23

Socialising was never my forte.

Even when I had moved into this neighborhood months ago, and the lady opposite had come over bearing a tray of pie, with a jug of orange juice, I had only returned her gesture with a smile, and politely, believe me politely, slammed the door on that bright smile of hers.

I never was one to pick an interest in having the neighbors over, while we gossiped about whose husband was planning to bail on them.

But Mildred might have had other things in mind. After all, she was only a middle aged woman who lived with five dogs and a train of birds. She was lovely, regardless. And of course, I accepted the pie, I just couldn't linger for the cheery talks. But we wave at each other every now and then, and that was just it. We all knew our place, every one stuck to their business.

So tell me who exactly who was ringing my door at this hour of the night? I mean, it surely was still young, but whoever it was could have chosen some other time during the day, not when I was prepared to warm up in my bed.

Ding!

I heard that door bell ring for the umpteenth time since the past minute.

Lord! Couldn't the person just take a hint and leave.

I'm not home. It's as simple as that. But of course, my house lights betrayed me. Every single one of them was turned on.

Ding!

"I'm coming!"

I had snatched my robe from my dresser, hurrying into the living room at once.

For a while, the rings stopped, and I thought that person, had decided to turn around, but just one peek out the porch, and I found a strange profile stood there.

"Who's there?" I called from behind the door.

"It's me"

I knew that voice, but just couldn't tell where I knew it from.

"Who?"

"Zoe gave me your address"

And at that, I had pulled the door open, only to be met with a wide grin plastered on that face of his.

He looked...buffer than ever, with beards covering up the familiarity of that profile but I recognized him nonetheless.

We used to be buddies, committed atrocities together, were inseparable and not until the clutches of Uni separated us all.

"William!"

My eyes were blank at him, watching the smile that tugged at the corners of his eyes.

"May I come in?"

His voice was low, rich enough to be grasped to.

"S-sure"

I had stepped aside for him to proceed in, watching as his eyes did an examination of my mini-apartment.

"A lovely place you copped here"

That voice of his was so deep, I just couldn't find myself concentrating on the words that came with it.

"It's nothing serious" I gave a smile, leading him over to the couch.

"What can I get you?— Water, Wine—

"I'm okay, Cara"

"You're in my home, William. It'd be rude of me to let you live without having anything"

His eyes beamed on at me, that grin still held on his lips.

"Just water will be fine, then"

I remained stood there, just staring on at him, while that gaze of his remained in mine. It's been over five years now, and here he was, sat in my living room.

Five years of us denying what we had for each other. Except, I couldn't tell if those feelings of mine were as strong as I thought them to be.

After all, when news got to me that he had been engaged, I barely felt a thing.

I was more wowed than pained that the little boy I used to run around with was soon to be married.

"Cara? Are you okay?"

His voice jolted me at once, and with a slight nod, I hurried off, fetching a glass of water.

The silence came in not long after, and all I was found doing was watching the man away gulp the entire content of the glass.

A sharp breath poured out his lips the instant he was done, and with so much as a nod, he placed the glass on the table in front of him, while I took a seat on the couch.

It was just one couch out here in this modest living room of mine—The worn red one, Grandmother had gifted to me. So trying to avoid being next to the form of this man in my home, wasn't going to be so easy as one would think.

His figure remained on the other end of the couch, while I took this end, fixing my eyes on nothing but the wall.

"Congratulations on your engagement" I called at once, managing to break the silence that had fallen between us.

That grin which faded off his lips, told me something was wrong, but I made no mention of it, not until he opened his lips to speak.

"We broke things off few weeks back" He began, gaze taking mine.

"There were a lot of things we hadn't figured about each other, and I for one came to realise that the girl whom I was to marry, was far from being who I thought her to be"

"It was all just some mistake" He let out.

"We both were in a hurry, and thank God, it didn't get too far, for us to finally see things as it were"

"I'm sorry, William" My voice was low.

"It's fine" He brushed it off with a chuckle.

"Who knew freedom could be this refreshing?" He followed.

"So, Cara— He turned to me, eyes beaming—I heard you work as a counselor, now"

I gave a nod, returning his smile.

"That's great!" He called.

"Zoe, wouldn't share so much in that delight of yours" I chuckled.

"Would she ever?" He laughed. "We all know the things that interest Zoe" He followed.

"Talking to a bunch of kids all day, hearing the issues they bear is far from being what she'd love to do"

"They're not just kids with problems" I called, eyes focused on him.

"What?" He uttered, lost on what I meant.

"Those people I counsel, not all of them are kids with problems" I stated.

"Some of them are recovering patients, seeking to find peace, after what had been a bumpy ride for them"

His eyes were blank at me, gaze shifting through mine, and in a moment, he sat up, clearing his throat.

