Aaliyah's soft hands woke me up from my deep sleep on the couch. She was seated in the small space I had left on the couch, her hands freely caressing my face and skin. I closed my eyes briefly to continue feeling the contact, and then opened them.
"I am going out," she whispered to me.
"School?" I questioned, but she shook her head and this made me sit up fast, of course, with my previous confession surfacing in my mind. I feared that the past was the one that was making her run away from me. "If it's about last night...,"
"Shh..." she shushed me using one finger. "I just want to go and change my clothes."
"You can wear my t-shirt and sweats. They are comfortable and very warm inside," I offered. I really did not want her to leave. I didn't know what I would do alone in this house. She smiled a little, but I, of course, knew, with that smile, she was not down to wearing my sweats and t-shirt. "Okay, let me freshen up and we can leave," I added.
"Don't worry, Larry is picking me up."
"Larry?" I questioned. I could not imagine, right when my feelings for Aaliyah were peaking, a guy was daring to stand in my way. "I will take you!" I suddenly said, standing up so fast, making her a little bit startled. "Tell your little boyfriend you have been given a lift," I stated, removing my clothes so fast, not even fearing Aaliyah.
I cleaned up fast, went out of the bathroom, and wore simple black jeans that always needed a belt to really fit me, and a black hoodie, as it was somehow cold outside. Checking my watch, it was eight in the morning.
"Let's leave," I told Aaliyah, who had not moved a step from my couch, even after I entered the shower and came back to change. It was like we were already free from each other, we would literally do anything together; especially 'stay naked' together.
"Are you serious?" she questioned as she followed me into the living room. I took the car keys and shook them in her face.
"I have never been this serious in my life," I told her, realizing that she had worn the small tight dress, and I was sure the cold outside was too much for the underdressing she had done. Thus, I entered my room fast, took my favorite white hoodie that I usually go to work with, and came back with it towards her.
"Here, wear this. It's quite cold," I told her, and she put it on, making it quite bigger than her, especially the fact that it was hiding the dress underneath her thighs. I smiled at it. "You look good," I complimented, and our eyes found each other. I stared straight at her beautiful eyes, her small nose that complimented her beauty, and then her lips. She had not showered; I don't know why she was in a hurry to leave, but her lips looked beautiful. As if noticing my stare, she slowly bit her lower lip and let it go at the very moment, and the next thing was me just finding myself crashing my lips with hers. It took some seconds, as the knock on the apartment door made me pull away and place my forehead on hers, as our breath slowly hitched down from the little moment. I then kissed her cheek and rushed to open the door, with the car keys still in my hand.
"Where is Aaliyah?" Larry's voice shouted before I could even open the door fully. At once, he had already stormed inside, and so I just closed the door, as Aaliyah looked at both of us. I sensed an inch of sadness when she looked at me, however, I could not read it. I just looked down, feeling worse, that she did not tell him not to come. "Aaliyah, let's go," he added, pulling Aaliyah's left hand, but Aaliyah was still glued to the pathway near the living room area.
"Aaliyah hasn't taken any breakfast, let us prepare something real quick," I offered, not because I even wanted to prepare breakfast, but because the idea of being left alone here scared me. And again, I was trying to suppress the feeling of jealousy I was having. He did not kiss her though, I guess all this would dawn on me when, in front of my eyes, their lips touch.
"No, I can buy breakfast for her," the lame boyfriend stated, inching closer to where I stood, near the door.
I did not want to speak. I knew any word I would utter at the moment would forever leave me with regrets. This was the kind of annoyance men do that gets them beaten up because of a girl. However, Aaliyah, for sure, I knew she deserved all the fighting for; she was just one sweet girl.
"Aaliyah, would you love to stay for breakfast?" I stated, knowing very well I was cornering her. By cornering, I meant, if she stayed, she would choose me, and if she left, she would choose the guy. But before she could even answer, it started pouring heavily outside, as thunder began cascading the day. The peaks of winter had already started. Thus, this meant that they sure were to stay.
After the boyfriend made himself comfortable on the living room couch, and Aaliyah made him busy by finding him a Netflix movie, I entered the kitchen to look for something to prepare. It was not for me to cook for a man, but I think he will be the first guy, other than Luke, whom I will ever cook for.
The fridge was full, thanks to Aaliyah. Full of some things I did not even know, in addition to fruits like watermelons, oranges, and apples. Taking out the milk, I saw Aaliyah at the kitchen door. Thankfully, my kitchen was not like other apartments where one in the living room could observe everything going on in the kitchen. The kitchen was a room of its own, just like the guest room and my room.
"I told him... he just did not listen," Aaliyah explained, and I just nodded. I had already removed the black hoodie and was in my t-shirt and sagged jeans, as I had removed the belt. I always wanted to be a little comfortable in the house.
"Don't you feel cold?" she asked, as I started the gas cooker and began preparing the tea.
"No..." I one-word stated. I knew I was a little disappointed with Larry being here, but I just did not want to show it. So, I just wanted to get the breakfast over with. I stirred some eggs as Aaliyah started helping me with preparing pancakes.
After twenty minutes, everything was done, and we were in the living room enjoying the breakfast. However, anyone would notice the tension that lay in the room. First, Aaliyah was still in my hoodie, which made her look as if she just wore it and nothing beneath, leaving her bare legs and part of her thighs bare and out for imagination. However, Larry was the one just staring at her legs, making me, in one instance, stand and head to my room, find a warm cover, and come back with it, giving it to Aaliyah.
"She is my girlfriend!" Larry stated, standing face to face with me. I did not want to say nor do anything, but if he kept pushing, I would have no patience but to punch his face. But I had made a vow that I would never punch another man's face in the stance of a little conflict, except for Funky and me. Funky was just something else, but that was my past though.
"It is cold," I added. "I meant nothing else," I coldly stated, staring deep into his eyes. He was shorter than me, so it just gave me a heads-up. And after, I just took my phone and headed into my room to lie down a little. I did not want my anger issues to get the better of me. In addition, it was still heavily pouring, and it would be bad of me, as a doctor, to send Larry out in this stormy weather. I did not want him to get sick at least.
As I thought, my face facing the other side of the bed, I heard as if my room's door had been opened and then closed. Closed with the keys, but I just ignored it. Maybe it was just in my head.
"He has fallen asleep while watching, so I..." Aaliyah's voice started, but stopped once I faced her. She was still in the huge sweater, but seemed more nervous than even my jealousy towards her and the Larry guy. "I'm sorry," she added, as I shifted my body, making her sit next to me, and then in one minute, she entered beneath the covers, as I felt her chilly hands touch my chin. "Let's just assume he is not here," she suddenly stated, and for once, I felt her statement control me. So, I just nodded.
"You cook well," she randomly stated, and I listened. We never got this intimate, ever. All our talks when sober always turned into arguments. So, I just listened. If it was pointing out everything, I would start with telling her to break up with the Larry guy.
My right hand locked her hair behind her ear, as I just admired her beauty. I never noticed she had a little birthmark just below her eye, making me run my thumb through her little dark spot. Additionally, I appreciated how blemishless her skin was, how her nose was expanding and contracting with each breath getting in and out, and how she kept on moisturizing her lips every moment I looked at them. I really wanted to kiss her, but I knew this would be the worst disrespect Larry would ever have in his life. If one thing is for sure, I knew how disrespect felt like, and it would be worse of me to make him go through that. So, I planted a kiss on her forehead, and then her cheeks, but not her lips, despite how much I stared at them.