A Little Space

By the time I woke up, it was already past nine.

I hadn't realized I had slept that long. I slept for over seven freaking hours.

I rushed to shower and quickly put on a black hoodie, black sweatpants, black socks and white Crocs. I packed my hair in a messy bun and carried my black tote and dashed out of the house.

I was already late. I don't remember getting home, or Christian waking me up, or how I even got to my bed, I just know when I woke up, I was tucked in.

Billie's isn't home so I can't ask her and I can't even believe I slept for that long.

I must have been really tired.

I rushed out of the house and managed to get a taxi in under ten minutes.

Thank goodness I was still in the study group chat so I knew where it was going to take place.

After twenty minutes, I got to my faculty building and dashed towards the classroom it was being held in.

I opened the door with urgency and all eyes turned to me.

"Lesley?" Michael stares at me surprised.

"I'm sorry I'm late." I managed to breathe out. "I overslept."

"Did you run here?" He asks.

I leave the door and walk towards them. I grab a chair and sit with the circle.

"Hey." I greeted the rest of the group and they all said their hellos. "I overslept. So I panicked when I woke up and rushed here."

"I thought you weren't coming." He adds.

"I wasn't, but then I realized it's been a while since I last came here and I didn't want to fall behind."

"No problem then." He smiles. "I'm glad you're here." He turns to Gloria, a girl from my class. "You can continue what you were saying."

"Yeah, right." She answers. "So, the-" A knock from the door interrupts Gloria and we all turn to the door.

"Hey there." Christian smiles at everyone as he sticks his head in. "I believe this is where your nerd session is holding." He walks in and closes the door behind him. "I'm not late am I?"

"Christian?" I stared at him in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

He grabs a chair and places it beside me before he settles down. "I came to study."

"I'm not sure if you're aware, but we're all law students here." Micheal reminds him.

"Oh shit, I forgot. I thought you were all medicine students."

I smack his hand. "Cut it out. What are you doing here?"

"Yeah. What is a computer engineering student doing in a law group study session?" Micheal asks.

"I feel creeped out that you know my major specifically and it doesn't matter if you all are studying a different major from mine. What's important is that we all get to cram these big books in our head."

"We don't study to cram Sinclair. We actually read to understand." Michael glares at him.

Christian raised up his hands in surrender as an apology.

I stand up. "Christian, a word outside?"

"Yes ma'am." He also stands and follows me outside.

"What are you doing here?" I ask him when we're outside.

"I'm here to read and-"

"Don't bullshit me."

He sighs. "Fine. I was worried that you'd still be tired and-"

"Stop." I interrupted him again. He zips his mouth. "I need you to leave."

He opens his mouth to talk but I glare at him. "I am fine. I look fine. The sleep helped, and I don't have a headache anymore. So thank you for caring, now please leave."

"Wow. That's harsh."

"Christian! Please stop treating me like I'm some kind of egg."

"You're actually."

"Christian!" My voice raised a little. "This is seriously no time for jokes. Can't you just get the hint that you're actually choking!" I snapped.

I don't know why, but I snapped.

For the past few weeks, I've been with Christian. We were always together. I wouldn't be surprised if anyone or everyone actually mistook us as a couple.

"I'm choking?" He asks.

"Look." I took a deep breath, calming myself a little. "We've been together too much."

"Too much?" He looked confused.

"In the space of two weeks, I've seen more of you than Billie. And we literally live in the same house." I explain. "I don't just want people to misunderstand this and-"

"You don't want people to misunderstand our friendship?" He asks.

"You're not getting it."

"Then make me get it. Because I seriously don't understand why and how people will mistake us hanging out as being couples."

I didn't even say the words out for him to know what I was trying to say.

"I don't just want them to get the wrong idea."

"But we're not doing anything wrong!" His voice also raises a little.

"Look, just go for now. I have to get back inside, we'll talk about this later."

"Lesley-"

"Just go Christian." I interrupted him and walked away. Walking back to the class.

"Has he left?" Clinton, another guy from my class asks.

"Yeah." I nod. "Talked to him about it."

....

We finished when the time reached eleven thirty. Although it was late and I'd rather be on my bed now, I was glad I turned up for today's session. It helped me recap all of today's classes.

"See you guys later." I waved them all goodbye and walked out.

Michael hurried to catch up with me. "Hey Lesley." I turned to him.

"Want me to walk you home?"

I shake my head. "Thanks, but it's fine. I'll just find a taxi."

"But it's late."

"And we're on Campus. There's still life around. I'm sure a cab or two will come by." I smile at him. "No need to worry."

"You sure?"

"Absolutely."

"I can just grab my bag and sincerely walk you home-"

"I appreciate it, Michael. It's fine."

