Ethereal Love

Iago

My first shift at Cafe Nero arrived faster than expected, I wasn't supposed to be working until Monday, it's only Thursday. Anyway, my first shift went better than planned until a familiar face entered the building at the end of my shift - guess who it was - Iago. "Hey, what can I get you?" I ask,

"Yeah, I hear there's a special offer today? I can walk you home, that's free right?" He asks, attempting to be smooth but failing miserably - even though I got second-hand embarrassment, it's the effort that counts.

"Yeah, I see, hmm I'm not sure, I'll have to ask my manager. I'll be back in a second..." Iago's face now glowing as red as Rudolf Reindeer' nose. "... Hey Andrew, is there a special offer today? One that consists of walking me home for free?" Andrew looked confused at first but as he walked over and started tapping random things on the checkout screen, he looked at Iago, looked back at me and said, "Really? This man? That's at least a five pence payment, for insurance of course - in case any damage is caused." He started laughing thinking he's hilarious.

Iago hypnotised me with his ocean green eyes and begged, "Is that a yes then? I'll pay the five pence." He laughed and winked at me, trying to play it cool but still failing miserably again.

"Fine, you can walk me home. My shift has finished anyway. You always come in at the right time... are you sure you aren't stalking me new-kid?" I laugh but I'm incredibly keen on how he always times it perfectly.

"My dad is the owner of this Cafe... Andrew... your boss, is my dad ahahaha." My face was a picture, but- but- but- how? I started laughing the shock off trying to process it all.

"But Andrew's *I flip my hand, trying to indicate a 'gay motion'*" I state,

"Yeah, you're right... That doesn't stop him from being my dad, nor does it stop him from being the owner of this Cafe..." Iago again, stating the obvious - God I felt so stupid. "... Anyway, let's go loser, it's getting late."

We walked outside and he really did mean he'd walk me home, there was no fancy car waiting outside for us to sit and drive-in. On our travels, it started to rain, Iago looked at the time and it was 10:15 pm, my apartment was still fifteen minutes away and we were already soaked. "Follow me," Iago says. He interlocks his fingers with mine as we hold hands and run through the dark streets and alleyways of Manchester City. I arrive at a huge building... but it wasn't my building with my apartment in... It was Iago's place.

Giggling to myself, I say "Iago, you've forgotten to take me home you moron."

"Oh I didn't forget, come in," Iago says in such a charming way. His Italian accent took control of me, before I entered his house, I pulled him close and I kissed him. Water dripping off of his curls hit my forehead, our body's radiating heat from the butterflies making us feel flustered. His soft purple lips touched mine. He smiled to himself and leaned in again, this time one hand was on my waist whilst the other was holding the back of my neck. I positioned my hands in a way that drove boys crazy, I had one hand brushing up and down his neck to his jawline then back down, and the other wrapped around the back of his head as I scrunched up his short curls. The kiss was gentle, passionate, meaningful but it soon became more intimate. Still kissing, we walked into his house and I took his jacket off whilst he pulled my work apron off, our lips separated so we could pull the apron over my head but they soon connected again. We slid our shoes off and ran upstairs...

It was the next day and I woke up in my not so usual place... I woke up in... IAGO'S BED! Hesitant to look but needed to for confirmation, I lifted the covers to see if I was clothed and thankfully I was, but not in my clothes! I was in Iago's black hoodie and white football shorts, phew, I thought, WAIT what if we did it but because my clothes were wet I wore his instead?? No, don't be stupid. I go to crawl out of bed and I see a fully grown man sleeping on the floor next to the bed - oh, maybe we didn't then. Last night was a blur, I can't remember any of it apart from the-the KISS. I crawl out of bed, trying to be sneaky and I gather all my clothes together but my belt fell out of my arms and hit the floor. Iago shot up and said, "AA- oh, erm, aha, good morning." His sleepy voice was so UGH delicious. "Did we?" I ask in fear that we did,

"No, we didn't. We were going to but you said 'no' so I let you borrow some clothes,  put them on and went to bed. You asked me to sleep next to you but I felt as if that would be wrong so I set myself up a nice spot on the floor." A MASSIVE weight had been lifted off my chest, thank goodness for that - I mean it would've been great I'm sure but thank God we didn't. "Are you hungry?" He asked,

"No but thank you for letting me stopover, it was a... lovely time? I really must go, I promised Mia that I'd look after her as she wasn't feeling too well last night. I'll see you later though - in med class." I smiled and called my Uber to pick me up. I entered the uber and it was someone different this time, it was Steph, she seemed sweet - looked young, she didn't have wrinkles but she had tired eyes, teen pregnancy maybe? "Err, you're really pretty, I'm Maddy by-the-way."