"Well, I'm sorry if I misunderstood you" He called.

"Oh, you don't need to apologize really. Just decided to let you know that counseling doesn't only have to do with broken people and scarred hearts"

I caught the grin which tugged at his lips, with those eyes rushing with gleam.

"What about you, Cara?"

"How are things with your boyfriend?" He called at once.

"Any wedding bells in the picture?" He chuckled.

"Fred and I broke up, months ago" I let out.

Zoe surely must have told him. It wasn't a thing she was to skip out on, but of course, he decided asking.

"I'm truly sorry, Cara" I heard that voice follow.

For a while, all that remained where our gazes fixed on each other's, while the tick-rocks coming from the wall clock did little to crack the tensity.

Staring into that gaze, only one person came to mind. And in as much as it worried me, it warmed me still.

Those eyes away remained skimming my form, and in a low breath, he called.

"It's getting late"

The sigh that poured out my lips, was every relief that came to me, watching him get to his feet.

"I should get going" He called, making his way to the door.

He took a stop just a few inches away from the door, soon turning around to face me.

"You have no idea how happy I am to see after such a long time, Cara" His voice was low, eyes shifting through mine.

"I'll ring you soon, and perhaps we could have a talk at any restaurant around. Then, we could catch up just fine"

Catch up? Perhaps another means of saying, it's a date, but we're not ready to admit it is. And yes, I didn't fancy such.

Especially not with a guy who I had come to know all about him—Icks and all. Childhood days sure brought about that, not to forget, Zoe and I knew every girl he had laid with.

He would come over, whenever we were back from school, telling us how he'd sleep with some senior he had come across in the cafeteria. And truly he would.

Zoe and I would linger behind his door, listening to the cries of two teenagers while they made love.

How awkward would it be having to go on a date with that same guy.

"Good night, Cara"

And without warning, he planted a kiss on my cheek.

I stared blankly at him, the moment he pulled back, and with a warm smile, he bade his farewell, soon turning around to leave.

It didn't take long for me to turn the lock upon his exit, while the sound of that vehicle went further away.

Figure slumped low to the grounds, body leaning on the door.

Catching up? Whatever was that?

Oh, Zoe. What really did she think she was doing having to tell him to come all the way here?

I'd better ring her line, telling her—

Something moved outside my window.

A shadow that had snatched my attention at once. For a moment, I believed I could have been mistaken, for when I went over to have a peek out, I couldn't find anything there, but when I turned to leave, I saw that shadow move outside the kitchen.

There was someone out there, and whoever it was definitely could make out my figure from in here.

"Who's out there?" I called out like that was to change the fact that there was someone lurking outside my home.

It could be a burglar, and yet, I decided to call out to them, telling them "Hey! I'm in here!"

At once, I had snatched the wooden spatula off the kitchen counter, hurrying to the front door, to check for myself.

I could feel my legs turning numb, heart thumping, while my hands drew nearer to the handle, and right as I turned the lock, I found an empty porch, the silence filling the environs, soon hitting me.

At once, I pushed the lock, turning around only to be met with those familiar eyes peering back at me.

He was stood there in all of his glory, completely unfazed that I had a spatula aimed at him.

"Really? You would kill someone with that?"

His voice was ever smooth, that gaze of his, holding onto mine so well.

"What are you doing here, and how did you get in?" I skimmed his figure stood in my living room, watching that gaze of his.

"You left your back door unlocked" He mentioned.

"I've helped you with it" He followed immediately soon drawing closer to me.

"Logan, you shouldn't be here" My voice was low, eyes watching that figure pull even nearer to me.

"I'm more surprised to find you awake at this hour" He followed.

"I was just going to bed"

He turned silent, eyes skimming me, and at once he brought his lips to mine. His hands had snaked through my form, fingers undoing the robe wrapped over my body.

I watched him pull back, eyes flickering through my bare body which remained peering back at him.

"Took me a while to find where you stay.....Now that I'm here, all I want is you in my arms"

He had lifted me off the floor, taking me to the couch, our lips still locked in each other's. I could feel his breaths getting heavier, with hands roaming every bit of my body.

"I've missed you" Those words were low, with fingers running through my hair, while My own hands went snatching off the shirt worn over his body, revealing that bare chest.

His hands had reached for mine, laying them flat on there, while he pried his pants off.

Now, I wasn't a bit worried how he came to know where I stayed, oh, that didn't worry me at all.

What had me disturbed was why and how he managed to make it out here at such ungodly hour. This corner which stayed miles far from where he lived. Still I relaxed in his hold, arms wrapped over his form, while his lips sent kisses to every part of my skin.