Michael Young had been one of my good buddies for years. We met when we were only in middle school. I don't recall how exactly we came to be friends, but I guess we just had a lot in common. Mostly from the types of movies we were interested in, to smoking occasionally, and all the way to sex and the types of girls we liked. I had never had a friend as close as him. He basically lived at my house when he was bored of his. I rarely stayed at his place but I was still close with his parents. Michael's mom was just a teenager when she had him. Not like mine though. If Michael's mom was older, I think she would have gotten along with my mom. But they never did kick it off. And I hated that age had such an affect on things like that; whether you liked someone as a friend or not.
Michael's dad spent most of his time working, as he delivered things across the country. A tractor trailer was his home for 330 days out of the year. I knew Michael and his mom didn't see him much so it was just the two of them most of the time.
***
It was a rare occasion. My mom and dad had to go out of town one weekend. My grandma lived all the way on the opposite side of the country and my parents needed to be there.
At the time, I was hoping to have the house to myself. I hardly ever had time alone and it suddenly looked like I was about to catch a break to do as I pleased at home all alone. But my parents weren't having none of that.
I had to be stuck at Michael's all weekend. Not that it bothered me to be around my best buddy. I was just looking forward to being alone to have the house all to myself. Michael's mom was completely fine with me staying the whole weekend too.
Michael and I were seniors in high school. I was nineteen; a year older than him. His mom was bragging about how much we both had grown and how she remembered when we were shorter and our voices squeaked while we were still going through puberty.
The three of us were sitting in the living room at around 8pm watching Wipe Out on TV. Michael and I occupied the long couch while his mom was sitting on the shorter one.
"I still remember that one night Michael's dad was in and the four of us went out to that Mexican restaurant," Mrs. Young started as she giggled.
I grinned, knowing how much she liked to push at my buttons. I used to turn a bright shade of red when she talked about past stories with me in them, and I knew she was trying to embarrass me. "No, not this story," I said, slouching into the back of the couch.
I saw Michael roll his eyes before his mom continued. "Like four years ago when the two of you had just started high school. Both so short and nerdy," she laughed to herself as she leaned forward. I looked away from her and tried to stop my smile. I didn't want to give her any more reason to go on. Beside me, Michael was trying his best to ignore her.
"Mom, shut up," he complained. "We know this story. I couldn't stop staring at the waitress' boobs and Matt wouldn't stop blushing."
"Hey!" I spoke up, "she was attractive and I was nervous."
"I know," Michael said.
"It was just cute," Mrs. Young smiled at the two of us. "And now you're both grown up. Such handsome, nice, young boys."
The B word. I wasn't a boy. I was a man. We both were. But neither of us felt like explaining to her that at 19-years-old, we were already men. We were men when we were 18 even!
I could see Michael rolling his eyes once more but I didn't do the same. I returned a smile to Mrs. Young just to be polite.
We watched Wipe Out for at least another half hour. I kept glancing at Michael and his mom. He had looked somewhat bored but Mrs. Young seemed completely content with the time she was spending with us. I watched her tuck a piece of her blonde hair behind her ear then she lifted her legs up onto the couch and crossed them Indian style. She was probably the youngest mom I'd ever known. It was hard thinking of her being with Mr. Young and getting pregnant when she was about our age. Her figure was perfect and it always had been since the day I had first met her when Michael invited me over about six years before.
I noticed she had been drinking a small glass of wine before we even sat down in the living room earlier in the night. She was holding it in her hand, and I remember how easy she made it look. She didn't even have to try to look attractive. I never told Michael that I thought his mom was hot. I'm sure he knew I thought it, but I'd never say it to his face. That's just something you don't do. Ever.
"Well, boys," Mrs. Young spoke up, "I'm gonna head to bed." I watched her stand up from her spot on the couch with her empty wine glass in hand and she disappeared into the kitchen. She clumsily walked back out and leaned a little too far to the right, sliding her shoulder against the wall. She ascended up the stairs without looking back down at us.
***
"I'm gonna go to bed too, man," Michael said a few minutes later. "Where are you crashin'?" He asked.
"I guess I'll get a blanket and sleep here," I told him, referring to the couch I was already sitting on. It's where I normally slept when I stayed at his place.
"Alright," he said then stood up from where he had been sitting, "see you at breakfast."
He skipped some steps as he made his way up the stairs. I stayed where I was for a little while longer watching TV. Family Guy was on and I watched half an episode of it before I decided to go look for a blanket for the night.
I traveled up the stairs, leaving the light behind as I went higher. The hallway was dark when I reached the second floor, but I knew which direction to start walking. I stopped at the hallway closet and took out my phone to light up the shelves so I could see. There were only a couple sets of sheets and a really itchy blanket that I only had the nerve to use once while I stayed here. Never again.
I stepped back to look at the top shelf to see two rubber dumbbells and a first-aid kit.
"What are you looking for?"
I jumped away from the quiet voice to my right. I wasn't expecting it at all. I was greeted by a smiling Mrs. Young. I noticed she had her hair up in a messy bun and was wearing shorts and a tank top. I also noticed she wasn't wearing a bra underneath. She really didn't need one. I always noticed that her breasts were very perky; even for her age. And the size of them were very nice.
"Jesus, Mrs. Young!" I said. She laughed at my jumpiness. "You scared me."
"Sorry, hun," she said, opening the closest door wider to see what I might have been after.
"I was looking for a blanket." I informed her after my heart rate slowed down from the scare.
I saw her reach for the itchy blanket from hell and pulled it from the shelf. "Uhh," I gave her a look, "anything but that."
She grinned, "Hmm, I know what you mean," I watched her pet at the blanket, obviously realizing how itchy it felt. "I might have an extra blanket in my room for you."