He looked hesitant to leave. "How about this? I'll call you or send a text when I reach home. Just to show you I got home safe?"

"Yeah. That'd be nice."

"Good. We have a deal then." I smile. "Can I go in peace now?" I ask him and he nods.

"Call me."

"Of course." I wave at him and walk out of the building.

It'd be better if I walked to the bus station instead. I'll get a cab there easier.

It wasn't long when I had started walking towards the bus station when Christian pulled up beside me.

"Lesley, let me take you home."

"Why haven't you left?" I stopped to ask him.

"Well, I knew your class was going to be late, so I waited for you."

"Why would you want to wait?" I asked again.

"Because it's late and you won't get a cab."

"Because it's late, that's why I'm walking to the bus station. There's no need for you to drop me off at home." I state and continue walking.

He sighs. "Are we seriously going through this again?" He asks. "Just come in, Lesley. It's late. Let me take you home."

"It's fine." I repeat.

"Although it's late and nobody will probably see us, I promise I won't act like we're a couple."

I stopped.

"What?"

"You said you didn't want people to make assumptions. Fine I won't act so close with you for them to make room for assumptions."

"Christian, that's not what I meant. I-"

"We can talk about this on the way to your house. Just get in."

I didn't move from my spot, I just stared at him.

"Please?" He pleads.

I opened the door and got in. "Thank you." He says softly.

He immediately steps on the gas pedal.

"Christian I-"

"Can we talk about this when we get to your house?" He asks. "I prefer to have the conversation with all my attention on you."

I said nothing and sat back as he drove in silence to my house.

By the time he parked in front of the apartment, he didn't let me say a word when he opened the car.

"I have this throbbing headache. Can I go upstairs for aspirin?"

Is he trying to avoid the conversation?

"Sure." I nod and get down.

We both walk inside and I hand him the tablet and a bottle of water.

I stood by the counter and he leaned on the wall.

"So, what were we saying?" He asks.

"I'm not saying we're acting like couples."

"But you were implying it."

"No, I wasn't." I argued. "I'm just saying that we need a little space from each other."

He stood straight and walked towards me. Slowly. "But what I don't understand here, what I'm trying to really understand is why would we need space from each other, why should we stay away from each other and why should we care about what other people think when we don't even mean anything to each other?"

He was literally standing in front of me now. So should I say towering?

"You're my sister's friend and I'm your friend's brother. We just happen to always meet up a couple of times and we hang out. We drink together sometimes but there's nothing else to it." He shrugs. "Unless you really want us to give them something to talk about."

I couldn't form a single word out other than…

"What?"

He stares at my lips for a moment before staring back into my eyes. "If you're so worried about what they'd say, why don't we let there be a truth of the matter in it. Just a little tip."

I gulped and the next thing I knew, Christian had put his hands across my lower back and pulled me in for a soul crushing kiss.

The kiss literally crushed my soul because my legs immediately turned jelly.

I don't know when my hands went to his hair and pulled him closer. He bit my lower lip which made me moan and he used that opportunity to pass through to my tongue.

His tongue slicks over mine and pleasure burst throughout my whole body. I angle my head to deepen the kiss, and my tongue eagerly explores his mouth.

Christian moves his fingers through my hair and tugs me close, one arm curling around me to keep me in place. I could feel the wild hammering of his heart. His excitement, matching my own.

When last did a kiss ever feel this good again?

He nibbles on my bottom lip again and it took all my strength not to moan out loud. His lips leave mine and travel along my jawline, trailing down to my neck where he plants soft but shivering kisses.

I hear a tortured whimper, and it took me a moment for me to realize it actually came from me. I wanted to feel his mouth on me again.

No. I needed to feel it.

My phone suddenly rings from the counter table and I groan.

"Leave it." I heard Christian rasped voice, but I couldn't seem to block that sound out of my head.

It snapped me back to reality and I pushed Christian away. I took the phone and checked the ID to see it was Michael.

"Hey Michael." I greeted him and I heard Christian curse under his breath.

"Hi. You said you were going to call me when you reach home. Are you still at the bus station?" He asks.

"No, no, no. I'm home already. Thanks for caring."

"Oh, that's good to hear."

"It totally slipped my mind, I'm sorry." I apologize.

"No, no. As long as you're home and safe, it's fine."

"Thanks."

"I'll see you tomorrow then."

"See you tomorrow. Bye." I say and hang up.

I took in deep breaths for a moment before I turned to Christian.

"I think you should leave."

I couldn't even look him in the eye. I felt seriously embarrassed right now.

"Lesley-"

"I need to sleep, I've had a long day today and I need rest." I interrupted him.

"Let me just-"

"You can close the door on your way out." I state and walked away from him. I walked into my room and closed the door behind me.