Michelle’s sure in the stillness of the apartment Dustin can hear how her heart is pounding against her ribcage, to an offbeat rhythm she thinks might just be for him -- looking up at him. She keeps her one hand on his chest, to steady herself -- her eyes slowly tracing his face, taking him in for a few moments. She blurted it out too quickly, she’s moving too fast... all these different answers to her question running through her mind, bracing herself for the inevitable rejection. Why would Dustin want to kiss her? She’s just Michelle, she’s nothing special.
It’s been the two of them for a while now; she’s seen the bad and she’s seen the good, she’s seen all the parts of Dustin that make him who he is -- and that just made her want to be closer to him. Michelle can feel the warmth of his chest under the palm of her hand, her gaze downcast to her hand for a few moments -- waiting in the quiet for his response, not wanting to push him for an answer. She shouldn’t have asked. She already knows what the answer is, so why did she even bother asking?
Hearing his voice Michelle pinches her lips together, keeping her eyes on her hand for a few moments. They’re so close she can feel each breath Dustin lets out against her cheek, her head spinning as she exhales slowly. “Okay,” she answers quietly, forcing her gaze to fall back to his face, tilting her head upward to see him.
She knows what people said about him, about the reputation that went around with his name. Michelle knows all of that, wondering if that’s what’s holding him back -- letting the quiet settle before she speaks again, her voice soft.
“I don’t -- expect anything else from you, Dustin. I just want to kiss you,” Michelle says, leaning forward so her forehead presses against his own for just a few moments, taking him in -- her eyes closed, feeling his warmth and the small sense of safety she gets whenever he’s near her. She pulls back, forcing a small, sad smile before taking a step back, giving him some space.