New flame

Chapter 30

I keep hearing my name and some rapping sound from afar until the sounds are so close to me that I have to open my dizzy eyes.

"Mike," I hear the person say, following a knock, and my blur vision gradually becomes clear.

"Who is it?" I ask,

"Maria,"

"What do you want?" I inquire, furrowing my eyebrows in confusion.

"To do my morning chore," She answers. I can't believe we are already in the morning. I rub down my face with my both hands and manage to get up and veer to switch on the bulb before opening the door for her.

"Good morning," She greets, holding a tray containing some sliced toast bread and two cups of hot coffee.

"Morning," I reply. "What time is it please?"

"It's past eight," She answers.

"Really!" I react. Why does it feel like I only slept for thirty minutes?

"I thought you guys wouldn't come back last night," Her words make me remember what happened last night and why I had to sleep on the couch.

I turn around to see Karen still lying on the bed.

"Yeah," I respond to Maria. "We came back late and we couldn't inconvenience you," I explain and she nods okay while I yawn loudly.

"I made you this," She states and I mouth wow! Maria is such a nice woman. I take the tray from her.

"Thank you," I am showing her some appreciation when I hear Karen softly grunt.

I look back to see her thigh moving on the bed, revealing she is somehow awake.

Something else comes to my mind.

"Can you do me one more favor?" I whisper, staring back at Maria. She nods, gesturing yes.

"I made this," I say with my eyes pointing to the tray in my hand.

Her brows are raised in shock, giving me that cunning smile that Scott gave me last night. I hope she is not also assuming I'm falling in love.

All I am doing is being a caring guy for her to develop feelings for me.

"What?" I react.

"Nothing," She answers. "I will come back to clean up your room,"

"Yeah, that will be great," I say and she nods.

"What am I doing here?" I hear Karen's curious crack voice and I quickly shut the door. I turn around to see her already sitting up under the duvet.

She looks so confused as she glares at me.

"You are awake," I say, smiling and I veer to place the tray on the table.

"That doesn't answer my question,"

Noticing she feels uncomfortable, not letting go of the blanket.

"You can put on the T-shirt beside you," I suggest with a shrug.

"That will be better," I hear her mutter and I turn around for her to put it on. I hope I am acting like a lover boy.

"So?" She says and I turn back to her.

She has finally released the blanket as she is now in my black t-shirt which reaches her half-thigh, covering her shorts.

Now back to our conversation that she finds confusing.

"Really?" I react as I sit on the chair, facing her. "When I told you not to listen to Tracy, what did you say?" I add and she gives me long looks that seem she is trying to remember what happened.