I shouldn't. I didn't have any right or reason to, but I still felt hurt when he escaped from my arms. That second I decided that the next time I got a hold of him, he wasn't escaping. Not on my watch.

I came back from the bathroom, he was waiting for me in one of the living's furniture. Such a shame. He looked a way better on my bed if you had asked me.

He was really absorbed into something, he didn't notice I seated next him on the sofa. "Michael?", I said trying to get back his attention. He jolted. Literally did, when he noticed I was next to him. "Are you feeling alright? If you wish we could postpone this till you're feeling better.", I said when I thought he was wake enough to process what I was telling him.

"No, no no. There's no need for that. I kinda spaced out that's all. Sorry.", He said as he excessively gestured with his arms. Maybe that was his thing after all. "Are you sure? You don't seem in a good condition at all.", I said a little worried. He may not have had the best relationship in the past but he still was my classmate and... Some microscopic part of me wanted to protect him.

He insisted on his well been one or two times more and I didn't push on it anymore. I still was worried, but vowed to keep an eye on him during whole date. Just in case. It wasn't need at all at the end.

The working on something Michael almost made me forget what occurred a few hours ago. He was so fierce to defend his point of view, so ready to take a stand into an argument. And we had lots of them, we clashed against each other as it was some kind of Olympic sport. They got heated and almost out of hand in one occasion or two but we were able to sort them out. I won't admit out loud to no one but I really enjoyed to work with him but what I enjoyed the most was how open he was, we both were in fact, when it was just the two of us.

The change of surroundings and the lack of third parties scanning your every move made it possible to get to know the other better. I mean, this one was the first time we had a real, non-hostile exchange of words, let alone a whole and meaningful conversation.

It really was fascinating. We still worked on the project, which caused the most of our arguments if not all. Michael and I were entitled to think in apparently totally different directions to later on find out that we were more on the same track than what we first thought at the start. It was amusing, a whole debate could start in half a second to be long forgotten twice as fast as it started. Even more amusing was how the same thing kept occurring again and again.

However, the bigger part of the afternoon went by just talking. Maybe it started when he asked about if Ivonne lived in here the whole time or when I asked about his country of origin. Something inside of me melted as his eyes glowed when he talked about his native Indonesia or how much he loved his grandmother. I could have fainted right there when we excused himself when he thought he was boring me with his talking.

I invited him over for dinner, it would be just the both of us since Isabelle was probably on her floor. There wasn't anything ready to eat. So I told him, "I'm afraid that there is nothing fancy I could offer you... Would pizza be okay with you?", He just laughed off, "There is great place near, they offer this amazing Chicago style pizza.", he finally replied at the end. "Also I'm not a fancy kind of things guy.", He later on added. We were talking about the same pizzeria, it was the only near here and my favorite around the whole city. I should take notes on that.

The pizza took it's time to came by, I had to go down to the building's lobby to get it, but at the end we both went. I was still mesmerized by how easy a conversation could go between the both of us.

When his time to go back to his house came I was reluctant to let him go. I offered to give him a ride to his home, it was pretty late now and I didn't want him to wander at night by his own through the streets.

The seamless and timeless conversation longed till very last minute when he stepped out of my car. I also got out of the car and intended to shake his hand as good bye sign, not what I wanted but enough at least for now. But... he actually hugged me, well we both hugged as a farewell. Which was even better than the hand shake. I felt the same longing feel to never let go of him but I had to when a voice from inside called out his name.

"Once again, thanks for everything, Albert.", said Michael before going inside the house in front of where I parked. The phrase kept coming from time to time in mind as I drove back home that night.

When I was that night at bed, ready to go to sleep, l realized that now I knew a lot more about him but I still knew nothing at all. I was really looking forward to know more about him and I was perfectly sure that the more I knew, the more I would like to.

Michael Brooks was some kind of drug which you could never get enough and I was all in to get addicted.