ꨄThe Debutanteꨄ

82.

...

December 31st

...

Cookie opened her eyes slowly, looking at the back of Anika's displaced hair. She leaned up, looking down at her hand on her small waist. She grinned, then leaning down to kissing the side of her cheek. Before her lips could touch her, Anika had turned to face upward. Her eyes opened slowly, and Cookie was met with those favorite orbs of hers.

Cookie stared down at her. "Good morning." She said smoothly. "Morning.." Anika mumbled. "My hair is a mess..." Anika said, raising up her hand to put it on the top of her head, then sliding her hand back as an attempt to slick her hair back. Cookie raised up her hand, going over it after her hand did.

"Oh, It's fine..." She cooed. "That's how I know you slept good." She continued, making Anika let out a chuckle. Since the other day, Anika had began to remember a few small things in a larger amount compared to how much she did when she first returned back home. She remembered a few things about the trip, and the argument that she and her mother had when she was out at the restaurant with Cookie.

She even remembered Jamal, Andre, and Hakeem, including the small bonding moments between them. The most significant things she remembered was the things that Tori had done to her and why she was her ex now. Anika had cursed herself for even bothering to allow herself to feel her lips on hers again. Even though it had risen slight relief within Cookie to hear this, she had wished that she had remembered her most of all. But no, not yet. Cookie was wondering if "in due time" was still holding its significance.

Cookie brushed her thumb onto Anika's cheek. "You know today is the last day of the year, right?" Cookie asked. Anika gasped. "Really? That's right, I hadn't even thought about that." She said, groaning. "It's okay. It's not the most important thing for you right now. Not for me either." Cookie said. Anika stared back at her, then curling her lips and looking away once the eye contact seemed to become too intense.

"I'm hungry..." she said. Cookie tilted her head at her. "Well what are you in the mood for?" Cookie asked. Anika shook her head. "I was thinking I could cook breakfast this time. As a...thank you?" She asked. Cookie grinned. "I appreciate it, but....do you think you can stand up that long?" Cookie asked.

Anika let out a frustrated sigh. "I even forgot that my legs are practically jello right now." She said. "It's okay. We can do it together. You get tired, we switch. On and off. Deal?" Cookie asked. "...okay..." Anika said, smiling softly. Cookie leaned up to kiss her forehead.

...

Cookie sat down at the dining room table, staring over at Anika while she got up with a huff. She walked slowly towards the kitchen island, towards the cooking meat in the skillet. "You got it?" Cookie asked. "Yeah." Anika replied. She placed both of her hands onto the counter, then taking a deep breath before resuming where Cookie had left off.

Cookie enjoyed watching her, feeling like she was going back to her old ways before the incident. The meals that Anika used to make always made Cookie happy, especially when it was a meal from her home.

After a few minutes, Anika had felt her legs weakening. She leaned over the counter, releasing a slight groan and attempting to hold herself up. Cookie got up quickly, then walking behind her. "It's okay. Do you need to sit down?" Cookie asked. Anika shook her head. "No." She said. Cookie placed her hands onto her waist. "No? Are you sure? It looks like your legs are going to start shaking. Your doctor said not to stand up for too long. I can take it from here-" Cookie said, trying to pull Anika up.

Suddenly, something in Anika seemed to snap. "I said I got it..!" She said, turning around quickly, slightly moving Cookie away from her with her shoulder. She turned to face her, staring up at her with a sudden look of annoyance on her face. Cookie paused, putting her hands up slowly in a form of surrender. She narrowed her eyebrows at the shocking tone of her voice. It was as if she was talking to a person she didn't recognize, which in some way was the truth.