Bab 26: Chapter 24
The following day I woke up late. Much later than I had expected to, which made me realize just how tired I had really been. It had been a little after ten, and it was only because Khloe had knocked on my door. She wanted to take the dirty laundry. Last night she and my dad had been talking about how they needed to find some good help, and Khloe had said she'd look into it. That she had found some agency which dealt in such things.
When she knocked I didn't really feel like getting up, so I stayed in bed and waited to see if she'd leave. But she kept on calling out my name and I just decided to let her in. She hardly left the house since we moved, yet she still got all dressed up. At the moment she was even wearing heels, which I doubted was safe considering her state. But I trusted she knew what she was doing. If she slipped, she'd only have herself to blame. I walked back to my bed and sat, still not fully awake. I was tempted to get back to bed but I wasn't going to.
" Oh, did I wake you?" Khloe asked as she tried to pick up a shirt off the floor, I went over and picked it up for her, frowning because I didn't think she was supposed to be doing that sort of work either. It was odd, back in Phoenix I had always complained that she did nothing, but now that she was actually helping, it only felt weird and I wanted her to stop.
" Thanks, " she said, then she looked around the room and frowned. I was well aware that it wasn't the neatest it could be. I always had something to do so cleaning up and organizing wasn't in the list of my top priorities at the moment.
" What?" I asked her, trying to see whether she'd make a mention of it, but all she did was shake her head and say it was nothing.
" You planning on doing those?" I gestured to the laundry basket which she hadn't lifted yet because she was still calculating how to do it.
" Yeah, I have a doctor's appointment in a few hours so I thought I'd get this done first. "
" Leave it, " I said, then I went back to my bed and laid on my back. Despite the small amount of lingering sleepiness, I felt mostly refreshed.
" It's okay, I don't mind. "
" But I do, " I countered, my focus on the ceiling.
" Have you done yours?" I asked her and she didn't reply at first, then she asked me what I meant.
" Your laundry, " I clarified, she told me that she hadn't, then she once again tried to assure me that the laundry was no bother. I didn't really care about why she was doing it. Whether it was because she was trying to get on my good side or because she was practicing how to be the ideal housewife. My only concern was that she would tire herself and my dad would find a way to twist things and make it appear as if it was my fault for not helping her out.
" There's a laundromat just a few minutes away. I'll take them there.." I told her, then I raised my head slightly so that I could look at her before adding, " all of them, you can leave yours outside your door and I'll pick them up after I get ready. "
I laid my head back down. Mostly because the shocked look she was currently wearing only served to make me feel weird.
" Are you sure?" She asked and I sighed. Then in the most polite tone I could master, I told her I wouldn't have offered unless I wanted to do it.
" Oh, thanks. "
I didn't reply. And some seconds later I heard her heeled footsteps as she walked away. I stayed in that position for about ten minutes, my eyes were closed but I wasn't asleep. I sat up and ruffled my hair, then I ran a hand over my face and reached under my pillow and took out my phone. Then my eyes widened on realizing that Stevens had actually texted me. Inwardly cursing, I tapped on the texts and read them. there were three, all from him.
" Morning "
" I won't be around from one, so if you still wanna disturb my peace do it before then. "
" Fourth floor, apartment 13C "
I had to convince myself that I was awake because I couldn't believe the Stevens I had become accustomed to had actually sent that. Then I hit myself on the forehead and blamed myself for oversleeping. What if he had expected me to reply? If he was being serious then I only had two hours to get to his place, after which I wouldn't find him. I abruptly stood, then I quickly sent him a text because if I failed to do so my mind wouldn't rest.
