A WARM EMBRACE

DAVID POV

I slowly opened my eyes, to Jane peacefully sleeping beside me, it was 6am, the only sound outside was the faint chirping of birds that welcomed the dawn. I smiled, wondering how she ended up here on the floor with me. She looked so peaceful, and I felt calm just being near her. I admired her beauty as I watched her, and then, as if the universe sensed my gaze, she stirred. A graceful shift of her body, and her eyes fluttered open, meeting mine.

"Hey" I whispered softly.

Her lips curved into a gentle smile. "Hi" she replied

"Why did you decide to join me on the floor? It's quite cold down here." I said, concern lacing my voice

"It wasn't actually. I slept really fine" she assured me with a subtle chuckle

I sat up, stretching and awakening my body from its restful state. Observing her sit up as well, I realized how fortunate I was to have her here with me. Her presence brought joy and comfort to my life, as if fate wanted me to have a taste of stress-free life for a little moment.

As the soft morning light filtered through the window, I asked "What would you like for breakfast?"

"I'm not hungry yet" she replied

"Uhm! Okay" I nodded with understanding "We should go get ready" I suggested.

"Yeah, we should" she agreed with a soft yawn

Standing up, I offered my hand to assist her in getting up from the floor, and she accepted my gesture, allowing me to support her as she got up.

"Don't worry" I reassured her, seeing her about to assist me with gathering the blankets. "I'll take everything inside. You just relax and get ready," I said.

"I want to help" she insisted, her determination shining through.

I hesitated, not wanting to burden her with the task "It's alright Jane"

Still, she wouldn't relent. With an unwavering resolve, she reached for the blankets, and before I knew it, she had taken all of them from my hands.

I couldn't stop her so I proceeded to carry the mattress and made my way to the door of my room. She followed closely behind, clutching the stack of blankets tightly.

Opening the door of my room, I gently rested the mattress against the wall, and then stretched out my hand, taking the blankets from her grasp. But there was a subtle hesitation, I noticed a curious glimmer in her eyes.

"Uhm! Can't I come in?" she asked curiously

"Don't worry, let me take them in" I replied with a smile, as I took the blankets from her. A small frown and a subtle glare flickered across her face and I realized I should have just let her in.

"Uh! wait, you can.. if you.." I stumbled over my words, as I struggled to find the right words. But it was too late, she had already turned away as she angrily retreated to her own room. "Shit!" I bowed my head in frustration with the blankets in my hand.

Gently, I closed the door behind me. I couldn't help but feel guilty for stopping her from entering. I was just accustomed to keeping everyone out of my room, except for Phil, more like it was my defense mechanism, my way of protecting myself from vulnerability.

As I made my way toward the bathroom, the distant ringing of my phone echoed in the quiet morning air. I hastened my steps and reached my desk, where my phone was, the phone's screen revealed Phil's name, I wondered why he was calling so early in the day. Muttering under my breath, I answered the call.

"Bro! Did you watch yesterday's match?" Phil's voice reverberated with enthusiasm from the other end of the line.

My memory raced to catch up. "What match?" I responded "Ah, Arsenal's match! I missed it, I was too tired last night, it's not like it was an interesting match, yeah?"

"What do you mean? You should've seen this Giroud's goal! We have to watch the highlights later today. Jane's leaving today, right?"

"Yeah"

"Great! I'll be at your place by 5 pm. Come back early from work; we've got some catching up to do."

"Bro, I saw you just last week" I teased.

"Still! Don't you miss me?" Phil's laughter echoed across the line.

"Get the F***" I chuckled. Phil could be funny most times.

I settled into the comforting embrace of the bathtub, allowing the warm water to wash away the remnants of sleep and prepare me for the day ahead. My thoughts drifted back to Jane, wondering if she was still angry and if she was already preparing her things for the journey.

A heavy sigh escaped my lips, and I wrapped a towel around my body as I stepped out of the bathroom. I opened my wardrobe and selected a crisp white shirt and pant trousers, while also preparing documents for the day. Tucking in my shirt, I heard a gentle knock on the door.

JANE'S POV

"Arghh!" I seethed, giving the pillow a frustrated punch. "I must've looked like a complete fool," I whined, lying back down on my bed, staring up at the ceiling, I felt embarrassed as I regretted asking him that question. What could he possibly be hiding in that room? His boxers, or perhaps something even more mortifying?

A deep sigh escaped my lips as I rose from my bed. I decided to shake off the unease and focus on preparing for the journey ahead. After dressing up, I realized I needed a bag to carry all my stuffs, including the new clothes he gifted me and his polo I had borrowed on the first day. Thankfully, he had allowed me to keep them. I smiled as I neatly folded the polo alongside my other clothes. His hoodie and shorts were set aside on the bed so he could take them whenever he came to this room.

