And it all started with this meet & greet - Ondreaz Lopez

Chapter 50. "Sorry, but no."

 It was already dark outside, the streets almost empty. The side streets were yellowed by the faint light of the street lamp and a cool wind was blowing around me. It was still about five minutes to my home, but my luck let me down, as it had the whole last weeks.

 I looked into the sky and held my Beanie so that she couldn't fall down. The first drops came loose from the cloud cover and hit my warm forehead. With my index finger I wiped through my face and continued my way. The light drizzle became stronger, my hair curled through the moisture, I walked a step faster.

  I closed my jacket and wrapped my arms around my upper body. Whenever I looked into the light of a lantern I could always tell the direction of the rain, it just crashed against my back. A sigh came over my lips. Of course I had not thought of an umbrella. 

Completely drenched, I entered the apartment complex. Normally I loved the rain, but right now I just wanted to be dry. "Hey, Soph." Ryan raised his hand in greeting. I smiled weakly at him. I really liked what I saw, but since the events of October - almost two months ago - no one has really been able to get an honest smile out of me. 

 "Shall I order you a pizza?" he asked me, but I only shook my head. "No, thanks, Ryan. I have some in the fridge." He looked at me with concern and opened the elevator door. 

 "See you tomorrow, Soph," he brought out, still friendly, which was a miracle in my mood, I just nodded absently. Exhausted, I drove my hands through my face. I dripped and a puddle had already formed on the elevator floor, once around me. 

 I pushed the key into the lock and turned it. The warmth in our apartment hit me immediately and I dropped my rucksack carelessly beside the door. Then I went into the bathroom, rubbed my hair with the towel and put on something dry.

 I wanted to video chat with Ondreaz, after all today was our anniversary, so I decided against the baggy look. So I squeezed myself into grey pants with loops through which I threaded a belt and a lace top under which I wore a bandeu. On top of that a white jacket, then I took the chain with a pistol pendant out of my neckline and straightened it. 

 My hair was impossible to control, but I could handle it and Ondre probably was too. I took my laptop out of the compartment under the table top to bring it up, and a note fell. It hadn't been there before. 

 There's a gift waiting for you upstairs. It's finally packed :) - Matt 

I suspected that he was talking about the greenhouse he had planned to build because our roof was so boring. I had already seen it in its raw state, but obviously he had now managed to get the plums in as well. 

 I slipped into the first shoes I came across and walked up the stairs to the roof. It was still raining, quite heavily even, and I stayed in the shelter of the small ledge above the door. 

 The greenhouse was illuminated and already from here the green shone towards me. A grin spread over my face. It had become really beautiful. Already from here it looked very inviting and I jogged through the cold over to the little house.

 "You really like to surprise me, don't you?" I laughed when I saw that I was not alone in here. Ondreaz smiled at me. "Since when are you so cool when you finally see me after weeks?" he asked and raised one eyebrow.

 "Honestly, I'm exploding inside right now," I explained and my heart was beating up to my neck, but it felt pleasant. So familiar. Many things had become strange to me lately and it was nice to know that my feelings towards Ondre had not changed in any way. 

 "You're welcome to move the explosion to the outside, otherwise I get the feeling that you don't appreciate the fact that I flew here for almost ten hours," he joked and spread his arms, smiling.