I love you Mike
I love you Mike
I love you Mike
I love love you Mike

I miss you in my heart
I miss you in my head
I miss you in my, well you know
I love love you Mike

I've called you in my sleep
I've called you in my wake
I've called you on the phone
I love love you Mike

Please call me back!

Love, NED

Prudence picked it up as she came in. "What's this? Who's Ned?"

I ripped it out of her hand.

"Are you queer?"she demanded.

"No!"

"You are. Why are you lying?"

I'm not. I'm not queer. I do have some history, but..." She started laughing like...like well, a nineteen year old, and then I rememberedshe was nineteen.

"Hey, I don't give a shit. No need to get so uptight."

"I'm not getting uptight, it's just that I'm trying to explain somethingto you."

"Don't worry about it." She had a blank expression. She really didn'tcare, but I desperately wanted her to care.

"Let me explain it to you."

"Sure, if you, I mean if you have to."

"I have to." I said with relief then sat her down on the couch. Shepicked up the remote and readied it to turn on the television upon mycompletion. I sat next to her. "Prudence, you've done something forme..."

"Oh yeah, what?"

"You've...you've enlightened me."

"Are you always this hokey?"

"No, no, as a matter-of-fact I'm not, and it's because of you." Irested my hand on her head.

She pushed it aside, "Don't blame me."

"I'm not blaming you. I like it. I feel like I'm in high schoolagain."

"Ugh, how shitty. Worst years of my life."

"I mean it in a good way Prudence. What I'm trying to tell youis...I..I...I love you." This caught her attention. "I mean it. All Ithink of is you all day long." She smiled and blushed. "Hey, I seerosy cheeks underneath all that white caked make-up you try to hideunder." She laughed out loud, sincerely. "Prudence, I know I'm old,but how do you feel about me?"

"You're okay."

"Okay?"

"Well, you're more than okay."

"I'll take that as a compliment." I leaned in to kiss her and thedoorbell rang.

Before I even reached the door the television was on and MTV was blaring.

I wanted to punch him when I opened the door and saw Ned standing there with flowers. "Hi Mike." Prudence lowered the volume and turned around on the couch to watch this exchange.

"Hi Ned."

"Did you get my note?"

"Yeah."

Prudence couldn't keep quiet, "I thought it was cute."

Ned glared at me. I shrugged, "She found it."

His eyes focused on her, "You've got to be kidding me. This is her?"

I introduced them.

Grinning, Prudence yelled, "Hiya!" I was glad she thought it was funny. "Come on in." She waved her hand.

"No, I guess I should go. You've got a nice little set up here Mike."He dropped the flowers on the floor and left. I didn't try to explainor stop him because there was no point. I loved Prudence and she, well, she thought I was okay.