"Aw, you're so sweet. My baby is making my life so tiring recently. I see you're leaving Iago's house..." Steph looked at me through the mirror and tilted her head at me, I rolled my eyes and shook my head, "We didn't have sex don't worry Ahah."

Steph smiled and said, "Yeah be careful with pretty boys like him, they always know how to break a pretty girl's heart."  I awkwardly smiled at her and nodded as if to say, thanks?

"So you're a mum?" I ask - being nosy,

"Yeah aha, I'm a nineteen-year-old mum, honestly babe, if you do have sex make sure you use contraception and take the pill the next day. I made that mistake of not taking the pill and ended up having a baby at seventeen. I didn't realise I was pregnant until two months after. Now, don't get me wrong I love my little Alfie but the opportunities and experiences I've missed out on are ridiculous."

"I'm so sorry," I say, uncertain of how to get out of this situation, "It might seem like you're missing out on many opportunities but trust me, I'm 17 and at university, working in a cafe - you really aren't missing out on much." I try to make her feel less bad about having a baby.

I arrive at my building and I run straight to Mia's room, I let myself in and I see Mia crawled up in her bed, she had been crying - her eyes were puffy and red. Leaping onto her bed I pulled her close and cupped her head as she rested it on my chest, "Oh Mia, Mia, Mia, I am so sorry. I was supposed to be walked home by Iago after work but then he took me to his instead and things kinda kicked off and I woke up early to come and see you but my Uber was taking ages and M-" I was interrupted by Mia breaking down, I could tell as she was as she made a little noise as her shoulders started bouncing up and down. I lift her head and look her in the eyes, who broke you? I thought to myself. Her eyes were no longer blue like mine, they were grey - she's hurting. I got under the duvet with Mia and turned the TV on, I turned her favourite show on, 'Brooklyn Nine Nine' I held Mia close and cuddled with her to comfort her and do my best to make her feel as safe as possible.

*KNOCK KNOCK* Mia and I shoot up, wide awake - we must've fallen asleep. I checked the time and it was 3 pm. I lifted the duvet and looked through the fisheye on the door. Two men were standing there, what did they want? I unlocked and opened the door and they came in, "Sorry to interrupt but, we're here to check your smoke alarm is that okay?" Mia let out a big breath, almost a sigh of relief - what was she thinking? I walk back over to her and ask her if she's ready to talk about what was on her mind yesterday because I could tell that even though she was being heartfelt to me there was something else. She whispered in my ear, "Can I ask you when these guys are gone?" I gave a gentle smile and nodded at her. I stood up and made us some avocado on toast with some iced coffee and whipped cream with coffee powder sprinkled on top. I sit beside Mia and the men leave.

"So, Maddy, this is what I wanted to talk to you about - I've been meaning to ask you if you wanted to maybe go out with me, sometime. I mean it's entirely up to you but I want to hang out more." I'm not sure why but the way Mia asked me to hangout made me feel something, but I'm not going to overthink that.

"Yeah, I'd be happy too. When are you thinking?" I ask, I need to know now as I have class later, I don't have work until Monday which is nice. The weekend to myself and maybe Mia and Iago.

"I was thinking of maybe tonight? But if you don't want to that's fine." She adds at the end, Mia comes across like she's been abandoned and doesn't want to develop trust in people. I mean, that is fair enough, what is trust? The ability to know that someone will always be there for you and never go behind your back. No, I think it's a load of bullshit, trust takes ages to gain in someone and even then you subconsciously think can I trust them? And if you're thinking that then you clearly don't.

I nod at Mia and she says she'll pick me up at around 7:30 pm. "It's a date!" I say, but don't worry we're just friends...