Miss, Do I Know You?

32 - Sunday, February 14

As I weaved my way up the flights of stairs, each step seemed to grow heavier because of the weight of the bags, and the muttered curses under my breath seemed to rise in volume. When I finally reached the correct door, I gave it a kick with my knee and scrambled inside as soon as it swung open, heaving a sigh of relief as I unloaded my burden onto the floor that I'd carried across the whole town.

"Jesus," I breathed, "I'm dead."

"If you're looking for that guy, you're in the wrong apartment." Alex shook her head in amusement, observing the scene. "What's all this? Moving back in?"

"Look at you." I directed my best attempt at a pitiful expression toward her. "So sad and lonely on Valentine's Day."

"You might be projecting. I'm neither sad nor lonely."

"Well, not anymore, now that I'm here." I shot her a wink, kicking my boots off. "And, uh, this one is the snacks, this is the groceries for that pasta that you really like that I'm about to make, and this one is my clothes and school stuff just in case you can't get enough of me and ask me to stay over."

A contagious grin illuminated her face as she took the bags and eagerly scrambled off to the kitchen. "I can't possibly say no to any of that."

With that ever-present and insatiable ache for an embrace burning in my chest, I could only trail after her. She must've either read my mind or felt the same pull, for she spun around as soon as her hands were free and met me halfway. Her arms were almost too tight, yet far from uncomfortable. Her breath was soft against my neck as she nuzzled her face into my hair, eliciting such a deep sense of contentment, as though we had been apart for an age, not a brief passing day.

It had become an almost involuntary pattern of some sort, my presence in that apartment a daily occurrence. Sometimes, I arrived before the first rays of school-bound dawn, while on other occasions I lingered wrapped in the comfort of Alex's embrace through the nights. Much like Gabi, I came and went as I pleased and was never spared a second glance, as if she saw me as one of her own. And in her arms, in a sense, I felt like I was.

The only one complaining was Sophia. Jokingly, of course.

Within the stillness that surrounded us, curiosity roused my senses. "Where's Benji?"

"At a sleepover. Just missed him."

A huff of laughter escaped as soon as I cast a glance over her shoulder. "And since when can you even look at dirty dishes?"

"I know." She sighed and ended our embrace. "I've been working all day and dreading stepping foot in here."

I rolled up my sleeves and twisted the brass-handled faucet, only for it to be immediately turned off as Alex rushed up. "No, no, stop," she implored. "I'll take care of it later."

Groaning, I pushed her aside and turned it back on. "Will you just sit down and relax?"

Her head rested on my shoulder with a defeated sigh. "At least let me get started on dinner. Tell me what to do, chef."

"Dice the onions and mince the garlic." I pinched her cheek, only to earn a horrified expression from her. "You're so cute when you're stubborn."

"Get yo— no, ew." She swatted my hands away. "Get your dirty dishwater hands off me."

Feigned horror mirrored itself upon my face. "Not so cute anymore."

Chuckling, she slipped her hands around my waist from behind and buried her face in the crook of my neck. I soon had a feeling that any help with dinner had already been forgotten about because she was now too busy distracting me and being a bit of a nuisance. That being said, I loved it. I loved it when she was so uninhibitedly happy, almost as if she were trying to squeeze herself into me. So touchy-feely in the most endearing way. So innocent, yet bold. Absolutely shameless.