bring over some of that good Scotch I gave you last Christmas, we'll have a nice dinner and share a few. My latest .... " Michelle sighed " ... well, she bailed on me a few days ago."
Alex had never liked Michelle's latest lover, Andrea, who she'd met at a Bi-Nightclub Michelle liked to attend. Andrea had been there with her boyfriend, Karl. After a few weeks, Andrea had split with Karl and began sleeping with and --- doing wilder things --- with Michelle.
"So, where did Andrea go?" Alex asked her.
"Silly bitch, she went back to Karl." Michelle sighed. "Yeah, that'll last." Michelle snorted derisively. "What a pair we are, huh?"
"Yup. Okay Shelle, I'll be over in an hour."
"Seeya then tiger."
Alex showered, put on a nice turtleneck and tan slacks. He brushed his brown hair, found the scotch and got in his car to make the trip to Michelle's. He hoped one day that someone would realize what a great lady Michelle was, she was too special to end up alone.
Shit, who was he to talk? He wasn't swimming in the deep end of the babe pool either, right?
Jeez, he hoped they weren't gonna get TOO sauced tonight. Alex and Michelle both had to work in the morning.
It was a nice evening out, so he put down the top to his convertible on the drive over to Michelle's. Julie had hated it, she said it "messed up her hair." Man, did they ever have anything in common?
Arriving at Michelle's, she buzzed him up. She met Alex at the door and kissed him on the cheek. Dressed in black, she looked great, as usual. She'd let her black hair grow long again, Alex told her it always looked better that way. The apartment already smelled of pasta, Alex used to tease her about being an Asian girl with a passion for Italian.
He sunk into the plush leather couch, while Michelle poured drinks into glass tumblers. She sat across from him in the other matching chair. "So, aren't we a pair?" she said brightly.
He laughed. "Yeah, well I can't say I much liked Andrea."
Michelle smiled, perfect white teeth gleaming. "I never cared much for Julie, either."
"Really?"
