The shoe exchange

Alex

I stand and wait at her front door. I've knocked a few times, I'm not even sure if she's home. She could be working at who the hell knows which job right now. But, it's starting to get late and I'm hoping that's not the case.

I groan, as I think about where she could be. Hmm, if only I had a way of getting ahold of her.

Oh, wait.

Just when the sarcasm was about to continue on in my mind, I hear the lock click and the door slowly opens.

"Alex?" She questions, clearly surprised that I'm here.

Me too, sort of.

"Gabriella." My voice comes out a little deeper than usual. She's wrapped in a towel, her long hair dripping water down her chest. A chest that I'm so desperately trying not to look at and have dirty thoughts about.

She tightens the towel around her body and once again I find myself being jealous over an inanimate object.

"Hey, come in." She looks up at me with one of her sweet smiles. "I was just getting out of the shower. Have a seat and I'll be right back." She leaves the door open for me and once I step in, I shut and lock the door.

I take a seat on the couch, one I'm thankful that we were able to provide for her. She deserves nice things like this and so much more. I want give her all the things that she's done without. Whether her and I are meant to be, I'll always look out for her. I'll make sure she never does without anything ever again.

After a few minutes she comes out of her bedroom. She's in another beat up shirt and pair of purple pajama shorts. She looks comfortable and absolutely beautiful.

"What brings you by?" She asks, taking a seat closer to me this time. I look down into her blue eyes and she smiles.

"Well," I draw out. "I just wanted to stop by and ask you something, seeing as how I have no other way, whatsoever, of getting ahold of you." I give her a pointed look and she looks down at her hands, the ones she's wringing together. "You haven't wrote or called me, why?" I ask, as I gently take a piece of her damp hair between my fingers and twist it around.

She almost looks embarrassed and I'm not sure why. "The truth?" She asks.

"Always." I answer her. No matter what it is, I always want the truth, especially from the sweet girl beside me.

"I was messing with it the first night, just trying to figure things out. I couldn't sleep, so I downloaded this game." She giggles a little and I want to hear it on repeat. "I played it so long, the phone died. I don't have a charger for it. I'm sorry, I haven't wrote you or called. It's not because I haven't wanted to or anything. I'm sorry I let it die, I didn't mean to." She rambles on, I can tell she's nervous and maybe thinks I'll get mad. Which is understandable, that's another fuck up on my part.

I let her hair go and I slowly reach for her chin, I raise her face up until she's looking at me. "There's no reason for you to apologize, it's my fault." I drop my hand from her chin and place it in my lap, like a good boy. The urge to pull her in and kiss her frown away is just about too overwhelming. "I wasn't thinking of a charger. I'll get you one tomorrow, I'm just happy you like it." I smile at her and she doesn't hesitate to smile back.

"It was actually nice having something to do rather than sit in the dark by myself in the quiet. The noise was actually a welcomed distraction."

"A distraction?" I furrow my brows at her and ask, "A distraction from what?"

"You know, unwanted thoughts, the ones we try to keep at bay." She shrugs her shoulders.

I nod in understanding, "I get that."