and we fell

Chapter 16

SOFIA

Alec drives me home at around eleven o'clock. And I can't help but smile, even as I enter the dorm room. Darrel goes back to his room, since I told him I won't go out anymore today. He doesn't seem thrilled of who I've been out with, but he doesn't comment. I appreciate that.

The moment I enter, the smell of something burned fills me up. I look around panicked and see Dia at the kitchen isle, bend over the oven, swearing. Lana Del Rey's music fills the room in the background and that's a clear hint that Dia is in here alone. When the other girls are here, she usually listens to her music in her headphones, but when she's alone, she likes to listen it without them.

As she notices me, she blushes nervous: "Soph! I wasn't expecting you to come so early."

I nod, and come next to her, to analyze the situation. In the oven is a burned tray filled with cake batter. Dia is sweating from fear and worries. On the kitchen isle lies a recipe, which is by now covered in flour. So is Dia. Her white tank top manages to hide the flour stains, but her short jeans don't. They have white marks all over them. Dia's face and her brown hair as well.

"What happened?" I ask, wanting to help her. 

Dia is too shy to answer at first, only when I repeat the question and assure her it's alright, she makes herself courage to say something: "Tomorrow is Leo's birthday. I wanted to surprise him by baking him something, but it all went wrong and now I can't surprise him anymore."

A tear rolls down her face. She must really want to surprise her boyfriend.

"Do you still have ingredients left?" I ask. She nods.

"I bought everything double just in case. But I can't bake. No matter if I have the ingredients, it still won't work," Dia answers sad.

I give her a hug to encourage her. She hugs me back and after we let go, a ghost of a smile appears on her face.

"I'll help you with the baking," I answer and go wash my hands. I'm still wearing my favorite pastel blue dress, so I change in my nightgown first. As I walk back in the kitchen, Dia stopped the music. I tell her she can leave it on. She smiles at me thankfully and turns the volume. The room is filled with Lana Del Rey's voice again.

"You really are a fan, aren't you?" I ask. She understands, without me having to explain.

"Yeah, I am. Is it that obvious?" Dia replies, yet she's chuckling. She comes next to me and asks me how she can help. I instruct her to break the eggs in the bowl. She does as told.

"Where are the others?" I ask, since it's already dark and I'd lie if I'd say I'm not the least bit worried about them.

"Nessie is sleeping over at Mark's for the weekend. And April and Nini are at a frat party."

Wow. A frat party. One of the things on my absolutely forbidden list. Darrel says he'll be okay with many things, frat parties not. Too many things that could happen. I agreed, only because of the many things he's okay with. Like me living in a dorm.

"And you decided to skip the party?" I ask, wondering why she's here. She only nods. I don't ask any further questions.

We stand in silence for a while, only with the sound of Yes to Heaven faded in the background. After a while, she asks me whispering: "Where have you learned to bake?"

"Cordelia," I answer chuckling. "My Mother used to bake cakes for my Father when I was little. She taught me how to do them as well."

Dia looks at the batter lost in thoughts. After a while, she replies, in the same low voice: "It's nice to have parents who love each other so much." She notices that I look at her questioning, since she continues: "My parents are divorced."

I put an arm on her shoulders and she tenses. It shows that she usually doesn't talk about this. I might be one of the only ones who knows.

"Not everything is at it seems, Dia. Trust me, I know how it's like to live with some parents whose love for each other is so small like it's not there."

She looks at me surprised, doesn't ask any further questions however. I finish up putting the batter in the tray, then place it in the oven. To lighten up the mood, I ask: "And, do you have anything planned for tomorrow? How's Leo celebrating his birthday?"

"We're just going to go to a bar. Some of his friends are tagging along." She didn't seem excited. She notices that I've seen it. "No, I really like the idea," Dia quickly adds in her defense. "It's the friends I don't really enjoy."

Her cheeks blush from saying something bad about someone. The girl really is too kind and shy. I'm afraid it might break her heart one day.

"Why?" I ask interested. Her cheeks get even redder, from having to explain.

"It's just...Leo is also a music major. He plays guitar. His friends all see me as a barrier between Leo and his dream, although I haven't ever done anything. I'm there at all his gigs, they never come, yet I'm still the bad one."

I feel bad for her. She could never be the bad one. She's too sweet for them.

"You can't believe them, Dia. You're amazing. And they aren't right."

"Thanks, Soph," she replies, smiling at me thankfully. Then continues: "But enough of my sad story, where do you come from? You smiled brightly the whole time ever since you came back."

I hadn't realized it is so obvious. I guess it was though. "A date," I answer whispering and I feel my cheeks blushing.

"With?" she asks interested. I don't want to answer.

"I can't tell."

Dia seems a bit disappointed, but nods as agreeing. "Well, I'm happy to see you smiling, Soph. You deserve to."

I give her another hug.

"You too. Trust me."

She smiles and lets go. We spend the rest of the night getting the cake ready and talking. It is nice, although my thoughts still spin around Alec. Who also texts me, although we've last seen each other a few hours ago.

HIM: I just wanted to thank you for tonight, Foxy.

HIM: You really made this evening perfect.

I can't help a blush. Dia notices and raises an eyebrow, doesn't ask anything though.

ME: I'm the one who should be thanking you. The picnic was amazing.

HIM: It was nothing. It was my pleasure, Foxy.

HIM: I wanted to say, I've got an idea for our next date. What do you say? Next week, same time?

I don't have to think long before I answer.

ME: Yes.

His answer also comes fast.

HIM: Perfect. See you tomorrow! Sweet dreams, Foxy.

I smile like the world's biggest idiot again.

ME: You too! See you tomorrow, Alec.

HIM: Oh, I know my dreams will be sweet. They are all about you. And you're the sweetest, Foxy.

When did Alec Dunn turn into a sweet-talker? And it made me wonder if I had something to do with it.

ME: Bye, Alec.

He doesn't respond, yet I can already see the smirk on his face. A smirk, that by now got familiar. Too familiar.

I'm lost.