" Don't leave before I get there, "
After that I quickly went to the bathroom and took a quick shower, then I put on the first thing that came to view after drying my hair. The laundry was the main reason why I was in such a hurry. And I wanted as much time with Stevens as I could get. Two hours just wouldn't cut it. The laundry would take some time considering how much it was, so I was going to leave it there and just pick it up much later. So much for trying to be helpful. By the time I left the house, half an hour had already passed. I rode to the laundromat and left the clothes there. Most of them were Khloe's, she changed too many times as far as I was concerned. I was probably riding faster than I ought to have been, I had almost got run over twice before. My dad hadn't found out luckily. But the most thrilling part of my bike was the speed it possessed. I loved it. And I had never been able to ride it normally, luckily enough, not a lot of people seemed to go out on Sundays, the roads and streets were mostly lonely. So I was able to smoothly get to Steven's apartment building within no time. I didn't understand why I felt so excited to just be going over to his place, maybe it was because he had, in his own way, invited me over. That was a huge step in the positive direction. Considering that just the previous day he had been trying to get me to leave him alone completely. That building had clearly been there a long time, and judging by its condition, the owner didn't put a lot of effort into ensuring it was well maintained. I looked around when I got in, searching for an elevator, but there didn't seem to be one so I walked over to the stairs and started to go up. Fourth floor, it seemed further than I expected. And the stairs were so fucking many. But I eventually got to his floor and I walked down the hallway, glancing at all the doors until I found his and walked over to it. I raised my hand, intending to knock, but then I out it down first and took in a deep breath.
It was Stevens,I could never tell how he would affect me. I always had so many different reactions to his closeness. So I wasn't surprised when I felt the rain of nervousness pour over me, it drenched me completely. But I was aware that the more I stood there the mess time I'd have with him. I wondered where he was planning on going. Maybe it was work? But if so then he would have just suggested we meet there instead. Ignoring the unease, I knocked. There was no reply for a while so I knocked again and waited. I finally heard some movements on the other side and I took a step back. I just wanted to see him again. To ensure myself that Stevens was not a figment of my imagination, that it was him. That this was the same boy I had once shared all my moments, my fears and my joy with. The one that had once been the only reason why I looked forward to most days. There had always been something about his presence that brightened up my day. He was that type of person. To me at least.
He opened up the door a small fraction and peered around the space, and when he saw it was me he opened it up wider and stepped out. He was dressed in a pair of blue faded jeans and a white button up shirt which he had tucked it on one side, the first couple of buttons had been left undone. I caught a little hint of the skin underneath. Just a tiny peek but it seemed just as soft as every other part of him.
" I was wishing you'd changed your mind, "
" No you weren't. "
He scoffed and walked back into the apartment, then he held the door open and waited for me to walk in. After I did he closed the door and walked straight to the living room. I narrowed my gaze and then I shook my head. Walking over and standing next to him.
" It's Sunday Stevens, " I reminded him. He looked at me with a confused expression.
" Is that supposed to remind me of something, coz it doesn't. "
I signed and glanced at the books around him, both on his lap and on the couch. There was hardly any room for anyone else to sit down. And from what I could see, there were about three different subjects there.
" Can't you give the studying a break for even a day?"
He was overdoing it. And I actually wondered whether he ever got time to do anything else. Whenever I saw him he was always either studying, working or both. He was taking things to the extreme with his books.
" I didn't get to study last night, I feel asleep too early, " he told me.As if that was a reasonable enough explanation. I walked over to his left and picked up all the books and papers he had set out, then I placed them on the small coffee table and sat down.
" Hey! I was using those, there's another seat over there, " he pointed across from him where another couch was, but I ignored him. Then I started to pick up the books on his lap and he asked me what I thought I was doing. He kept his hold on one book and I let him. Then I laid on my back and placed my head on his lap.
" Nope! We're not doing this!" he seriously refused. Then he tried to get me off him but I wouldn't budge. I gripped onto the back of the sofa and smiled.
" Stop moving around so much. "
" Get the hell off me!"
Those reactions of his would never not amuse me. They were part of the reason I always messed around with him.
" Chill down, will you?"
" Austin, I'm not messing around with you. "
" Neither am I."
I watched him as he glanced around the apartment as if he were seeing that space for the first time. He was keenly taking in every detail, doing everything that would spare him from having to look at me. Then after a while he glanced down and shook his head.
" Is this what you wanted to do? Drive me insane?"
" I drive you crazy? I countered with a teasing smile. He seemed so done with me. Then he told me I had a serious problem before he tried to push me off of him one last time. He looked genuinely bothered. He realized I had no intentions of moving and gave up,then he leaned back against the couch and after letting out a long and defeated breath, he placed his hand over my eyes and blocked my sight.
" Will you quit with the staring? It's creeping me out. "He complained.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
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