FAR FROM ERIS • FreenBecky •

EIGHTEEN

-🎶-

Eighteen hours had passed since Becky had left her at the doorstep, and she wasn't exaggerating if she said that out of those eighteen, fourteen had been spent with her phone screen on. On one hand, she appreciated the girl's gesture of giving her the opportunity to start the conversation, but on the other hand, she felt that if she did it too soon, she might seem desperate to talk to her. Was she? It had been too long since she was desperate to talk to anyone, so maybe she was confusing things. Or maybe not. Freen truly didn't know what was happening with Becky, but sometimes the image of the girl smiling with her three dimples would sneak into her mind, and the memory of their hands practically on top of each other when they were lying under the plane fluttered in her stomach.

If she had to be a hundred percent honest with herself, Freen had to admit that she was somewhat scared by all of this. Scared by the need to write to her, by the desire for her to unexpectedly show up at the bookstore with any silly excuse, by the wish to see her again. But this time it wasn't a dark, paralyzing fear; it was a different fear. A fear that felt like it was pushing her to do things she hadn't considered before. As if a flame was slowly igniting in her chest.

-Look, Freen, enough is enough. Stop fooling around,- she thought as she grabbed her phone and tote bag, preparing to leave the house. -It's not like you even remember what it's like to have something with someone,- she told herself, looking at herself in the mirror. -And Becky seems like a pretty happy person, you don't want to drag her into your mess. You don't want to.- She nodded as the elevator doors opened and she stepped out into the hallway. Any kind of thought dissipated when she set foot on the street and looked up.

-Good morning- Becky said, leaning on the car parked right in front of Freen's door. The girl stood there with her mouth open, unable to find any words in her brain to respond. -Be...Becky,- she stammered in surprise.
-Don't be scared, I didn't spend the whole night here waiting for you. I was hoping you hadn't left yet. Fancy a coffee?- Becky asked, her eyes fixed on Freen, who still didn't understand why Becky was there so early. However, a part of her brain didn't seem to care at all about the reasons the girl might have for being there because she was deeply pleased to see her.

-I'm glad to see you- her pleased brain spoke for her. Freen was surprised because she hadn't planned to answer that. In fact, she hadn't planned to say anything and didn't know where that voice had come from.

-I'm glad too. Especially because it would have been a total failure to wait for forty-five minutes at your door and not see you- Becky continued casually leaning on the car, while Freen observed her for a few seconds. Her hair fell loose and slightly wavy over her shoulders, as if she had let it air dry. She was wearing an oversized mustard-colored sweater, revealing two thin straps of what seemed to be a sports bra. Freen lingered a little too long on the shape of her collarbone hidden under her hair before shaking her head again, trying to compose her thoughts.

-You've been here for forty-five minutes?- she asked, surprised. -Becky, you're crazy, and it's very early, didn't you get cold?- What kind of question is that, Freen? -I mean, I don't know, for the next time, call the intercom or something, but don't stay on the street.-

-It would have been quite awkward to wake up your whole building trying to find your apartment- Becky replied. -I'm not asking you to tell me where you live. Don't worry,- Becky seemed to have the ability to soothe Freen's insecurities before the girl even identified them as a threat. -I had considered the possibility of shouting your name from here like in 'Life is Beautiful,' but I wouldn't want your neighbors to hate me. Who knows, maybe one day I'll even get to know them,- she said, looking distractedly at the building's windows, lost in her thoughts.