Love Is...

28. Inappropriate

CHAPTER - 28

LOVE IS... INAPPROPRIATE

"I love you in a totally creepy and inappropriate way."

Day - 11

I woke up the next morning due to loud ringing of my phone. With a groan, I extended my hand towards the side table to grab my ringing phone. I cleared my throat in order to not sound completely sleepy and answered, "Hello?"

"How was the night?"

I flinched at my best friend's loud voice and asked, "Why are you calling me so early in the morning?"

"Early?" She echoed in disbelief. "It's almost nine and I'm already late for work."

"What?" I jumped on my bed as the ninja within me took control of my body movements.

"Yeah. I was working till nine the last night and still, my article is not done yet. I miss you so much, you know? We don't have our coffee breaks anymore. I mean, it has been what - ten days since you last came here and this place has been literally hell without you," she rambled in a depressed tone on the other side, while I jumped from my messed up bed and ran towards the bathroom to brush my teeth. She rambled some more about the stress at work and some gossips doing the rounds in the office.

Once I was done with cleaning my teeth, I decided to put an end to Stephanie's one sided conversation. "Aww. I miss you too, Steph," came my automatic reply. I was late, very late. "How about today's lunch together? I'm coming down there as I've a meeting with Priscilla. What say?" I threw open the door of my closet to pick out clothes for the day. Blue shirt with beige collars was good to go with beige pants.

"Wow! You're really coming down here? Cool. Let's meet up." She sounded excited all of a sudden and I couldn't help but chuckle. "So let's get back to the topic, how was your date with Ashton?"

"Oh, it was al-" My eyes widened as I recalled something and I told her, "Steph, I've to go. I'll meet you for lunch." Throwing my phone on my bed after cancelling the call, I rushed outside to my living room. Sure enough, there was Ashton Parker sprawled on my couch all in his shirt less glory. I blamed my sudden breathlessness on the very short run from my bedroom to my living room due to my terrible stamina, even though, I was very well aware that it was due to half naked Ashton sleeping a peaceful sleep on my couch.

A smile spread on my lips as I immediately recalled everything that happened last night. It surely was a bitter sweet night with too many things happening in a very less span. Ashton and I had fled from the party pretty soon after our intense conversation in his room. Ashton being the ill mannered jerk he was chose not to say goodbyes to anyone, but me being me, I couldn't help but drop a message to Priscilla informing her about our departure. I knew she was happy seeing Ashton there and I didn't want her to search for Ashton in vain. Once we had reached my apartment, I, out of complete courtesy, had asked Ashton if he wanted to come over for a while. He took my courtesy seriously and came over, not for a while but for the entire night. He had exclaimed that he was way too tired to drive back to his apartment and suggested way too sarcastically that we should have a sleepover, reliving our respective teenage days. Of course, he got the couch and I was successful in getting my own bed.

Biting my lips, I took slow steps towards him all the while staring at his perfect face. Seeing him with his complete beard for continuous ten days had made me become used to it, but I liked this look too. This reminded me of that night, not the bitter parts but of the perfect stranger - the stranger who unknowingly made me strong and made me move over my past over the course of time, the stranger who had shown interest in me and my sob story that night. I bent down to reach his face level and stared at his sharp features. This was the perfect time to do that without getting interrupted by his snarky, rude, and pervert remarks. My eyes travelled from his well cut brown hair, to his closed eyes, to his perfect nose, to his pink kissable lips, and his well cut jaw. Looking at him so up close, I noticed that there was a slight mark right above his upper lip. It looked like a surgery mark.