Earphones

Chapter 10: Last time

She takes off her hands from her face and looks at me. "Do you know how long you were gone?" And I can see in her eyes I screwed up.

"Uhm like 2h30?" I say uneasy.

"More like 3h, yeah. I called you, multiple times. I— I thought something had happened to you." I notice her hands shaking before she rests them on her knees.

"Yeah, sorry. I left my phone here." I look down, I feel horrible seeing her like that.

"I figured."

"I'm deeply sorry, El. I should've told I usually go running for long hours. I'm so so sorry please don't be mad at me."

"I'm not mad. Trust me. It's just— God!" She runs her hands through her hair. "Alexia, you— I don't deal very great with this kind of stressing situations, so you got me in a pretty bad state. I'm still— I can't— I don't know—"

I grab her arm and force her into a hug. "Shhhh, I'm sorry. But you're okay and I'm too." I hold her tightly until she calmed down. "I got you hot chocolate and croissant if you want."

"Thank you. " She ends the embrace. "You should probably go shower first."

"Oh yeah, I'm sorry I shouldn't have hugged you, I must smell, sorry." I apologize a bit shamefully, taking a small step backwards.

She chuckles. "It's okay, you don't smell bad actually."

"Anyway, do you want to shower?"

"Yes, I would."

"Alright, well there's everything you need in the bathroom, but if there's something missing don't hesitate to tell me."

"Okay, thanks."

"Right, then I'll leave you to it." She leaves heading towards the bathroom. I pick up my turntable and put it back in its original place, on the chest of drawers below the widow and then go to my room to have a shower.

♡

After a good shower, I decide to go to the kitchen to take what I bought and bring them to the living room. So I grab one hot chocolate in one hand and one croissant in the other but as I turn around I bump into Lizzie that was surprisingly just behind me spilling some hot chocolate on her. "Blimey I didn't see you there! Sorry! I'm gonna clean that." I put back the cup and croissant on the counter and go grab a sponge .

"I don't care, it's okay." She chuckles.

"Right, but still." I scrub the wet sponge on her shirt. "There. It's less worst." I straighten up and suddenly we're standing close— too close. And oh my god I can't stay that close it's — she's so— I want to kiss her so bad. I clear up my throat and reestablish a little space between us.  "Okay, no it's not better. I'm gonna lend you one of my shirts."

"You sure? I don't mind keeping this one on."

"I can't leave you like that and it's my fault if it's dirty so I'm gonna make up for it. Come on." I insist heading to my room as she follows me. I open my dressing and choose one of my 'just breath' t-shirt. "Here, this one should be good." I hand it to her.

"Thanks."

"You can put that on in the bathroom." She nods and enters the bathroom closing the door behind her.

My mind can't help but wonder about the woman changing just on the other side of the door. I start going back and forth thinking about the last line of my to do list 'Tell El what I feel'. Yeah, I should do it before she leaves.

"You, okay?" I stop passing as I hear her voice.

"Yeah, fine." I force a smile and look at her. She's really always beautiful.

"What?" Shit, I stared a bit too long.

"I think, my shirt looks good on you. Well, I bet everything suits you."

"Thank you."

To break the awkward silence, I suggest we go eat breakfast. So, we went to the kitchen.

"Since there's only one hot chocolate left. You can take it. I have them all the time." I give it to her.

"Thank you."

"No problem. Come on. We'll eat that in the living room, it's comfier." I take the croissants and go sit on the couch and she follows me suit.

We're sitting next to each other. Now it's your cue, tell her. "So when do you gotta leave?" That's not what you were supposed to say.

"Around lunch. But I can leave before if you need."

"No, no. I mean, you leave whenever you want." You should tell her now or you'll regret it. But what if it ruin everything? I can tell her just before she leaves so that I would have spent the most time with her if she react badly. Yeah but if—

"Tell me." She cuts me off from my thoughts.

"What?"

"I can see you're debating on something so tell me."

"Oh... uhm... uhm... ok, okay I— I lied to you." I stammer.

"About what?"

"Uhm... about uhm... what I uhm... what I told you I said in French I uhm... I lied about that."

"What are you talking about? It's not a big deal."

"Well it kinda is. Because what I really said was — no — first, I want to tell you that I'm really glad that I met you and that we became friends and all, and I hope we can still be if—"

"You're scaring me, it's not something bad, is it?" She cuts me off.

"No, not at all I just— fuck! Why is it so hard to say?" I stand up running my hands through my hair.

"Maybe say it again in French and I might guess?"

"Yeah, that's a good idea. But... no, I still can't. I'm sorry, you must think I'm crazy." I walk back and forth in front of her. Why can't I say it even if I want to?

"No, I don't, it's okay. Uhm, let me try something." She stops me taking my hands.

"Okay."

"Sit down." She guides me and I do so. "Close your eyes."

"What?"

"Close your eyes, maybe it'll be easier to tell me. Come on do it trust me."

And I close my eyes. It's like all my senses are heightened. I feel her thumb caressing the back of my hand, her breath brushing across my face. I can hear my heart beating faster as I feel her presence moving closer to my face until I can sense her lips touching mine and...

She is kissing me.

—————

AN/ Did Lizzie really read Alexia's mind??
Anyhow, I hope you liked this chapter. It's a little shorter than the others but the end is the best.
For the next chapter I don't know when I'll be able to update but I'll try to do it as fast as I can.
Xxx