I stepped out of the room to find a suitable bag. I noticed he wasn't out yet, so I knocked on his door. He swung the door wide open, seemingly inviting me in, but then I didn't move from my spot

"I'm in need of a small bag" I mentioned politely.

"Oh, yeah!" he responded, promptly heading inside to fetch it. "Uhm! Don't you want to come in?" his voice called out from a distance

"No, thank you" I called back, projecting my voice to reach him.

In a short while, he returned bearing a small travel bag.

"Are you upset with me?" he inquired with a touch of remorse. "I mean, I'm sorry, I..."

"It's fine, really" I reassured him with a gentle smile, taking the bag from his grasp. "I do understand, trust me" I added, Although I wasn't entirely certain what I comprehended. Nonetheless, I sought to assure him that I wasn't mad at him.

A smile graced his countenance as he nodded

"Uhm! My dad called, he's already in Sydney" I added quickly

"Alright, we'll be at the park before he gets there hopefully" he replied

"Yeah" I nodded and went back to my room.

After about ten minutes, I came out with my bag, prepared to say goodbye to this nice home. I wondered if he would be okay on his own, I knew he had been alone before my arrival, but I couldn't shake the feeling that he might feel even more alone now.

Soon after, he stepped outside, fully dressed for work, this time wearing a suit. It was the first time I had seen him do so. It was always just a crisp white shirt.

"Ready?" he asked, and I responded with a nod. We proceeded toward the door, but in a sudden impulse, I halted, turning back to face him. He stopped too, the proximity between us now so intimate.

"Uhm!" I tried to find my words. "Thank you for letting me stay, and... for… everything," I managed to express, my heart pounding with vulnerability.

A genuine laugh escaped him, and he nodded in acknowledgement. I nodded back, pressing my lips together, contemplating my next move. As I tried to turn away, he reached out, taking hold of my hand, and gently turned me back to him, pulling me into an unexpected embrace. Surprising, yet comforting, and I found myself slowly wrapping my arms around him in return. I couldn't help but smile, as he understood the unspoken message behind my words.

"Jane," he whispered, holding me tightly.

"Yes?" I replied softly, my heart fluttering with uncertainty, unsure of what he would say next.

"Don't come back." He uttered, and my eyebrows furrowed in confusion

"What?" I snapped, disentangling myself from his embrace, searching his eyes for any sign of jest. He seemed utterly sincere. "Well! I wasn't planning on coming back," I retorted, attempting to mask my bewilderment. "I mean, why would I want..." My words trailed off as his hand gently reached up to cup my face, his touch tender and captivating, causing me to pause and take in the seriousness in his gaze.

"I'll come to you," he said, giving a slight smile, his eyes conveying sincerity.

Lost in his intense gaze, I found myself unable to respond. A rush of conflicting emotions surged within me. I had no idea why he said those words, but they strangely filled me with a sense of comfort. I had probably fallen for this guy against my own better judgment. But no, I can't admit that, this is just a passing phase. I silently chided myself, but a small smile betrayed my inner turmoil.

As we stood there, the tension between us intensified, and his hand trailed gently towards my neck, closing the distance between us. Our eyes locked, and his gaze lingered on my lips, prompting me to do the same. He leaned in closer, and just as our lips were about to meet, an intrusive call interrupted the moment. I was ready to curse whoever it was.

He took a step back, his eyes apologetic as he quickly reached into his pocket, retrieving his phone. He glanced at his phone for a moment before putting it away choosing to ignore the call. Then, he turned back to me, his eyes still holding that tender look that made my heart race.

"Work, huh?" I asked trying to forget what was just about to happen.

"Yeah, my assistant Mr. Martins" he sighed, his lips pressing together in a tense line.

We made our way outside, and as we stepped out, he made sure to lock the door securely. Just then, the phone rang again.

"I'm coming already!" he murmured before picking up. "I'm on..." He started but then abruptly halted. "What?" he questioned, a sudden change in his expression sent shivers down my spine, as fear and worry washed over him.

"What's wrong?" I asked quietly, almost in a hushed whisper, as I instinctively moved closer to him. His face turned somber as he spoke with urgency

"Go back inside" he instructed urgently handing the keys to me and moved swiftly towards his car.

"What? What's going on?" I questioned anxiously, my heart pounded in my chest, and a sense of unease settled upon me.

"Do not open the door for anyone" he stressed firmly, starting the engine of his car. "Except for Phil" he added before speeding off, leaving me puzzled and anxious.

"Oh God!" I cried, hoping that everything would be alright. I had no clue who Phil was or how he looked, and I felt utterly lost, unsure of what to do.

"But..." I attempted to speak, but before I could, he had sped away with an urgency that resembled that of a disoriented man.